Copy to the Copyeditor

By Chip R. Bell and John R. Patterson

Truman Capote is credited with saying, “I never finished a book, someone just came in
and took it from me.” By the time most authors get to last page of their beloved
manuscript, the emotional attachment is akin to that of one’s first born or favorite pet.
After all, the sages that visited in the middle of the night and impelled the author to rise
and write seem to still be hovering.

It makes the submission of the manuscript draft to a copyeditor a rather bittersweet

experience. There is relief that late nights and weekends in front of a blank screen
waiting for inspiration might be almost over, but angst over letting anyone else tinker
with it. Giving the manuscript to the publisher is like leaving your child with a sitter;
however, passing it to a copyeditor is like letting a neighbor work on the prized antique
car you painstakingly restored.

Since we have “passed our baby to a stranger-mechanic” more than once, we elected
with our newest book to communicate our writing guidelines…like letting your neighbor-
mechanic know you enjoy a rougher than normal ride or that the windshield wipers that
go slowly should be left alone. Our managing editor at Berrett-Koehler thought other
authors might benefit from the guidelines we sent our copyeditor. We will let you know
whether it worked.

 Metaphors create word pictures in the reader’s mind that make the message
memorable. Use them generously.
 The sound of the words is as important as the substance. Write as if the book
will be read from a stage and the audience will not have a copy.
 Stories are remembered long after facts have been forgotten. Stories should be
told like someone’s grandfather, not like an expert.
 The poetry of the language should never take a backseat to the logic of the
content.
 Business books should be experienced as novels, not as a business reports for
board members. Business is an adventure filled with exciting illustrations and a
sense of theater; business books should be likewise.
 The main difference between a business book and a business manual is color.
 Clarity is crucial; color is even more important. So is clever writing.
 Simplicity always trumps complex in the memory of the reader.
 Never take away from the reader the elements of magic, mystery and charm.
 It’s okay to create a totally new word as long as the reader “gets” the meaning.
 A colorful trip that takes a bit longer will have a greater impact than a short one
that is sterile. Reading a book is taking a trip.
 The main entre is enjoyed much more if preceded by a great appetizer and
aperitif. Cutting to the chase might solve a problem but rarely teaches a lesson
that is remembered.
  Giving appropriate credit cannot be ever slighted. Cites must be thorough and
exact. To the reader it is called “integrity.” To the writer it is called “staying out of
court!”
 A fast read is generally preferred to a slow read. However, if the play is a great
one, the audience does not mind if the writer took a little longer.
 The tone and the look of the book should be congruent with its content.
 If the message is heavy, the style should be light; if the content is complex, its
explanation should be simple.
 If two authors are involved, the reader should never be able to ascertain which
voice is speaking, unless so noted.
 Books should be experienced as messages to readers. Writers are messengers,
not the message.

Chip and John are the authors of Wired and Dangerous: How Your Customers Have
Changed and What to do About it.