I'm an Editor!

I'm a copy editor, at least. I recently got accepted by Associated University Presses (AUP), based in New Jersey, to copy-edit manuscripts that have been accepted for publication. These are scholarly works that may or may not be interesting--I have yet to see (a list of current and recent publications can be found on the AUP web site). My first manuscript should arrive this week. I had to take an editing test, which consisted of three different parts of manuscripts sent to me in the mail. I had to line-edit them using my knowledge of the Chicago Manual of Style, a 984-page reference source that I had to quickly familiarize myself with. I agonized over these pages and later lied about the amount of time I'd spent editing them (they pay by the hour). After three grueling weeks, I found out that my editing test was "fine" (good enough for me), and that I'd soon get to take on more work. But the great thing is that I can do it totally in my own time, as long as I submit the completed manuscript by the requested deadline.

I'm a little nervous about working everything in--doing my day job, maintaining my two classes per semester, trying to be environmentally conscious, exercising, and staying updated with friends and family. It's a rough life. Luckily, I can do homework and stay updated with friends and family (writing this blog, for example), and even be environmentally conscious all while doing my day job! Sort of.