More from the Norfolk SfEP Group: Top Time-saving Tips

At the recent Norfolk Group meeting of the Society for Editors and Proofreaders, which took place in Norwich on 12 March 2013, the members in attendance jointly agreed to publicize a summary of the discussion that took place on time-saving tips. 

One of the most interesting things that came out of the meeting was how many people almost didn't bother sharing a particular tip because they assumed it was so basic that everyone else would already know it ... and how many other members of the group then responded with "I wish I'd known that" or "I've never noticed that before"! This is where face-to-face meetings with colleagues really come into their own. Yes, online discussion groups can foster wonderful debates, but their threaded nature tends to lose the fluidity that emerges when people actually get together. 

If you've not yet joined your local SfEP group, take a look at the Local Groups page on the SfEP website to find out where your nearest meeting is.

Here, then, are our top time-saving tips for editorial freelancers. Some are more involved than others but there's bound to be something in the following list that you've not tried.

Short-cut keys and useful functions

• Word shortcut: Ctrl– [minus sign on number keypad] = en dash. 
• Word shortcut: Ctrl PgUp = Move to the previous browse object (set in browse options).
• Word shortcut: Ctrl Alt full-point = ellipsis
• Don't forget that you can assign your own keyboard shortcuts to whatever works best for you.
• Build templates for files that you reproduce time and again. Examples might include style sheets, invoices and letters. 
• Take advantage of MS Office's PDF creation function if you're asked to mark up files that don't allow for commenting. An example is PowerPoint. Save your PP file as a PDF and then use the normal PDF editing tools to annotate the project.
• Split-screen function in Word: great time-saver for quickly moving between different files or programmes if you only have one screen.
• Word's "Compare" function (in the "Review" tab) can be time-saving heaven if you forgot to turn on Track Changes.
  
• Browse box: lots of us hadn't even spotted this. It's accessible by clicking on the large grey dot between the two sets of double arrows in the bottom of the right-hand scroll bar. It gives you quick access to Go To, Find, Browse by Edits, Browse by Heading, etc.
  

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Hardware, software and utilities

• A (large?) second monitor that plugs into your laptop or computer not only makes for more comfortable onscreen work, but also, when set up to extend your desktop, reduces the amount of time you have to spend toggling between different programmes or programme windows. For example, you might have a style sheet, search engine or online dictionary open on your computer while you edit your work file on the larger monitor. Your eyes, not your programme windows, do the moving.
• Ultramon: Described by the developers as "a utility ... designed to increase productivity and unlock the full potential of multiple monitors", Ultramon allows users to quickly move windows between monitors, manage applications, and customize display settings, all from a dedicated monitor-based taskbar. A one-off, single-user licence costs $39.95.
• Freshbooks cloud accounting: Track time, log expenses, customize your invoices with your logo, add multiple clients and projects, and generate unique invoice numbers to speed up the invoicing process and ensure you're billing for the correct hours. Paid subscription packages start at $19.99 per month.
• Quick Steps: new to Microsoft Outlook 2010. Manage your email more efficiently by automating regular actions. Examples might include moving messages to a specific folder, inserting particular text, forwarding messages to peers. Free.
• Install a stopwatch timer on your computer: this concentrates the mind wonderfully and helps quash time-wasting activities.

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Macros and auxiliary tools

• Proofreading BSI markup stamps: For PDF proofreading for publishers, these complement the comment and markup tools in most PDF editors by enabling the user to quickly 'stamp' a symbol onto the PDF page margin or text. They're free to download here on the Parlour.
• FRedit: A powerful scripted global find-and-replace system that allows you to customize your searches, replacement edits and exceptions. NEW VERSION AVAILABLE with improved features. Free from Paul Beverley at Archive Publications.
• MultifileWord or MultifileText (included in Free book: Macros for Writers and Editors): Two macros that enable you to quickly merge Word files, with or without their original formatting. Free from Paul Beverley at Archive Publications.

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Other resources

• Oxford Dictionaries Pro: instead of manually searching through different reference resources, you can speed up your enquiries by using this one-stop shop that includes, among others, online access to OUP's renowned dictionaries and thesauri, New Hart's Rules and Pocket Fowler's Modern English Usage. It's free for UK library members.

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Sensible advice and good practice

• Regular breaks increase productivity. It's not just your eyes that need a break. It's your mouse-driving arm, your back, and your neck and shoulders, too. Get out of your chair every twenty minutes or so and walk around, pop outside for a breath of fresh air or make a cuppa.
• Try editing while standing up, either using a proper standing desk or by positioning your laptop at the right height on a counter-top. It keeps your legs moving, and can improve your blood circulation and your productivity.
• Use your calendar ("personal information management") software properly to keep everything in one place – diary and things to do (with appropriate alarms), contact details and basic project/time tracking.
• Insert index tabs on pages you frequently have to refer back to in reference publications such as Fowler's and the Chicago Manual.
• Create checklists for projects so you can keep tabs on where you are (e.g. with regard to author queries: Did I get the replies to the Ch. 12 queries? Have I sent off the supplementary queries to Ch. 8? Have I implemented the replies to the Ch. 5 queries?)
• Do your invoicing as you go: It doesn't affect the time it takes you to do the invoicing but the sooner you invoice the sooner you get paid.
• How to cut down your ironing time! Many of us have to juggle housework, too, so here's one for those without a tumble dryer. Take newly washed items such as towels and t-shirts and lay them as flat as possible on top of the washing machine (or other surface), straightening seams where necessary; leave for several hours or overnight before putting them on the radiator or airer. Result: fewer creases!