Copy-Editing and Textual Layout
Please refer to 20240908151947-Publishing_Vocabulary for background.
Textual layout is how to “semantically¨ or “semiotically¨ break up a long-form text into parts treated as their own texts, and thereby spatially organize them in relation to each other and label them. It can also involve thereafter numbering these parts, as seen in 20240917105738-Copy-Editing_and_Numbering.
To start with, “the main text always starts on a right-hand page¨ (Butcher 2006, 41).
Part Layout
For parts of a typescript in particular (Butcher 2006, 40):
From “Preparing the Text for the Typesetter¨ in Butcher’s Copy-Editing
[…] chapters may be grouped into parts. Each part may have a part-title leaf, that is, a right-hand page containing just the part number and title, and usually backed by a blank left-hand page; the first chapter heading in that part is placed at the head of the next right-hand page. There is occasionally an introductory note, which may be placed immediately below the part heading or on the verso; or a map should be placed on the verso; but the first chapter should not start there.
Alternatively, a different way of laying out parts of a typescript “to save space¨ involves “just [starting] on a fresh page, with the first chapter starting lower down the same page¨ (Ibid). In this case:
From “Preparing the Text for the Typesetter¨ in Butcher’s Copy-Editing
The folio should be labelled ‘fresh page´ (or ‘recto´ if it is decided to start all parts on a right-hand page).
Insofar as parts have a separate title leaf, the appendices “should have a joint one too, to show that they are not just appendixes to the final part¨ (Ibid).
Chapter Layout
Then, chapters themselves are laid out “[starting] on a fresh page¨ (Butcher 2006, 41):
From “Preparing the Text for the Typesetter¨ in Butcher’s Copy-Editing
[…] however, they may run on, separated from the preceding chapter only by a space, or, if the publisher wishes the book to have a spacious and elegant appearance, or to bulk out a short book, each chapter may start on a right-hang page.
Appendices work similarly to chapters in this sense, with the exception that (Ibid):
From “Preparing the Text for the Typesetter¨ in Butcher’s Copy-Editing
Appendixes to chapters run on at the end of the relevant chapters.
Note Layout
For footnotes or endnotes (Butcher 2006, 42):
Quote
Note indicators should follow punctuation, and preferably appear at the end of the sentence or a break in the sense, unless the reference is to a specified word. Very long footnotes, or parts of them, might be better incorporated into the text or an appendix.
As an editor, if footnotes are not “typed at the foot of the relevant folio of text,¨ make sure to specify in the very first folio, for the sake of the typesetter, where footnotes will be found (Butcher 2006, 42-43).
Figural Layout
“Figure¨ here is meant as an inclusive term for illustrations, photographs, data graphs, diagrams, maps, tables, formulas, standalone documents, and so forth.
For figures, when they are on separate sheets from the main text their placement in the text should be marked on the margins of that text (Butcher 2006, 43). Otherwise:
Quote
[…] it may be helpful to show their exact extent.
Passage Layout
A passage would be a long text that is extracted from another textual source in a main text, and they should be identified and typographically distinguished (Ibid). This distinguishing can include use of indentation (Ibid).
Consequences of Layout Changes
One thing to do when changing the layout of a typescript, is to bullet out or replace with s those folio numbers used in cross-references to other pages so that the author is reminded, especially at proof stage, to (re)fill what may later be different numbers in (Ibid).
Perhaps even see opportunities, in the case of cross-references to figures, to suggest replacing cross-references by page/folio number with cross-references by the number of the given figure itself as this is less likely to be affected by layout changes (Butcher 2006, 44). See 20240917125810-Copy-Editing_Page_Deferral_Rule for more on this.
pages leaves copy-editing copy-editor editing titling title head heads headings recto verso typesetting appendixes appendix appendices semantics semiotics fresh_page design designer figure cross_reference cross-reference table formulae map illustration photograph graph diagram footnote endnote
bibliography
- “Preparing the Text for the Typesetter.” In Butcher’s Copy-Editing: The Cambridge Handbook for Editors, Copy-Editors and Proofreaders, 4th ed., 28–68. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2006.