Skip to content

Iva Cheung

  • Home
  • Editing
  • Indexing
  • Training
  • Consulting
  • Research
  • Books
  • About
  • Contact
  • Blog
IVA CHEUNG..
  • . Editor
  • . Indexer
  • . Trainer
  • . Publishing consultant
  • . Researcher

Category: Editors

Pedant by proxy

Six-panel cartoon. Panel 1: An author points to a marked-up manuscript in his arms. He says to Bespectacled editor. “What’s with all these edits? I thought you said you weren’t a pedant!” Panel 2: Bespectacled editor says, “Well, I’m not pedantic, but a lot of your readers will be.” Panel 3: She continues, “How much do you enjoy getting emails from random strangers with unsolicited grammar advice?” For the next 2 panels, the author hesitates, then looks down at his manuscript. Panel 6: The author turns to walk out of the room and says, “I’ll go make these changes.
Creative Commons License

Author Iva CheungPosted on March 1, 2026February 22, 2026Format ImageCategories Editing, EditorsTags ComicsLeave a comment on Pedant by proxy

Truing test

Single-frame cartoon. Bespectacled editor sits next to an author going through a printed set of proofs with a red pen. The editor says, "You're stetting all those typos?" The author replies, "I don't want people thinking AI wrote my book."
Creative Commons License

Author Iva CheungPosted on February 1, 2026January 25, 2026Format ImageCategories Editing, Editors, ProofreadingTags Artificial intelligence, ComicsLeave a comment on Truing test

Let it stand

Seven-frame cartoon. Frame 1: Bespectacled editor is talking to another character with long, curly hair, a metaphor for an author. The author character says, “How’s everything looking for my debut?” Frame 2: Bespectacled editor says, “Well, it looks like the back of your skirt is tucked into your leggings.” The author says, “Stet.” Frame 3: Bespectacled editor says, “And the buttons and buttonholes on your shirt are mismatched.” The author says, “Stet. That’s my style.” Bespectacled editor says, “Your style. Right.” Frame 4: Bespectacled editor says, “I think there’s some broccoli in your teeth.” The author says, “Stet.” Frame 5: Bespectacled editor says, “Um, is that barbecue sauce on your collar?” The author says, “Stet. I like it that way.” Bespectacled Editor says, “You like the barbecue sauce stains. OK.” Frame 6: The author turns and starts walking out of the room, saying, “Time for me to get out there. Can’t keep my audience waiting!” Bespectacled editor says, “Well. Good luck!”
Creative Commons License

Author Iva CheungPosted on January 1, 2026December 30, 2025Format ImageCategories Editing, EditorsTags Comics1 Comment on Let it stand

Crowd work

Nine-panel cartoon. Panel 1: A stand-up comedian holds a mic and stands in front of a brick wall. He points to someone in the crowd and says “And what do you do?” Panel 2: Another angle shows the comedian pointing to Bespectacled editor. She says, “Oh, me? I’m an editor.” Panel 3: The comedian says, “Ah, a failed writer!” The rest of the room gently laughs. Panel 4: The comedian says, “‘Cause you know what they say…” Panel 5: He continues, “Those who can’t do, teach. Those who can’t write, edit.” Panel 6: The editor says, sheepishly, “I actually also teach editing, so…” Panel 7: The comedian says, “So you’re a failure at life!” The crowd erupts into laughter. Panel 8: Bespectacled editor says, “Well I AM one at one of your shows, so that must be true,” and the audience goes “Ooooooooooooh.” The final panel shows Bespectacled editor in bed, sitting next to her spouse, who is reading. She says, “…is what I SHOULD have said.” Her spouse says, “Are you still stewing about that comedian?”
Creative Commons License

For the holidays, why not treat yourself to After the Feast, my little cookbook for turkey dinner leftovers? The PDF is free to download, and print copies raise money for the Qajuqturvik Community Food Centre’s food security and food sovereignty initiatives in Nunavut.

Author Iva CheungPosted on December 1, 2025November 30, 2025Format ImageCategories Editing, EditorsTags ComicsLeave a comment on Crowd work

Overload

Two-frame cartoon. In the first frame, Bespectacled Editor sits at her desk. An author says, "How will I be able to tell when my manuscript is ready for you to see?" The editor says, "Oh, you'll just know." The second frame is captioned "A little while later." The author, dishevelled, thrusts a messy manuscript toward the editor. She yells, "I CAN'T LOOK AT THIS ANYMORE! TAKE IT, PLEASE!!" The editor holds out her hands to receive the manuscript and says, "Gladly!"
Creative Commons License

[Self-promotional non sequitur: Check out After the Feast, my little cookbook for Thanksgiving (and other turkey dinner) leftovers! The PDF is free to download, and print copies raise money for the Qajuqturvik Community Food Centre’s food security and food sovereignty initiatives in Nunavut, which is experiencing a hunger crisis.]

Author Iva CheungPosted on November 1, 2025October 30, 2025Format ImageCategories Editing, Editors, FreelancingTags ComicsLeave a comment on Overload

Unsolicited advice

Two-frame cartoon. Frame 1: Bespectacled editor sits with curly-haired editor at a table in a café. She says, "It can be so frustrating to work with [industry-standard software] sometimes!" A man in glasses sips coffee at the next table. Frame 2: The man turns around and says, "I couldn’t help overhearing. Why don’t you just use [open-source alternative that lacks the functionality you need for your work, offers no support, and is fundamentally incompatible with your clients’ workflow]? I switched five years ago and haven’t looked back."I despise Microsoft and Adobe as much as the next person, but the next time a non-editor tells me to switch to LibreOffice, I’m sending them to this feature comparison and asking them to search for “track changes.”

Creative Commons License

Author Iva CheungPosted on August 1, 2025July 27, 2025Format ImageCategories Editing, Editors, FreelancingTags Acrobat, Comics, Microsoft Word2 Comments on Unsolicited advice

Confirmation

Twelve-frame cartoon. Frame 1: An author sits at a table with Bespectacled editor. He points to a spot on his manuscript on the table. He says, “Can you explain why you made this change?” Frame 2: Bespectacled editor says, “Yeah, sure. I looked it up, and the company’s website said they were founded in 1989, not 1998.” Frame 3: The authors points to another page and says, “And this one?” Frame 4: Bespectacled editor says, “I looked it up, and in Fiona’s memoir she spells her last name with an uppercase D and an uppercase M.” Frame 5: The author points to another place in the manuscript and says, “What about this edit here?” Frame 6: Bespectacled editor says, “I looked it up, and the dictionary we’re using spells the noun form with a C, not an S.” Frame 7: The author identifies another place in the manuscript and says, “Uh-huh. And this change?” Frame 8: Bespectacled editor says, “I looked it up, and that’s how the Chicago Manual of Style suggests capitalizing Russian transliterations.” Frame 9: The author puts his hands on his hips and says, “You’re just looking a bunch of stuff up? Why should I pay you for that?!” Frame 10: Bespectacled editor says, “Well, are YOU gonna do it?” Frame 11: The author and editor stare at each other, silent. Frame 12: Still silent, the author lowers his head in shame.Click through to enlarge!

Creative Commons License

Author Iva CheungPosted on April 1, 2025March 30, 2025Format ImageCategories Editing, Editors, FreelancingTags Comics, Fact checkingLeave a comment on Confirmation

Fibliography

A robot (ReferenceBot) with a square head, rectangular body, and square hands and feet sits on a rolling office chair at a desk with a keyboard and monitor. Bespectacled editor stands on the other side of the desk. ReferenceBot says, in a robotic voice, “What do you mean they just make up sources?! Whatever happened to taking pride in one’s own world?!” The image caption says, “ReferenceBot learns about large language models.”

(If this is your first time meeting ReferenceBot, learn about him here.)

Creative Commons License

Author Iva CheungPosted on March 1, 2025February 24, 2025Format ImageCategories Editing, EditorsTags Artificial intelligence, Citation, ComicsLeave a comment on Fibliography

Holiday

Six-frame cartoon. Frame 1: An editor sits at a table with his laptop open. He says, "With Easter so late this year, it’ll be such a long stretch before I get a holiday. Frame 2: Bespectacled Editor sips her tea and says, “You know, if you were a freelancer like me, any day could be a holiday.” Frame 3: The in-house editor says, “Uh-huh. And when was the last time you took a day off?” Frames 5 and 6: The two editors just stare at each other, unmoving.” Frame 7: The in-house editor says, “Well…?” and Bespectacled Editor responds, “I’m thinking!!!”
Creative Commons License

Author Iva CheungPosted on February 1, 2025January 26, 2025Format ImageCategories Editing, Editors, Freelancing, UncategorizedTags ComicsLeave a comment on Holiday

Copilot is my god

9-frame cartoon. Frame 1: Bespectacled editor is having a phone conversation with an author. She says, "… and I was hoping you could help me understand the third paragraph on page 2. What is 'diagonal supply chain buoyancy'?" Frame 2: The author says, "I have no idea." Frame 3: Bespectacled editor says, "O…K… Well, what were you hoping to convey when you wrote it?" Frame 4: The author says, "Oh, I didn’t write that part. My AI program must have written it." Frame 5: Bespectacled editor looks into the camera at the viewer. Frame 6: Bespectacled editor says, "So, um, I would strongly suggest carefully reading the output of any generative AI tools to confirm that the text is saying what you intended." Frame 7: The author says, "Isn’t that your job?" Frame 8: Bespectacled editor is silent, looking at her phone. Frame 9: We see the author holding his phone away from his ear as an exasperated scream comes through on it."

Dedicated to Jen Anderson. Click through to enlarge!
Creative Commons License

Author Iva CheungPosted on January 1, 2025January 1, 2025Format ImageCategories Editing, EditorsTags Artificial intelligence, ComicsLeave a comment on Copilot is my god

Posts pagination

Page 1 Page 2 … Page 11 Next page

Recent Posts

  • Pedant by proxy
  • Truing test
  • Let it stand
  • Crowd work
  • On sunshine and shadows
  • Overload
  • After the Feast: A Turkey Leftovers Cookbooklet
  • Witch hunt
  • Unsolicited advice
  • Out of scope

Archives

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to receive notifications of new posts by email.

Categories

  • Academic publishing
  • Archiving
  • Book publishing
  • Book reviews
  • Books
  • Consulting
  • Cookbooks
  • Design
  • Ebooks
  • Editing
  • Editors
  • Editors Canada (formerly Editors' Association of Canada)
  • Freelancing
  • Indexing
  • Indexing Society of Canada
  • Knowledge translation
  • Language
  • PLAIN
  • Plain language
  • Proofreading
  • Society for Technical Communication
  • Strong Language
  • Teaching
  • Uncategorized
  • Writing

Tags

  • Academic editing
  • Accessibility
  • Alcuin Society
  • Artificial intelligence
  • Awards
  • Cartooning
  • Certification
  • Checklists
  • Chicago Manual of Style
  • Citation
  • Comics
  • Contracts
  • Copyright
  • Credential maintenance
  • D&M
  • Data visualization
  • Fact checking
  • First Nations
  • Government
  • Grammar
  • Images
  • Indigenous editing
  • Information Mapping
  • Maps
  • Marketing
  • Markup
  • Microsoft Word
  • Networking
  • Onscreen editing
  • Open access
  • Oxford English Dictionary
  • PubPro
  • punctuation
  • Science
  • self-publishing
  • Social media
  • Style
  • Style sheets
  • Translation
  • Twitter
  • UBC Press
  • Usage
  • User testing
  • Wikis
  • Word on the Street
  • Home
  • Editing
  • Indexing
  • Training
  • Consulting
  • Research
  • Books
  • About
  • Contact
  • Blog
Iva Cheung Proudly powered by WordPress
 

Loading Comments...