Reading on Copy Editing

As I read Jeff Baron's response to why copy editing is important, I found myself nodding. Everyone needs editors. I make mistakes all the time, or often, I write "awkward" sentences that an editor could point out to me if I was writing for a paper. It was depressing though to hear that copy editors have no social life and no time. The no money part never bothers me as much as it does others probably. I know we all need money to survive, but if you're truly passionate about something, you'll find a way to make ends meet while keeping the job you love. However, I'm not saying that I dream of being a copy editor. I liked the piece about the slot man. I think the horseshoe shape of the table makes perfect sense- easy distribution. Also, the next piece about how to become a copy editor made me feel semi-accomplished. I've already set up an internship for the summer and work at the Ithacan, but in the sales department. It's also nice to know that I won't always have to necessarily live in a big city to follow this career. The final piece that went through the specific jobs of a copy editor was very interesting. Honestly, I did not know that copy editors write the headlines. I assumed the assigned editors would do that. It seems like a huge task, looking out for not only grammatical errors but libel and factual errors, all the while reading dozens of copies a day. Still, it must be rewarding to finalize a piece with a reporter and see it in the paper the next day completely polished.