ACTive Voice issue 3 2021

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Book reviewWorking words by Elizabeth Manning Murphy Revised edition (Lacuna, 2019) x + 257 pp. ISBN 9781922198365(paperback); ISBN 9781922198372 (ebook)Reviewer: John Linnegar, Accredited Professional Text Editor, Director, Professional Editors’ Guild NPO (SouthAfrica), Chairperson, SENSE (Netherlands)I was fortunate enough to have met the author of the first edition of Working Words in 2012, barely a year after itwas published. On reading the collection of ‘chats’ previously aimed at members of the Canberra Society ofEditors, what impressed me instantly was how redolent those chats are of the author’s voice and outlook on hercraft as a consummate text editor. In fact, of her persona: this is unmistakeably Elizabeth Manning Murphy frombeginning to end, whether it’s her solid linguistic foundations, her vast editorial experience, her travel-savvyadvice to editors on the wing or her sometimes wry sense of humour or turn of phrase.The series of 63 chats that form this compendium = are grouped broadly into eight parts, each dealing with animportant facet of the text editor’s craft –especially that of the freelancer. These parts range from the craft ofediting and editing as a business via the ethical and legal considerations inherent in improving authors’ texts tothe nitty-gritty of grammar, spelling, word usage, punctuation, plain language and style. In this gem of a resource,this seasoned editor turned author about editing covers the entire gamut of the text editor’s craft and businesswith both thoroughness and aplomb. And she does so in the most accessible and personable of styles. Indeed,Working words spends precious little of my waking hours idly on my bookshelf – the fact that it’s my heavilythumbed and bookmarked vade mecum speaks volumes.Having received the revised edition recently, I was naturally curious to discover just how ‘revised’ it is. After all,the wisdom that fills its pages is timeless. But much has changed in the eight plus years since the chats were firstwritten and the collection was published.My impression is that the morphing of the original volume into the current revision has been deftly handled, in anumber of respects. For starters, the design is slimmer, more compact, perhaps even more contemporary in itslook and feel while remaining unmistakeably the Working words we are so familiar with: justified text, unspacedparagraphs with first lines indented, the spaced en-rule having replaced the unspaced em-rule as a dash, and soon.In the text itself, the changes have been subtle though necessary to keep the book relevant to a new generationof readers. Here, author and editor (and associates) have clearly taken cognisance of the technological changesthat have occurred since 2003–2011, when the chats were penned. And so ‘working online’ is now ‘working onscreen’, ‘flashdrives’ are now augmented by ‘external drives’ and ‘the cloud’, and references to redundantsoftware (eg Publisher) have either been deleted or replaced with more current products; in addition, referencesto ‘Wifi in hotel rooms’ and ‘video-conferencing facilities for use for worldwide training and discussions’ serve tobring the chats right up to date. It has also been necessary to update references to MS Word functionality (egusing Track Changes) to reflect upgrades since Word 2000 and Windows 98 (ancient history to Millennials), forinstance. The author has added the URLs of a number of online references in the text (some of them only recentlyavailable online), which is another useful feature of this edition. And, recognising that the internet has made itpossible for text editors to service clients worldwide, in the Chat on ‘The ethics of editing’, the author has inserteda reference to editing papers for students of overseas universities, adding the caution that ‘it is important to findout what degree of editing is allowable in the particular institution’ (at 43). It’s typical of the sound advice thatpervades Manning Murphy’s text.Perhaps even more interesting to this worker with others’ words, though, is the number of subtle changesintroduced to the word usage in the 2019 edition, because, as the author writes in its preface, ‘some rethinkingwas necessary … the English language has moved on and the way we express ourselves has become increasinglyinformal, even in formal writing’. So, for example, in Chat 63 ‘Whither grammar and plain English’, the examplesillustrating language change in the 21st century have – sensibly – been updated. One example is the changingconnotation of ‘awesome’ from the original ‘inspiring awe’ to ‘That’s good’. The other is equally apt: ‘absolutely’is now used to mean total agreement rather than (or in addition to) ‘completely’ or ‘perfectly’. Editors clearlyneed to remain alert to such linguistic shifts when engaging with authors’ words, and intervene appropriately.page 6 of 10 ACTive Voice July August September 2021
The author also leads by example. ‘Millennials’ and ‘later generations’ have been added to references to‘Generation Y’ when referring to what the term ‘editor’ means to different practitioners. Also, ‘mobile phones andtext messaging’, which have possibly become rather naff, outdated terms, have been replaced by ‘smart phonesand mobile apps’ – usages essential if the book is to be considered appropriate to the younger generation ofauthors and editors.These changes notwithstanding, the original text rings as clear as a bell now as it did in the first edition. In thisrespect, the nine extremely useful chats that make up Part 3 ‘The business of editing’ continue to containinvaluable advice, born of extensive experience, for text editors at every level of experience.The result is a happy and successful blend of the wisdom that was shared in 2011 and a range of necessaryupdates to render the text relevant and user-friendly to the current generation of workers with words.Annual General MeetingCanberra Society of EditorsAnnual General Meeting 2021Wednesday 27 October 2021: 6.30 pm (online)Please register early to attend the AGM, using the link sent by email to members on 27 September.After you register, you’ll receive a meeting link and other information for joining on the night.Committee roles – get involved!All committee positions fall vacant at every AGM.Members at all levels are welcome on the Canberra Society of Editors management committee, and all areencouraged to take part at some point during their membership. Only full and honorary life members may vote toformalise committee decisions, but all associate and student members of the committee contribute todiscussions.The office-bearer positions of President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer can only be held by full orhonorary life members. All other roles are open to members of all levels.Office-bearer roles (statutory)Office-bearer positions can only be held for a maximum of two consecutive committee years.The current President, Vice-President, and Secretary will all reach the two-year limit at the 2021 AGM, and atpresent nobody has indicated an intention to nominate for these.President – Nominations requiredThe President is the CSE’s de facto chief executiveofficer and spokesperson, and is empowered torepresent the society at the highest level or todelegate this responsibility. The President providesleadership and direction, and promotes a positive,supportive, inclusive and professional culture withinthe society. The President fosters and promotes thegrowth and development of the society and itsmembers as well as maintaining its existing structureand functions, including chairing committee meetingsand directing the governance processes.Vice President – Nominations requiredThe Vice President deputises for the President asrequired and assists the President and committee inachieving the CSE’s goals.Secretary – Nominations requiredThe Secretary manages the venues or onlinearrangements, agendas, papers and minutes forcommittee meetings, keeps the Society records, is oneof the registered signatories for the CSE’s bankaccount, and answers member queries or directsthem to other committee members when necessary.page 7 of 10 ACTive Voice July August September 2021
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