Edit-Work.com: How To Deviate From Style And Procedure

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Deviate From Established Style and Procedures

However you need to adapt editorial procedures and style to suit your site, or need to deviate from your established procedures, these are the most important things to keep in mind:

Keep a content log to track development progress and to keep you from forgetting about microcontent such as page titles, navigational links, ALT tags, etc.
Find out early what kind of microcontent will be needed for a page. Submit as much microcontent as possible at the same time as the main text is submitted. This way you won’t have to scramble at the last minute and the HTML producer can be more efficient.
You must have an opportunity to edit the text, or have an outside freelancer do this, before it is submitted to the HTML producer.
Submit the copy in the form that’s the easiest for the HTML producer. This will avoid mistakes created by 'handling' the text too much. Don’t submit copy that has any kind of software- generated style applied to it. Don’t submit a PowerPoint presentation (it’s been known to happen!). Don’t even submit a .DOC file - it will carry 'invisible' coding for fonts, margins, tabs, etc.
Code for text styles such as italics and bold, and add HTML coding for hyperlinks. Coding for these beforehand means you'll avoid extra keystrokes later in the process that could introduce mistakes. Even if internal links aren’t set yet, if the coding is in place the link will show up on the Web page and the required hand-check of links will show that a correct URL needs to be added.
You must have an opportunity to make edit changes on the entire page after it is built and before it is made live. Otherwise you have no opportunity to view the page as a reader will see it. The point of copyediting is not necessarily to spot mistakes, but to make the finished product as understandable as possible to the reader. Not having an opportunity to see the page and make changes after it’s in the form in which the reader will see it shortcircuits the entire process. Plus, you may also need to add last-minute links to make the piece relevant and fresh.
You must keep the original article as submitted and save subsequent edit changes. There are all kinds of reasons why you may have to revert to or refer to an earlier version, and you may need to check an 'audit trail' to determine when changes were made and who made them.
Version control is important! Strict file-naming conventions will help, and will help your colleagues find things they need on your computer when you are home sick or have left for a better job offer because you are such an excellent and well-organized editor!