I like to joke that that copy editing is the nerdiest part of publishing and certainly the geekiest kind of editing. So why do I do it? What do I get out of it? Aside from being an unabashed nerd myself, I enjoy a good puzzle. I always have. Who doesn't like cross-referencing facts? Who doesn't love checking tenses and pronouns? Who doesn't enjoy sifting through line after line, hunting for errors and missteps, and verifying style rules? Okay, maybe a lot of people don't, but I do. It's a puzzle every time; examining every piece, checking the gems for flaws, mending and finessing the handiwork of others as gently but rigorously as possible... Image by surut wattanamaetee For a while, I tried other kinds of editing, but copy editing has always been the most satisfying—I get lost in it, adore it. So it's little wonder I've wandered back into it after other careers didn't pan out. I've previously considered freelancing as a copy editor (hence setting...