Course Manual Content — Writing Effective Author Queries

Scope of the Course

Purposes of Querying

Missing Information

Contradictions

Ambiguities

Vague or Overgeneralized Statements

Doubtful Information

Explanations

• A Major Shift or Cut

• A Little-Known Grammatical, Spelling, or Usage Point

• A Change to Improve the Flow or the Reader’s Comprehension

• A Change in Tone

• A Change to Meet the Publisher’s Requirements

• A Tracked-Changes Problem

• A Publishing Issue or Task for the Author

Exercise One

Additional Purpose: Creating Rapport and Trust

Respect for the Author

Collaboration

Recognition That It’s the Author’s Book

When Not to Query

Frequency of Querying

Exercise Two

Tone and Clarity of Queries

Use Tact and Deference

Take Responsbility for Not Understanding

Appreciate Good Work

Be Specific about the Problem

Guess—to Clarify the Problem

Use Humor but Carefully

Put the Author in Control

Highlight the Problem

Reread and Edit the Queries

Exercise Three

Mechanics of Querying

Electronic Files

• Using the Comment Function

• Inserting (Embedding) the Queries in the Text

How to Change Comment Font and Size

How to Use the Format Painter for Queries in the Text

How to Make a Macro for Queries in the Text

Paper-and-Pencil Edits

• Using Query Slips

• Using the Margins

• Using a List of Queries

Cleaning Up Queries after Author Review

• Comment Queries
• Queries Embedded in Text
• Queries on Post-its or Query Slips
• Queries in the Margin of Paper Manuscript
• Queries in a Separate List

Dealing with Nonresponsive Answers

Send-in Assignment

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