Tip of the week: Nine favorite Tips of 2011

We’ve covered a lot of topics in the Tip during 2011. We looked at grammar and usage rules, of course, but we also talked about being a copyeditor and what that means in the face of all the changes in publishing and what we can do to keep our skills sharp. Below are some of the most popular Tips from this past year. If you missed any, here they are again for your reading pleasure.

• "The copyeditor is dead. Long live the content editor." Publishing continues to change and the copyeditor’s role is evolving into something new. The closing presentation of the 2011 ACES conference explored what that might be.
• "A copyeditor’s commandments." What are a copyeditor’s responsibilities? I respond to an extensive list from The Guardian.
• "Do no harm." A copyeditor’s first responsibility is to do no harm to the copy. This post offers a case in point.
• "The Typographic Oath." After all the talk about what a copyeditor’s responsibilities are, I came up with seven rules that copyeditors can follow faithfully, wherever they work.
• "Commanding the keys." Efficiencies at the keyboard mean saving time and your wrists. Check out these keyboard shortcuts.
• "Learning a new style." Every so often, copyeditors are called on to learn a new style guide. This checklist will help you get up to speed quickly.
• "Get the most out of your resumé." Looking for a job in 2012? These resumé tips could help you get to the top of the pile.
• "Of which as the starch in your collar." We love grammar and usage at Copyediting. Many of our posts give advice in that directions, and this one was one of the most popular.
• "I wish I may/might/can." Another popular usage post was this one that tackled may, might, and can.

Thank you, all, for continuing to read Copyediting’s blog and newsletter. Let me know what you’d like us to cover in 2012. Leave a note in the comments section.

Happy New Year!