Editorial Jargon

Words can take on new life in different jobs. For instance, the word "deck" for magazine/online editors most often does not refer to something attached to a house or apartment. If you hear that word in an editorial office, it most likely means the line below the title and above the line that mentions the author. You won't see one for this blog post because Blogger either doesn't have that option or I haven't found how to enable the field for it yet.

There are other words editors use that are used uniquely compared to normal usage. This is only a small list that doesn't include all of them:

-Byline - The author line.
-Style- There are a few reference books that editors use to find out how things should appear called style guides. Examples of how these might be used are when an editor wants to know whether or not to spell out numbers and to add a comma in a list before "and" or "but". What the editor decides most of the time depends on the style guide that a publication uses.
-Blackprint - The printer sends a sample of what it will print in a black and white format. Editors can then check if all the pages are in order, if there are any printer mistakes, and might even proofread the whole edition again. Any changes that are needed will likely cost a fee.

Shelter from Rain

Yesterday I was picking up items for work during the workday. As soon as I was at the check-out, a thunder clap rang loud outside and pouring rain started falling heavily. These were thick rain drops.

I unsuccessfully tried to avoid being soaked, but as I transferred items from my shopping cart into the trunk, I noticed I could hide under the hatchback. Of all places! Shelter from rain can be found under the hood of my trunk. And I am tall.

This is the first hatchback car I've owned. It not only looks cool (or like an alien-like car, you chose), it's a place to try to save yourself from looking silly when you return to work if it happens to start pouring.

Hoarding Words

A strange thought that often goes through my mind when I think about writing here is: Hey, wait a minute, maybe you should not write this but keep it in your mind for later--you might be able to take this and add it to other ideas later for a book someday! I start to think, sure, let's not write today. But I am so bad at keeping notes or a notebook of writing ideas like Anne Lamott does and recommends in Bird by Bird.

I re-read an old post of mine that got the most pageviews so far, and it was a beautiful thought about noise in a coffee shop. I don't think I've thought of that since. I would have just a lost beautiful thought if I hadn't  written it down three years ago.

So I'm starting to think if I don't write in my blog what I'm thinking might be fun to write, then I will loose that beautiful (ahem, or slightly mediocre but interesting) piece of writing! Which would honestly be okay, but less fun. I could keep a notebook or notes but the odds are that I probably won't and might loose the notes/notebook, but I do find more motivation to just write here.

I'm sharing this with you in case you have that thought that is probably procrastination telling you to not work today! Be encouraged. Just write it down. Probably what you write will do two things:

1. Every time you write, writing gets a slightly, slightly bit easier.
2. It most likely  will provide a springboard for more beautiful or interesting thoughts to write down!

And I guess you might be encouraged that you did write something down once and it looked okay--so it'll be motivation to keep it up.