Search This Blog

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Stet

I reappropriated a complimentary pen sent by a publishing company to someone who no longer works at my company. The company is called "Stet Publishing". A stet, I learned in my class, is a copy editor's mark that means literally 'Let it stand'; it cancels out the editor's mark in favor of the author's original word, phrase or punctuation mark. As if to say, "Maybe it would be better if you said '...' No, you're right, you're right. Leave it; never mind me!"
Naming your publishing company Stet is kind of like naming a driving school "Speed Through That Yellow Light!". It's a cute sounding name, but any editor would tell you the term implies over-eagerness, clumsiness, and lack of confidence. It's like a pornstar calling himself "The Premature Ejaculator."

No comments: