At Accuracy Matters, we’ve been supporting clients with multi-volume, multi-author, complex suites of reports since we founded the business in 2012. Find out our top tips for staying calm and maximising efficiency during the project process.
Prepare
Take some time to prepare ahead of starting work – this will pay dividends later in the process. Think about some of the following questions:
- How many authors are there? Do they have consistent guidance on key messages, target readership, language, tone and format? What can you give them to help make the draft better and more consistent?
- What results do you want from the editorial stages? Will a substantive edit and some rewriting be needed, or will the text be signed off as final before going to editors for copy-editing and proofreading?
- What is your schedule and what are the key dates/deadlines?
- Have you defined a process for writing, editing, querying, discussing and finalising content? Does everyone have access to the right tools and software, and do they know how to use them?
- Do you have a single decision-maker for all content/editorial matters? Or will these need to be managed among a group?
If you have a group/committee making editorial decisions, can you get them to sign up to an agreed approach/brief, tone and editorial style before work begins?
Act early
It is always helpful to look critically at content from an editor’s point of view as early as possible in the project. Adjustments in approach, tone, terminology and style are quicker and easier to agree in the early stages of writing. Any issues that are ironed out early make for a smoother and faster process further down the line, when timelines are often more pressured.
Test the process
Make sure everyone understands what will happen at each stage. Determine the tools and ways of working, then run a pilot on a short test piece. That way, all parties know what to expect and issues with the process can be identified and mitigated/eliminated before diving into the project itself.
Do it with style
Write a comprehensive editorial style guide at the start of the project and treat that as the ‘bible’ for all editorial decisions. This can extend beyond the basics of spelling, grammar and punctuation to include guidance on the target readership, tone of voice, preferred terminology, words and phrases to avoid, formatting guidelines, referencing style and any other text elements that are particular to your project (such as names, technical terms, brand names, etc.).
When schedules are tight, you don’t want to spend precious time debating the right approach for a particular comma or capital letter. When all parties sign up to using the agreed editorial style guide, consistency is assured and editorial decisions can be made quickly and easily.
Tool up
The technology for working collaboratively has improved a lot over the last few years. We now have access to much more sophisticated project management tools, version control systems and collaborative platforms (such as SharePoint/Teams). Select the most effective tools and software for collaborating on the writing and editing process, and onboard all parties working on the project, to help support a more efficient result.
Understand the pitfalls
Large-scale editorial work comes with its own set of challenges, often due to the number of people involved. This is especially true when you have multiple authors producing drafts, which can lead to a lack of consistency, and variances in tone and choice of language. Use guidance and clear briefing – and collaboration tools – to help minimise these problems where possible.
Small changes, big consequences
Think about the knock-on effect of each editorial decision – apparently small changes can have a much larger impact than you expect when you’re dealing with large volumes of text. This is magnified the further you progress with a large project, and it’s why we recommend getting the editorial style guide completely signed off before a project starts.
Get help
Partnering with a reliable content agency – especially one that understands the operational demands of large projects – can make all the difference.
At Accuracy Matters, we’ve helped clients manage editorial projects of all shapes and sizes. Get in touch today (team@accuracymatters.co.uk) if you’re currently staring at a mountain of content and wondering how to navigate it.
