News

Google Reader—a popular way for journalists, editors, and others to access and organize RSS feeds—will be shutting down. Its last day, and your deadline to find a replacement, is July 1. But fear not, suggestions for alternatives abound.

Experienced copyeditors know not all rules apply in all types of copy. Also in today’s News Roundup: the horror of mainstream publishers in the digital print space; how to avoid freelancer burnout; the best way to handle a tough author; and English’s language police.

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“If They Want Rules, Give Them Real Ones”: If you’re going to be a real-world editor, you need to know not all rules apply in all situations. (You Don’t Say)

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Grappling with and/or. Also in today’s News Roundup: center around, word-geek competitions, eight rules for using social media, and more zombie rules.

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What does and/or really mean? Should you use it? “The Drama of And and Or.” (An American Editor)

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What legal landmines should you watch out for in a self-published manuscript? Also in today’s News Roundup: Yahoo’s backward work policy, English idioms, ghost writing or plagiarism, and zero-sum.

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“Five Top Legal Issues for Authors and Self-Publishers”: Five landmines to watch for in your self-publishing author’s manuscript. (The Book Designer)

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The Associated Press added a lengthy entry on mental illness to its stylebook this week.

A Mar. 7 press release that gives the full entry also quotes Kathleen Carroll, AP senior vice president and executive editor. Carroll identifies some of the journalistic questions the entry is intended to answer: “When is such information relevant to a story? Who is an authoritative source for a person’s illness, diagnosis and treatment?”

Office 2013 won’t be as restrictive as Microsoft originally planned. Also in today’s News Roundup: six networking tips, a hell of a note, eliminating anthropomorphism, and refining your home office. Plus your Friday bonus.

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“Microsoft Retreats from Office 2013 Restrictive Licensing”: Users will be able to move the suite to another computer. (Computerworld)

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Not liking a term is not a reason to cut it from copy. Also in today’s News Roundup: ACHES can help you triage; the HUGE database is headed our way; and more advice readymade for copyeditors.

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“Take a Pill”: You don’t have to like bridezilla, the figurative literally, or similar terms. You may have to allow them, though. (You Don’t Say)

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This is a good time to top off copyeditor energy tanks. The burst of creative energy and exposure from National Grammar Day (have you entered the AnaGrammar or haiku contests yet?) is coinciding with a little editing love online.

It’s time to gear up for National Grammar Day. Grammar Girl has a list of activities for you to enjoy. Also in today’s News Roundup: tips for networking more effectively; what’s behind the Language-Change Index; publisher vs. agency; and typography is more than art.

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“National Grammar Day”: Find out about National Grammar Day activities taking place all over the web. (Grammar Girl)

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The Associated Press (AP) long had an informal style rule on how to refer to the men or women in a legal same-sex marriage. The advice, found in the Ask the Editor section of the online style guide, boils down to this:

For legally married same-sex couples, use partners or a similar term rather than husbands or wives. Use husbands or wives only if the couple refers to themselves this way.