What does "clean" copy mean?

Pisco Sour · Jan 21, 2014

Hi, and sorry if this has been asked but I couldn't find the topic. What does it mean when an editor says your "copy is clean" and "your copy is clean typographically"?

I write romance with naughty bits so I know my stuff is, ehem, "dirty". I gather the above comments are good, but would love to know specifics so I don't drop whatever
I'm doing right. Conversely, what would be the opposite of "clean" copy? What sort of writing is that?

Thanks for any insight.

alleycat · Jan 21, 2014

A clean copy is usually a document without editing notations or markups.

In your case I suspect the agent means no editing was needed (at least at this stage).

Torgo · Jan 21, 2014

I agree with alleycat - sounds like 'not too much in the way of errors to fix.' I know a few authors who deliver manuscripts you barely need to edit, and we often say 'oh, I got the new draft, it's really clean'.

The opposite of 'clean' in that sense is usually 'it's a mess'!

Cathy C · Jan 21, 2014

Give yourself a pat on the back for good grammar and composition. Or, better yet, send your old high school teacher some flowers.

Pisco Sour · Jan 21, 2014

YAY! English is not my native language so I pay lots of attention when conjugating verbs and using prepositions and other annoying, flabbergasting little buggers. Spelling is a nightmare in English, and I'm sure I make loads of mistakes even after self-editing and running the spell check.

However, pat delivered.

Thanks for clearing that up for me.

mirandashell · Jan 21, 2014

I would never have guessed that English isn't your first language.

Pisco Sour · Jan 21, 2014

Ha! Just get me pissed (the British or American way) and what comes out of my mouth quickly becomes an almost unintelligible torrent of Spanish.

mirandashell · Jan 21, 2014

gingerwoman · Mar 14, 2014

I thought it meant, not many typos, as well as grammar I suppose.

What does "clean" copy mean?

Pisco Sour

alleycat

Still around

Torgo

Formerly Phantom of Krankor.

Cathy C

Ooo! Shiny new cover!

Pisco Sour

mirandashell

Pisco Sour

mirandashell

gingerwoman