December 2020 – Subbing Clinic

#551

The Times, December 19, 2020

Fictional means that it appears in a work of fiction, eg ‘the fictional Sherlock Holmes’. The word wanted here is ‘fictitious’ which means made up, eg ‘he gave the ticket inspector a fictitious address’.

I cannot stress strongly enough that it takes years of experience to make a good sub-editor. When I was a junior sub, almost everyone else in the department was older and wiser, and the benefit of their experience was passed down to me. A chief sub would often point out how things could be improved. These days most older subs have been dispensed with and there is no one to teach or mentor the younger ones. Staffs have been so reduced that no one has time to guide anyone else.

This clinic is an attempt to pass on my experience using real examples. I would love to receive items from others as I do not read every paper every day. I will add new entries as I come across them.