Sub-editors for weblogs
There's one thing that webloggers lack, one thing they could really benefit from, and that's sub-editing.
For those of you unfamiliar with the term, a sub-editor is there to read through a journalist's work, correct and re-write it where necessary, and prepare it for publication.
Here in the UK (I speak from my own direct experience), subs are usually in charge of writing headlines, standfirsts and boxouts. They will often re-write intro pars to make them more interesting. They are also usually in charge of the layout for printed publications, ensuring the copy physically fits on the page in the gaps between the adverts.
The best thing about subs from a writer's point of view is that when you've got three or four of them reading your work before it gets printed, mistakes get spotted. You get a chance to correct them before they are made public, thereby saving yourself from shame and your employer from the possibility of legal action.
One very irritating thing about a lot of the very best weblogs is that they have no subs. The writing may be wonderful, witty, informative and entertaining, but is ruined by simple errors that would get fixed by a good sub.
Here's an idea: a subbing service for webloggers.
People sign up for a service called blogsub. When you sign up as a blogsubber, you have to declare yourself willing to read through a certain number of posts from other people every week. Maybe just one, maybe several a day. When another blogsub user wants to post something to their weblog, it is randomly assigned to a blogsubber who checks it through, offers a re-write if they think necessary, and corrects basic errors. The original owner gets a chance to review the subbing (something that doesn't happen in professional newsrooms, but I think there'd be uproar without such a facility) and confirm the post as ready-to-go. Only now does it go live on the owner's weblog.
There might even be demand, in future, for a professional level of service. Some team weblogs, especially those partially or completely dependent on advertising income, might want to pay for subbing services to give their online publications an extra coating of sheer professionalism. Indeed, you could argue that some of the biggest-earning and best-known weblogs ought to start employing sub-editors of their own.
