h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I find I quite enjoy sub-editing. I can get through a few entries a week and feel I have done a good job on them. Some take very little work, others a lot, but there's always a sense of achievement.

I've done 39 entries since I started in August, and have another 2 ready to go. A figure of about 4 a week seems to be not too hard to achieve.

And I'm learning as I go - I know a lot more about certain subjects than I did, by being forced to read them. I even subbed an entry on a person I detest, and I think I did a very good unbiased job of it.

The best thing is that I don't have to get into discussions with anybody if I don't want to. I just do the sub-editing and pass it on. If the author isn't happy, they can argue it out with the Eds. But I don't think I've had an unhappy author yet - some of them have been very grateful for the work I've done.

I have to admit that as an author, I was never really aware of the work done by the sub to my entries. So a big thank you now to any of my friends who ever subbed one of my entries.

Well if you have the talent you may as well use it.

I'm always very grateful for the job the subs do, and if they drop by to let me know they've finished I always tell them so.

If you don't drop by ... you'll never know.



I'm glad you're enjoying it.

I agree, Fizzy.

The subs who talk to me are the ones I have most respect for - particularly the ones who ask me if *I'm* happy with any changes they've made (however mundane).

It would be a priviledge to have Gnomon sub an entry imho

I found out just how much work subbing could be when I was a sub. And it's true, I got to thoroughly read some entries I'd otherwise not even skimmed - and they were all interesting, so I guess I was lucky.
I'm now doing the same job for and I love it.
I guess all it needs for a sub-ed is to have an open mind, then you should be fine.
Keep up the good work, Gnomon!

>I guess all it needs for a sub-ed is to have an open mind

Eek!

My first experiences of being subbed were not particularly comfortable to me. I couldn't agree with almost any of the changes the subs made; they either seemed to miss the point or want to labour it.

I try and change as little of the style or structure as possible - mainly because I believe our remit is not to restructure or re-write (that's what PR is for), but just to give those entries a bit of a polish up before they get put on the front page.

I'm with Psycorp here: sub-editing is mainly for correcting mistakes that slipped through PR.
I once had an entry, though, which had barely had any comments in PR, and I hadn't a clue what the entry was about, so had to ask about the meaning and chronology. Fortunatley, the author came back to all my questions, so I got there in the end.

You're very welcome Gnomon

I had a glut of subbing but found it sapped into my writing time so I'm not doing that much subbing now. Subbing is good for when you're stuck for ideas or the creative juices have stopped flowing, and you can get a kick-start and new ideas. I like liaising with the author whether there are changes or not, sometimes we don't *get* the Entry until we've asked some direct questions..

I'm concentrating on my writing now. However, sometimes I spot an irresistible Uni project that I'm either interested in already or just want my name on, and I'm easily seduced into taking it on.

Have a good weekend, Gnomon

I don't think you'll ever know the terror that struck me when I got one of your entries to sub recently. Totally unfounded of course, and I haven't seen any queries on anything I did anywhere, so I assumed you were happy with it.

Oh, and the reverse, his first subbing, I think, was my Galaxy Zoo I was mighty chuffed

I really enjoyed my spell as a sub and I'm glad you're enjoying your, Gnomon. I usually used to check with the authors before submitting it to the Eds. I didn't keep count of how many I did. I bet you have a spreadsheet, Gnomon!

Thanks, ZSF. I haven't always contacted the authors. I only became a sub because of the huge shortage of Entries ready to go on the Front Page. I reckoned if I could sub the entries in a day or less, then I could build up the list a bit, giving the Eds a breather. So there wasn't always time to go checking with the authors who might not get back for a day or two.

Thinks have picked up recently and there are now enough ready to publish 2 new ones a day as opposed to the 1 new entry a day or on one occasion no new entries at all that we had.

I do keep track of the ones I've subbed, at A638994 (down near the bottom).

From my subbing days, I seem to remember that subbing an entry by Gnomon was very easy. Just sit back, read, enjoy, perhaps divide the odd paragraph or some simple adjustment and then pass on. I certainly didn't feel the necessity to check any facts.

Keep up the good work, everyone!

I've now subbed 111 entries. It does get easier with experience.

*nods*
Now we're just desperately short of entries to sub!

I'm writing them as fast as I can. But that's not very fast - about 1 every two weeks. I need inspiration.

So, we've got subbers subbing, and writers writing, but no entries in the queue? then what could be missi... oh right PR'ers not PR'ing

I'll just run along now, shall I?