New Subediting, 3rd Edition

New Subediting, 3rd Edition

by F Hodgson
Released April 2013
Publisher(s): Routledge
ISBN: 9781136030178

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Book description

New Subediting gives a detailed account of modern editing and production techniques. Its aim is both to help the young subeditor and to spell out to the newcomer to newspaper journalism what happens between the writing of news stories and features and their appearance in the newspaper when it comes off the press.

In this age of technological change the quality of the subbing has never been more important to a successful newspaper. The careful use of typography, pictures, graphics and compelling headlines and the skillful handling of text coupled with good page planning, all help to give character,style and readability.

This book examines, and draws lessons from, work in contemporary newspapers in editing and presentation; it defines the varied techniques of copytasting, of editing news stories and features, of styles of headline writing and the use of typography to guide and draw the attention of the reader. It takes into account developments in the use of English as a vehicle of mass communication in two important chapters on structure and word use; and it shows how to get the best out of the electronic tools now available to subeditors.

It also reminds journalisis that, however advanced the tools, a newspaper is only as good as the creative skills of those that write, edit and put it together.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Halftitle
  3. Title
  4. Copyright
  5. Contents
  6. List of illustrations
  7. Preface
  8. Acknowledgements
  9. Introduction: The Quark revolution
    1. The arrival of Quark
    2. ‘Subs with Quark experience’
    3. Sub or page editor?
    4. Technology and the sub
  10. Chapter 1 What is editorial production?
    1. Creating the news
    2. The newsroom
    3. The copytaster
    4. Measuring the news
    5. News patterns
    6. Production start-up
  11. Chapter 2 A sub’s guide to design and typography
    1. Format
    2. Balance of contents
    3. Who does what
    4. Designing the pages
    5. Typography
    6. Using type
    7. Design workshop
  12. Chapter 3 Dealing with pictures
    1. Role of pictures
    2. Picture sources
    3. The photo briefing
    4. Choosing pictures
    5. Editing pictures
    6. The design function
    7. Uses of pictures
    8. Graphics
  13. Chapter 4 Handling text
    1. The subs’ table
    2. The editing function
    3. Getting it right
    4. Check sources
    5. Making it fit
    6. Editing for the page
    7. Order and shape
    8. The intro
    9. The delayed drop
    10. Story sequence
    11. Using quotes
    12. Geography
    13. Time
    14. Background
  14. Chapter 5 Fault-finder’s guide to English
    1. The sentence
    2. Paragraphs
    3. Punctuation
  15. Chapter 6 Word traps
    1. The right word
    2. Clichés
    3. Vogue words
    4. Misused words
    5. House style
    6. Journalese
  16. Chapter 7 Writing headlines
    1. The words
    2. Symbols
    3. Word accuracy
    4. Headline punctuation
    5. Headline abbreviations
    6. Content
    7. Composing a headline
    8. Headline thoughts
    9. Things to avoid
  17. Chapter 8 Headline typography
    1. Shape
    2. Arrangement
    3. Type style
    4. Character counts
    5. Spacing
    6. The creative moment
    7. Alternative words
  18. Chapter 9 Further techniques in subbing
    1. Subeditors and the law
    2. Legal traps
    3. Privilege
    4. When to rewrite
    5. Revising and editionizing
    6. Caption writing
    7. Writing contents bills
  19. Chapter 10 Handling a running story
    1. Dealing with the text
  20. Chapter 11 Features: Planning and design
    1. Copy sources
    2. Planning
    3. Features production
    4. Page design
    5. Guiding the reader
    6. Features workshop
  21. Chapter 12 Features: Editing and projection
    1. Accuracy
    2. Language
    3. Ghost writing
    4. Reader participation
    5. Features and the law
    6. Projection
    7. Features headlines
  22. Appendix Press Complaints Commission Code of Practice
  23. Glossary
  24. Index

Product information

  • Title: New Subediting, 3rd Edition
  • Author(s): F Hodgson
  • Release date: April 2013
  • Publisher(s): Routledge
  • ISBN: 9781136030178