Like math, only I actually get it

Copy editing is lot like math, I think, without all those pesky numbers.

I was recently hired to copy edit a new magazine out of Florida. As I made my way through the files, I remembered how much I like copy editing and why.

It's largely black-and-white. There are clear rules for grammar, punctuation and word usage. (Thank you, Associated Press Stylebook.) I don't have to think long and hard about how to say something concisely and creatively, as I do when I am writing. Rather, there is one right way to do things...little thought required.

I find this soothing. Simple. Cathartic. I enjoy diving into a story and setting everything right. I know how to fix it. If I'm not sure about a fact, I look it up. (Thank you, Google.) I love to put end punctuation in its proper place when it's used with quotation marks. I love the challenge of turning a sentence around when I spot a dangling modifier. I love to correct improper uses of "that," "who" or "whom."

Most of all, I love the satisfaction that comes from looking at the final product and knowing that it's clean--much like the feeling I enjoy after tackling the kitchen with Lysol and paper towels post-baking project.

I struggle mightily with math. Somehow, I don't seem to come up with the right answer very often. But give me words, and I can organize them, punctuate them, use them according to the rules. I can make things right. (Thank you, perfectionism.) It all adds up to very satisfying work.