Recently, I asked my husband about his upcoming volunteer gig with Rebuild Together Metro Chicago. He was getting ready for the team’s Prep day, which involves an initial walk-through and assessment of the home they’ll be working on during Demo and Rebuild days. I wondered what tools he’d need. He named a few basics: tape measure, flashlight, hammer, pencil and paper, maybe a screwdriver. I asked how he’d know what he might need at this early stage. After considering for a moment, he said, “I’m not sure yet. Those are the things I’d automatically bring.” He paused, then offered, “After I review the PowerPoint from the project manager, I’ll probably have a better idea of which tools to bring to the site based on what our goals are, what we plan to work on, and what does “done” look like?” 

What, you might ask, does this have to do with copyediting? I won’t know exactly what a client needs until I review their work and provide a sample edit, which I provide using some standard tools like my laptop, software, and reference materials. From there, my client and I can discuss what levels of editing are available, and agree on goal(s), a plan, and what “done” looks like via our contract. 

Ultimately, Mr. Spouse packed a tape measure, a pencil and paper, a flashlight, two screwdrivers, a pry bar, a hammer, and a power drill. Although only the tape measure, pen, and paper came out of the car for Prep day, having everything ready was key.