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Getting copyright right

Copyright law - the rules that apply to the use of your own or someone else's created material - is complex. But for creators, including editors and writers, it's valuable, and an understanding of how copyright works is vital.

But where do you get that understanding? Law degrees deliver whole subjects about this topic, so there must be a lot to know. Copyright law changes from time to time, and it also varies from country to country.

The good news for writers and editors is that you don't need to be an expert in copyright law. You do need to understand the basics, and you do need to know where to go for advice and guidance.

But a whole law degree is not necessary for you to do what you do. (Phew!)

What even is copyright?

Copyright is designed to protect the rights of creators, so that their ability to make a living from their creative work is not compromised.

The basic idea is that:

  • you generally cannot use someone else's creative work for your own purposes without seeking permission
  • but there are a limited set of reasons ('exceptions') that allow you to do so.

So if you're writing a book, an article or anything for a readership and you decide to include a few words from a song, a few lines from a poem, a statement of fact from another book, a photo you didn't take yourself - indeed, anything that someone else wrote or made - you need an alarm bell to go off in your head.

'Woah, this isn't mine. Can I use it?'

Help with copyright

So where do you turn after the alarm has rung? Good news: there are organisations whose entire mission in life is to help people understand copyright.

(I'm an Australian editor, writing in Australia, so I'll focus here on Australian resources.)

My go-to favourite for advice and guidance on copyright in Australia is the Copyright Council. They maintain an extensive (and free!) library of downloadable information sheets on every aspect of copyright you could think of. They also publish handbooks on key topics and you can purchase those through the website.

The reason I love the Copyright Council's publications is that they are sooooo readable! They've taken complex matters of law and turned them into clear, accessible, understandable information for the layperson.

The other people you should know about is ArtsLaw, the national community legal centre for the arts in Australia. ArtsLaw have free information sheets online, too, in their Information Hub, but they also offer a couple of legal advice services for eligible arts practitioners, for a fee.

(You may need to subscribe or join ArtsLaw to get the most benefit from their resources, but if you're a serious writer, that could be a good thing. For example, you can also buy adaptable templates for contracts, confidentiality agreements and website terms of use, among others.)

Legal eagles

As an editor, I make sure to tell my authors that I am not a lawyer, I am not qualified to provide legal advice, and my recommendations do not constitute legal advice.

The extent of my responsibility in relation to copyright, as the Australian standards for editing practice (2nd ed, 2013, section A4) says, is to have knowledge of copyright requirements and what implications they could have on a publication and to flag anything I think the authors should seek professional legal advice on.

In short: to be really sure that you're not breaching copyright law, ask a lawyer.

Copyright wrongs

If something is complex, it can easily be misunderstood - and that goes for copyright, too. How many of these incorrect copyright 'facts' have you heard?

  • "Anything on the internet is in the public domain." (Wrong.)
  • "I'm only using a few lines/words, so it's okay." (Not necessarily.)
  • "It's been over 70 years since it was published, so it's out of copyright now." (Not for writings.)
  • "I see that image on T-shirts all the time, so anyone must be able to use it." (That's not how it works.)

Your homework is to head over to the Copyright Council and ArtsLaw websites and fact-check these claims! Let me know what you decide.

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Getting edited 1: finding an editor

You've written your work, and you're keen to ensure it's as perfect as possible before publishing it or submitting it to an agent or publisher. That means taking the next step: getting your text quality-checked, polished and reviewed.

Mum / your partner / your co-worker / your friend-who's-an-English-teacher may have read it for you along the way and made useful suggestions or corrections. That's most likely been a great help in preparing your final draft.

However, because you're a professional and take your work seriously, you know that it will benefit from a professional edit.

After all, editors know publishing, writing, grammar, usage, styles, spelling, sensitivities, copyright, permissions ... all the things that you want to be sure you've got right. And a professional editor will take your work just as seriously as you do.

Naturally, you hope to find the right one: the right experience for your work's genre or format, the right personality, the right price, the right availability.

So, how do you find that 'right' editor?

  • Ask Google. Of course. Don't we all? However, you're likely to be overwhelmed with results. And while it might seem obvious to search for something like 'editor', it's better to be more specific with your search terms and ask for what you really want.

    A search for terms like 'non-fiction book editor in Melbourne' or 'blog copyeditor Australia' will help narrow down the list. You'll probably still need to sift through a lot of results, but it's a start.

    (If you're not sure what kind of editing to look for, take a look at my recent blog post, 'What is "editing"?')

    As you check them out, remember that being the result at the top of the Google list may not necessarily be an indication of editorial skill, experience and qualification. Look for a clear statement of qualifications and experience, and whether the editor works with your genre or kind of text.

  • Ask the profession. This is a better idea. Most countries have a national industry association for the editing profession (see 'Associating with the right crowd' for more about this). And those associations generally offer a directory of qualified and experienced editors for prospective clients.

    You can usually search these directories by name (someone you found through your Googling, perhaps), genre, subject area, location and other parameters.

    And you can be sure that if an editor is listed in an industry directory, their skills and experience have been verified by the professional association. A tick of approval, if you like!

    To get you started, here's the search page in the Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd) directory.
  • Ask social media. LinkedIn, in particular, can be a fantastic resource for finding the editor you need. Try searching for 'editor' and narrow it down by 'location' or 'people', then browse the profiles.

    Many editors also have a presence on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, among others. Here you might get an idea of their personalities and interests, which could help you choose someone you'd feel comfortable with. Try searching by hashtags like '#editor' or '#amediting' and see what you find.

  • Ask Rachel. If you're an established professional in the communication and media industries, a great place to hunt for help is Rachel's List. This cross-sector job board and newsletter, run by Rachel Smith, links short-term and ongoing vacancies with suitable freelancers. List your job for a small fee and watch the responses roll in.
  • Ask an editor. Wait, what? Yep, it's true. Many editors know plenty of other editors, and if we're not quite the right fit for your current work, we probably know someone who is.

    I'm a non-fiction editor and I don't have the skillset or experience necessary to do the best for a fiction book manuscript. But I know editors who do, including Patrice, Lauren and Kerry. I can connect you to them in a flash and save you a lot of searching.

    I don't do academic editing of theses and journal articles. But Charlotte and Laurel do (and they're brilliant, by the way). And I know where you can find them, which will save you time.

    It's a science article? Claire would be perfect. Let me contact her for you. (Get the idea?)

  • Ask me. You're self-publishing a non-fiction book? Just my speciality. (And I can connect you to designers and publishing services who can take you through the whole process after I edit for you.)

    Your favourite subject area is creative arts, or sustainability and the circular economy? Hey, mine too!

    You've written up your organisation's newsletter, website content and brochure text, and want an editor to make sure it's going to be effective, engaging and all-round excellent? I can do that for you.

    And look, you've already found me. Well, what do you know!

lee@ellwords.com.au #MakingYourMessageMatter

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The Cambridge Guide to Australian English Usage

The Cambridge Guide to Australian English Usage, 2nd ed.

Pam peters | 2007 | isbn 978 0 52170 242 3 (PBK)

So, you're writing in Australia for local readers, and you strike a few language questions as you progress. Is that word spelt manoeuvre or maneuver? What is it that's wrong with He could of saved some time? And is your historical story fictional or fictitious?

If you're serious about your writing, these are important questions. You don't want to confuse your readers, appear unprofessional or embarrass yourself. But who can advise you, with reliable authority?

(Hint: not Dr Google. Or Wikipedia. There you'll get answers from anyone and everyone that are usually not focused on the Australian version of English.)

You need a usage guide, and one particular to Australian English, since you're writing for an Australian readership.

A usage guide is like a style guide, only ... different. A style guide covers matters of writing style, while a usage guide covers, would you believe, questions of language usage. (See my previous article to learn about style guides.)

So let me tell you about The Cambridge Guide to Australian English Usage (2nd edition, 2007) by Professor Pam Peters.

This weighty book (906 pages, and now available for Kindle) is one of my go-to resources for writing and editing. It lists and explains over three thousand queries and quirks of contemporary Australian English.

The entries are in alphabetical order and include prefixes, suffixes, grammar terms, Indigenous terms and alternative spellings. The text is accessible, the explanations clear, and the cross-referencing between entries is logical.

For example, let's say you're wondering whether to use leveled or levelled. You turn to page 471, where you'll see:

leveled or levelled The choice between these is discussed at -l/-ll-.

This is because there are lots of words that cause you to wonder the same thing, so why repeat the explanation under every entry? Off you go to the -l/-ll- entry and find out what to do with pretty much any example of that particular letter-doubling puzzle.

Even though the book was published in 2007, it seems that not much has changed. I've rarely had a usage question it didn't answer.

And the Cambridge Guide to Australian English Usage should be good: it's written by an expert. Pam Peters is Emeritus Professor of Linguistics at Macquarie University with a long list of academic and general publications to her name, including several usage guides and editions of The Macquarie Dictionary.

Professor Peters initiated and led Macquarie University's postgraduate program in editing until her retirement in the late 2000s and was on the editorial team for the recently launched Australian Manual of Style.

For quality writing, you want a little library of quality resources. The Cambridge Guide to Australian English Usage is one to include. (And for other resource ideas, see 'Writing and editing resources'.)

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Associating with the right crowd

How do you find an editor? How do you know if the one you found is 'any good'? How do you know what editing should do for you, anyway?

Well, you can Google. As always, you'll get some good results and some ... not-so-good results, which will take you time to sift through.

Or, you can go straight to the best resource there is: your local professional association for editors. Each one will likely have, among other resources:

  • an editor directory, where you can find a professional editor recognised by the association
  • a downloadable guide to editorial standards, to help you understand what to expect of editing
  • blog posts or information about language or writing, useful when preparing your work or manuscript
  • an indication of pay rates for editors in your country, which will give you an idea of the cost of your editing.

So who is your national editing association? Here are some of the world's biggest, with links to their websites:

Mind you, these professional bodies are valuable resources for us editors, too. They're definitely 'the right crowds' for us to associate with, for a number of reasons.

When you first switch to freelancing, one of the biggest changes you notice is the loss of an in-house team. There are some pluses to that: you no longer waste time caught up in Monday morning conversations about who's winning The Bachelor. (I guess for some, that's actually a minus ...!)

However, you don't have someone *right there* that you can bounce ideas off or chat to about a challenge, either.

While I really enjoy working on my own, I also love collaborating on a project. And having a network of peers and colleagues to kick problems around with or share resources with is super-valuable.

That's a large part of the reason why I've been a member of IPEd, Australia and New Zealand's editorial professional body, for years. I've joined the UK's CIEP as well. (Both have granted me 'Professional'-level status, which recognises my editing experience and accreditation.)

Between these two associations, I have a huge network of peers and colleagues around the world. But I also have access to diverse and ongoing training, reference resources, information on editorial standards, and industry news.

As I've increased my editing work over the past few years, these peer networks have offered kind and enthusiastic support, provided job leads and shared their collective knowledge. They've welcomed me at conferences, waved to me over Zoom, cheered me through the IPEd accreditation exam and joined me for both online and in-person coffees.

Thanks to IPEd, CIEP and other associations, there's no way freelancing is a lonely gig for me.

And finding a freelance editor shouldn't be a hit-and-miss gig for you, either!

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What is 'editing'?

If I asked you what I do as an editor, what would you say? I find that the term 'editing' holds different meanings for different people: from 'someone taking over your writing' to 'finding any typos'.

Neither is the truth. Well, yes, I do look for typos. But I can do much more than that - depending on what your purpose for your writing is, what editing you decide to have done, and maybe how much your budget is for doing it.

Let me assure you that I don't 'take over your writing'! And no other editor should, either. I'm here to support you in achieving your communication goals. So once I know what those are, we can work together to achieve them. It's your book (or website, or brochure, or ...)!

Different types of text editing

So, let me tell you about the different editing tools than can be used to make your message matter.

Developmental and structural editing

These are bigger-picture tools that ensure the work has the most appropriate overall structure for its purpose, that its length and focus are suitable, that its story or argument is flowing and logical, and that the way all its parts are arranged is the best for reaching and engaging its audience or readership.

Developmental editing usually applies to book manuscripts, particularly fiction, but the concept can be used on any writing project, really. It refers to the collaboration between an editor and an author to help the plotline, characters and story (or, in non-fiction, the subject and its delivery) 'develop' into the best possible draft, ready for further editing.

Structural editing will look at the whole work's cohesion, accessibility and navigation to make sure the reader will be able to 'get into' the text and connect with it. It looks at the logical flow of the information or story, the balance between any chapters or sections, and the overall pace of the piece. This tool works equally well on shorter texts (like brochures, newsletters, feature articles) and book manuscripts. It's also a key step in developing web content.

Copyediting and line editing

These involve a detailed review of the language, form and grammar in the document to find and correct typographical errors, lapses in appropriate grammar or word usage, spelling mistakes, text misalignment, errors in number format or punctuation, general factual inaccuracies and style inconsistencies.

The two terms are often used interchangeably in Australia, but there is a slight difference. Line editing works at sentence and paragraph level and looks at word order, sentence structure, tense and voice. Copyediting works at word level and covers errors and inconsistencies in spelling, punctuation, factual accuracy, styling, spacing and layout.

Proofreading

This is the very last check of documents, manuscripts, web content or page proofs prior to publication or distribution. Proofreading can involve checking the page layout, page order and numbering, chapter or section numbering and titling, positioning of elements, heading levels and other formatting, and making sure that earlier edits have been accurately incorporated. For a web page or other screen publication, it will also cover checking links, metadata, navigation and other functionalities.

Sidenote: proofreading is not copyediting! Proofreading is a quality control step, copyediting is a polishing step. If your manuscript, website or document has not yet been professionally copyedited, proofreading will not be what's needed to deliver an engaging, professionally written text. If you're thinking of requesting a proofread, let's chat about what exactly you want to achieve in that step: it might be more useful for you to book a copyedit.

The order of things

I've explained these editing levels in the order they're done, but you may not need (or have the budget for) all of them.

It's a bit like a restaurant menu: it can still be a good experience if you only choose a main course, but if you can have an entrée and dessert as well, it will make the meal something special!

A professional editor will talk with you about your writing project's purpose, budget and audience before advising what would be the best options. And it's up to you what you choose from those options.

So don't be afraid to find out exactly how editing can make your message matter.

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Instant professionalism: just add style

An easy way to make your written message matter is to be consistent, both in the message content and its style. Why?

> It makes your messaging more effective, and
> it shows that you're professional.

Tell me more ...

Inconsistency in spelling, terms used, tense, abbreviation forms, or any other aspect of a text is distracting to the reader. It makes them stop, even for a split-second, to think about what's wrong.

But you don't want your audience to be distracted from what you're saying. It's like them being interrupted while you're talking to them! You want to engage them with your message and keep them engaged.

Inconsistency also detracts from your professional image. If you can't get your own writing looking schmick, how can potential customers or clients believe that your business actually IS schmick?

A style guide is the answer.

What's a style guide?

It's a simple Word or PDF document that records all the decisions you make about your organisation's preferred ways of styling your communications.

For example: the headings in this post use sentence case, which has a capital on the first word but not the others. That's my personal style preference. But for your business's communications, you might like them all capitalised .

I'm an Australian business owner, so I use Australian spelling and word usage. But maybe you deal with a lot of customers in the USA, so you prefer -ize and -or spellings to -ise and -our.

I've chosen this font ('Poppins') for my web text. You might prefer Arial or Calibri or Times New Roman or something else.

Compiling a style guide is a service I offer as a professional editor. I work with you to identify or choose all the style elements you'd like for your communications. It would usually include your branding elements, too.

Then I compile them all into one document that you can provide to all your employees (or contractors, or whoever is relevant). Once your style guide is developed and in place, your written communication will begin to look consistent, cohesive and connected.

Even the smallest organisation will benefit from having all its style preferences captured in one place for any staff member to follow in any written text they send out.

Instant professionalism and maximum engagement! And a personalised style sheet doesn't even take much time or money to establish.

But it can certainly #makeyourmessagematter!

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Communication 101

Have you ever had the experience of saying something that you thought was absolutely clear, only to be completely misunderstood?

Communication is more than speaking and being heard, or writing and being read. There are many factors that can prevent your intended message being received accurately.

Your audience’s background knowledge, expectation of meaning, familiarity with the topic, and ability to access the message are just some of them. The choice of medium, voice and language level along with your knowledge of your audience also play a part.

Increasingly, visual elements are part of your tool kit, too.

So if your sentences are unclear, your writing doesn't flow, you don't know your audience's composition or you haven't thought about the best medium, it's very likely you won't hook your readers.

And given that people have sooooo much information they can choose to engage with, they won't spend the time trying to understand yours. They'll move on to something else. Which is not what you want.

To prevent that happening, in my editing I'll look with you at:

  • who your audience is and what their needs are: what problems they have that you can solve
  • how your message can be shaped and structured to suit your audience
  • how the layout and signposting of your message can boost accessibility
  • how visual elements can strengthen their engagement
  • what medium will best reach them: maybe a print brochure, social media content, webpage text, or another option.

Want to know more? Read about the different kinds of editing that I could apply to ensure your writing project is communicating successfully: that is, reaching the people you want and drawing them in.

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Writing and editing resources

If you're starting out in writing, editing or marketing communication, it would be helpful for you to know where to go to check spellings, word usage, grammar, style and punctuation.

Why? Several reasons. Mainly: your aim is to get your message across, and introducing errors can cause misunderstandings. It can also distract your reader if they notice the error (and forget what you're trying to say). Another reason is that if you'd like to be taken seriously as a business or professional organisation, poor English can say otherwise.

So to help you communicate well, here are some of the standard reference guides used widely across the editing profession.

In Australia, the go-to resource for spelling and word meanings is the Macquarie Dictionary. This is now published online and accessed via subscription (check if your local library has a subscription for its members). The hardback 6th Edition currently costs AUD99.99 on Macquarie's online shop.

The standard style guide here is the Style Manual for Authors, Editors and Printers (6th edition, John Wiley & Sons, 2002). Work is currently underway on a long-overdue digital 7th edition, but meanwhile, turn to the Style Manual to check conventions in titles, capitalisation, punctuation, numbering, use of italics, and a million other perplexing practices. Do you or don't you capitalise each entry in a bulleted list? See the Style Manual (pages 142-3).

Language being the ever-changing beast that it is, it's worth checking that, once you've chosen your words, you're using them correctly. This is where usage guides are handy. My favourites are Modern Australian Usage by Nicholas Hudson (3rd edition, Allen & Unwin, 2015) and Pam Peters' The Cambridge Guide to Australian English Usage (2nd edition, Cambridge University Press, 2007).

New editors in Australia regularly turn to Janet Mackenzie's The Editor's Companion (2nd edition, Cambridge University Press, 2011) for help with editorial processes and working as an editor.  I also like The Australian Editing Handbook (3rd edition, John Wiley & Sons, 2014) by Elizabeth Flann, Beryl Hill and Lan Wang.

I hope you find these as helpful as I do in making messages matter!

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Communication for not-for-profits

Last week I discovered an online digital marketing summit that focused on communication for not-for-profit (NFP), social enterprise and community organisations. Unite2020, offered by Perth-based social media company Hancock Creative, ran online with three days of Zoom webinars - available by donation, if possible, or free of charge, if need be. A generous move, in light of the financial constraints many in the target audience would have found themselves at the moment.

As I'm particularly interested in supporting NFPs and small businesses with their communication strategies, I registered for as many sessions as I could fit into my schedule. However, all the webinars were made available to attendees for another 14 days, which is fantastic. I'm still trying to get through everything I wanted to!

As an editor rather than an organisation, it was clear to me how vital active marketing, engaging and communicating is for NFPs and community organisations. Attracting donors, sponsors, funding, grants, volunteers and supporters is a competitive business, unfortunately, and not every organisation has the luxury of a social media guru or a marketing genius in their paid ranks.

I'm not sure if Unite2020 has run before, but I truly hope it's on again next year and that many of the dedicated workers in the community sector can participate. A fantastic opportunity to gain very valuable skills and strategies tailored to the audience.