You know, I never wanted to get into copywriting or editing when I was younger, but over the last couple of years I've realised that a large portion of my work is exactly that. Obviously I've never had a problem with it on a purely capabilities basis, but it just never seemed like a job I would find particularly inspiring.
And it's not. Although it can be kind of fun sometime, which is why now that I’m freelancing I take on some editing jobs, which is working out pretty good on the whole.
And then there are the times when I get a job where I have to edit 100 descriptors for a client, and they all look kind of like this:
Barbie Musical Jewelry Box
Barbie Turns Around As The Music Plays. A Barbie Statue fits on the top of the Jewelry Box; wind up Barbie & open the drawer & Music plays! Barbie that fits on top of Jewelry Box. There appears to be 1 drawer that swing outwards & the Jewelry Box plays music & Barbie turns while the music plays.
Truly, I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Well I started out laughing, but now I’m on descriptor number 33, and all I can think is;
“Seriously! Are you brain damaged? How hard is it to spell jewellery? NOT THAT HARD! And even if it is... haven’t you ever heard of spell check?
Also, who in their right mind thinks that saying the same thing incoherently three times makes for a good product description? Furthermore, I think we got the fact that it’s a musical jewellery box with a Barbie on top just from the name alone.
Lastly, drawers do NOT swing outwards, they pull, that’s why they’re DRAWERS. You draw them out. It’s a pretty simple concept you know.
GIVE ME SOMETHING USEFUL HERE! Like what tune does the box play? Is the box pink? (I’m guessing yes, coz this IS Barbie after all), how many compartments does it have? What size is it?
Grrrrrrrrrrrrr!
Sigh.... I am NOT getting paid enough for this.”
And that my friends, is precisely why I would Never Ever be a good full time editor. Thank god for freelancing. At least now I not only get to jump from project to project when one of them starts to make me feel like sticking my head in the freezer and then repeatedly banging the door, but on the whole, I earn enough to keep me in the style to which I have become accustomed.
It’s a good life :) and no, I haven’t yet cleaned up my room...
