Working with the Copy Editor

The copy edited version of Growing Up Ivy arrived by email on Thursday, and I've been spending what time I can going over it, while also preparing for our family's Easter celebrations. I'm reading the manuscript out loud, slowly, as I look for any typos that may have been missed.

Aside from the editor's queries, which appear in the side margin, the other changes are mainly for punctuation or a word I've used too often. These minor changes appear on the page in coloured font so that they can be easily picked out. If  I make any changes of my own, they appear in a different coloured font.

The most frequent correction has been for problems in usage. I have used the word "further" throughout the manuscript, where the publisher prefers "farther." The same goes for my use of the word "towards" instead of the preferred "toward." My dictionary says the words are often used interchangeably, however these days the word "farther" should be reserved to describe physical distance.  You see what you can learn?

So far, I'm liking all the editorial suggestions. I think my editor is making me look pretty good!