Comments on: Seven Things

By: AprilElf

AprilElf — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 03:08:07 +0000

There is quite a bit of cross-over between editing and proofreading, so no wonder you’re not sure.
Proofreading is looking for spelling, punctuation, grammar, formatting errors only (usually working with two copies - the original marked up copy and the new copy). Editing is looking at improving the work - style, tone, structure, continuity.
With a book, say, editing would come first, to ‘polish’ the text, then a proofreader would look over the finished manuscript. Depending on how much money the publishing company wants to spend, proofreaders can be used throughout the process, or just to check the printer’s proofs.

I’m glad you’re getting some pleasure out of the Rent music.
Okay, so they are almost all each other’s exes, but over the course of the show I don’t think the breakups/reunions are excessive for a musical (or an opera, since it draws heavily from La Boheme), or considering the setting.

By: smokering

smokering — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 21:06:23 +0000

I had to think it over (as is my way with musicals - most of my favourites took me a while to warm up to. Miss Saigon, Wicked and Sweeney Todd spring to mind. I loved Jekyll and Hyde right off the bat, but now I’m sorta over it, so maybe the most complex and rewarding music isn’t as immediate? I dunno.)

I still think the plot’s a bit sketchy, and there seem to be a few too many breakups and reunions per square inch, but a good number of the songs are growing on me. The Mimi/Roger songs, viewed as an arc, have some lovely and clever similarities and intertwinings of the tunes and lyrics, and I like that sort of thing. And “Goodbye Love” from the soundtrack adds a lot to their relationship - shouldn’t have been cut from the film, I think! I got a much better sense of their chemistry and dynamics from the album.

Some of the lyrics are a bit clunky too - I think I can see shreds of the weird recitative you mentioned was in the stage version. But it occasionally works - Light My Candle is delightfully crafted, I think. Took me a few listenings to “get” it, though (and when Helpdesk Man heard it for the first time he commented that it was dialogue, not a “proper song”).

Sounds like a fun venture, but um, I’m not 100% sure what the difference is between editing and proofreading… which is probably a bad sign. :p

By: AprilElf

AprilElf — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:23:42 +0000

Hope your mum’s feeling okay. Sending best wishes to her and your family.

I was wondering what you meant by Rent being - “Quite, er, something.”
Is it one you had to think over, or did you not like it at all? I quite understand, because I didn’t think much of it the first time I heard it years ago (original cast recording) … apart from my favourite song - I remember liking that at once.

Also, a thought struck me today. I’m not really into planning business ventures, but if I were … how about an editing service? You editing, me proofreading.