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C
ceilr
Inspiring
March 26, 2019
Question

Preventing a dumb editor from editing my work!

  • March 26, 2019
  • 2 replies
  • 1014 views

(By "a dumb editor," I mean a human.)

I send articles to the magazine I write for already laid out in InDesign (I have CS 5 on a PC).  Everything is fine when I send it in, yet the "editor" always sees fit to DO something to it that isn't so good.  This last time, he reformatted my subheads (which were never a problem before; why now?) and absolutely chopped up a graphic that didn't need to be touched.  (He doesn't know my subject, unfortunately.  Nor does he understand InDesign: he creates hanging indents by typing four spaces at the beginning of each line past the first one!)

I was told some time ago that InCopy (.icml) would prevent the human editor from messing with my formatting, BUT after trying this just now and not being able to see what InCopy does (Adobe Reader X can't open the file, so I don't know what .icml looks like), AND after reading about what InCopy DOES do, I am not so sure that this is the route to take.  InCopy sounds more like a sharing feature, and the LAST thing I want to do is share!  So, just playing around, I have a test .icml doc whose contents are unknown to me.  (Would the .icml file open in Fireworks?)

It is imperative for me to protect my writing, formatting and graphics.  (That's everything, isn't it?)  I am now thinking it might be best to lock all the objects on each page of an article, save each article page as its own .pdf (I'd generate just two .pdfs), and send the human the .pdfs as attachments.  He can then drop the .pdfs in to match up with the text columns in the magazine.  Hopefully he won't have time to mess with (retype) my stuff and can mess up someone else's instead.

BUT---will this work?  OR is there another tactic one of you out there might know of?  I not only need a solution, I need a way to understand How to perform it!  It is no use reading about "you can do thus-and-such with InDesign."  OF COURSE I can!  Now, How to do it!  So I hope someone can explain How very clearly, if locking objects won't spare my work from the unnecessary evils of a human editor who doesn't get it.

Thanks so much!

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2 replies

T
Test Screen Name
Legend
March 26, 2019

This must be managed contractually. It seems you don't accept that your editor has the right to edit. Your editor probably has a different view, and accepting your work may be conditional on your accepting the editor's worldview. You can't just take over final copy without clearance.

C
ceilrAuthor
Inspiring
March 26, 2019

Well, I thought something like this might come up.

Mine is a volunteer job.  No contract.

The editor has no world view that I can detect.  Just that he feels like he has to put in so many hours.

I work really, REALLY hard to get all of this stuff right so that he can just drop my article in a go on to the next task.  There is >no good reason< behind what is being done to my articles, especially when a graphic in a box is destroyed beyond decent recognition.

I could conceivably show a .pdf of how I submitted my latest article vs. a screenshot of how it was published.  Then maybe you would understand.

Luke Jennings
Luke Jennings
Inspiring
March 27, 2019

The disadvantage of sending a locked PDF is that it can't be placed into another document, and can't be used in some prepress applications such as Kodak Prinergy or Esko AE.

I would suggest you have a (friendly) meeting with this person and fully explain your point of view. You have a valid point and he just needs to process it and appreciate your contribution.

jane-e
Community Expert
jane-eCommunity Expert
Community Expert
March 26, 2019

Hi Ceil

Do you get the copy back again or not? If you do, you can turn on track changes. He won’t see them unless he opens the Story Editor. When you get it back, you can accept or reject changes.

If you send PDFs, lock them down for editing, and use strong passwords. Otherwise, PDFs can be edited.

Total prevention? I remember sending typed copy on paper to an editor who re-wrote it and changed my entire meaning. I don’t think there is total prevention.

Sending sympathy,

Jane

C
ceilrAuthor
Inspiring
March 26, 2019

Wow, Jane-e, this feels a LOT closer!  I still need to know more:

1. By "lock them down for editing," do you mean select all objects in ID, and then press Ctrl-L?

2. Where do I enter a strong password?  I don't see anything in ID's print dialog box along this line.  OR, do I make a .pdf in ID and then open it in Adobe Reader?  If so, where do I go from there?  If not, how do I do this, anyway?  This is the first I've heard about applying a password to a doc.  And will the editor guy still be able to drop my article into the mag with a password on it?

You've also given me the greatest excuse to send my articles in as close to deadline as possible: If the editor doesn't have time to retype it, he'll (hopefully) leave it alone.  ;>)

Looking forward to more info!

jane-e
Community Expert
jane-eCommunity Expert
Community Expert
March 27, 2019

ceilr  wrote

1. By "lock them down for editing," do you mean select all objects in ID, and then press Ctrl-L?

2. Where do I enter a strong password? 

No, ceilr, sorry to be unclear.

When I said, ”If you send PDFs, lock them down for editing, and use strong passwords. Otherwise, PDFs can be edited,” the word “them” refered back to the last noun, which was “PDFs”.

If you decide to send a PDF, lock the PDF for editing. You need Acrobat, not the free Reader, and you can do it in the Security tab.

If you try to lock anything in InDesign, you can’t put a password on it, so anyone with minimum skills can unlock it.

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