Copy editor update

I just wanted to throw up a quick note for those who applied for the copy editor opening I posted on Tuesday. I’m once again overwhelmed by the number of passionate and qualified people who have applied, and while I haven’t had a chance to go through everyone’s emails and resumes yet, I will be looking them over this weekend and getting back to everyone sometime this weekend, probably Sunday night.

Thanks for your patience, everyone, and thank you guys for offering your help in running the site.


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Bernie Weiss
14 years ago

Bryan: You could have done better. Here’s how I would have edited your copy:

“I just wanted to throw up a quick note for those who applied for the copy editor opening posted on Tuesday. I was overwhelmed by so many passionate applicants. I am still going through the emails and resumes, and will get back to everyone sometime this weekend, probably Sunday night.”

This is far more cogent, without violating the integrity of your message.

Bernie

Bob
14 years ago

Bernie, you missed the obvious edit.  I don’t think I’d start with “I just wanted to throw up…”  My mind immediately goes to “I just wanted to vomit when I read the resumes.”  How about “I just wanted to post a quick note…”?  Plus I wouldn’t have removed the adjective “qualified” from Brian’s description of the people.

JIm
14 years ago

Here’s how I would’ve edited it:

Settle your differences in the arena….if your dare!

http://zonazapper.mybrute.com

I probably wouldn’t get the job but the zapper would have his due….

Applicant Screeners
14 years ago

if your dare! … I probably wouldn’t get the job …

Allow us to clear up any lingering doubts you might have, Jim.

nitpicker
14 years ago

Disclaimer: I can ordinarily resist my pedantic impulses, but not this time. Apologies in advance.

I was overwhelmed by so many passionate applicants.

This sentence is at best clumsy, at worst ungrammatical. Also, I don’t think you used the word “cogent” appropriately. “Straightforward” would be better.

Take more care next time, Bernie.

Nick Steiner
14 years ago

I like the Mr. T one.

Adam
14 years ago

Bernie – There’s a grammatical error in your edit.

“I am still going through the emails and resumes, and will get back to everyone sometime this weekend, probably Sunday night.”

You don’t need a comma after “resumes”, because the statement after the comma could not stand alone as a sentence. A better edit would be:

“I am still going through the emails and resumes, and I will get back to everyone sometime this weekend – probably Sunday night.”

Stevo-sama
14 years ago

What is this, Deadspin? LOL…

Baseball Writer
14 years ago

Adam said…

“I am still going through the emails and resumes, and I will get back to everyone sometime this weekend – probably Sunday night.”

Technically, Adam’s edit is not an improvement. The sentence does not need a comma as there is no personal pronoun change. It could simply be, “I am still going through the emails and resumes and I will get back to everyone sometime this weekend – probably Sunday night.”

The comma in the original statement just serves to clear up the awkwardness with the two “ands” so close together…

Or to save space it could be, “I am still going through the emails and resumes; I will get back to everyone sometime this weekend – probably Sunday night.”

I prefer the latter.

Either way, it’s in poor taste to edit the work of someone who could potentially hire you for a pretty sweet gig.

Adam
14 years ago

It’s not a question of “improvement” – it’s a question of proper grammar. The comma is necessary after a conjunction – regardless of whether the pronoun changes – if the conjunction is joining two independent clauses. It’s the difference between:

I went to the store and bought some shoes.

and

I went to the store, and I bought some shoes.

Ref: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/commas.htm (point #2); http://www.eileensclass.teach-nology.com/commas.html (point #6); http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/607/01/(point #1)

Your example with the semicolon is also technically correct.