Blogger A Day Call: Hello is Roy there?

When two writer/editors first start talking, the conversation can look like almost any other. Roy and I spoke of his current client and the CRM project he’s doing. He said he writes for a newsletter that I always had my entire staff read. Blogger synchronicity again.

Roy led the conversation into when he wrote for Microsoft. He was writing for Windows 3.1 and Windows for Workgroups. I took it further astray by telling him about an advanced Algebra book I did using Word Version 1.0 — before Macs and digital typsetting. I think he said, “Ouch.”

Our conversation also covered some serious topics, particularly the idea that writers and designers need to know their own value, that no one is stuck in a 9 to 5 job. We agree that working for next to nothing won’t bring quality clients, that we have to value our work first.

Once we were comfortable the editors came out to talk.

What do two editors talk about? Well, I can’t tell you everything — the secret handshake stuff just isn’t cool to divulge. But we did our share of discussing subjunctive case, poorly chosen words, and misplaced modifiers. It wasn’t hard for us to pick out examples:

Roy mentioned the unfortunate wording that spoke of the explosive spread of terrorism.

I told him about the phrase messages from people in bottles. He said “How did they get in there?” I said, “Could we let them out?”

I mentioned the commercial break that promised to tell how the history of the gun was changed by the invention of a minister. I pointed out, “I wasn’t aware that’s how ministers came to be.”

Roy said his wife was used to him editing menus. I said my husband was used to me editing parking lots.

We both still get a kick out of signs that say Parking in the Rear. or Slow chjildren playing.

B.A.D. Blogger Quote

The sure cure to being criticized is doing nothing. Then someone will criticize you for not doing anything. —Roy Jacobsen

Stop by Roy’s blog, Writing Clear and Simple, and say hi!

Thanks, Roy, you B.A.D. Blogger!

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Want to be a B.A.D. Blogger see the. . . a B.A.D. Blogger? page in the sidebar.