So I've decided to expand my copyediting business, because I know several other top-notch L.A.-based copyeditors who are all as hungry as I am. If I can hustle together a few more editing/proofreading clients, we should have enough work to go around. I hate marketing myself, however—so I need a name for the business other than "Joy McCann: editing, writing." And of course it makes more sense to use a neutral name if I may need to subcontract some jobs to other copyeditors.
My existing logo is from a rubber stamp; it's a stylized circular picture of a koi fish (we're without a scanner at the moment, but I'll post it once I get it scanned).
So I was going to file my DBA as "Koi Pond Copyediting," but my business advisor vetoed it: too "passive." (I had thought it was serene, myself.)
I do like water imagery, though: perhaps a stream or creek would pass muster.
A friend of mine is marketing her business (very different from mine) using the imagery of an eye, which would make even more sense for my line of work—but, hey. It's her idea. So if you want to suggest something unrelated to koi fish, that's fine as well. My mood is Eastern/Chinese, but my business advisor wants more yang and less yin.
Thanks. May the best reader win.
1
Maybe something like:
1) Horizons Editing
2) Springbrook Editing, Inc. (or something)
OR
something along the lines of:
President George Bush is totally awesome Editing, Inc.
Posted by: DeoDuce at July 11, 2005 06:23 PM (WPlHl)
2
How about "Professionally KOI"(quote-marks to be inclu.) with the single word EDITING (all caps, no quote-marks) centered underneath.. with a logo of a KOI wearing large, out-sized reading glasses glasses centered below the word EDITING with contact info at bottom right and left.
Posted by: RVD at July 11, 2005 06:41 PM (zRLds)
3
PS: Sorry--should be COPYediting, I realize. My son used to raise Koi--named all of his--Samaurai, Hirohito, Seczuki.Sho-Gun, Banzai, etc. They all really do end up having different personalities.
Posted by: RVD at July 11, 2005 06:57 PM (zRLds)
Posted by: Justene at July 11, 2005 08:32 PM (vca18)
5
The Real McKoi. (Okay I admit that was really bad)
Peeking Koi Copyediting.
....and I give up (for now), I'm an engineer I need numbers and equations!
Posted by: the Pirate at July 11, 2005 08:42 PM (Rg0+S)
6
i hate to sound completely dumb, but what does a copyeditor do? i really don't know.
Posted by: annie at July 11, 2005 10:37 PM (iXY4D)
7
We read stories and find mistakes: misspellings, grammatical problems, places where the essay or whatever doesn't fit the "house style." We upgrade the punctuation. We flag any concerns we think the editors ought to think about.
Often we make other suggestions about phrasing that strikes us as awkward. When we do that, we either get lauded as heroes or fired.
Posted by: Attila Girl at July 12, 2005 12:25 AM (RGWNz)
Posted by: Pixy Misa at July 12, 2005 03:44 AM (/HD5E)
9
Try this:
Golden Script Editing
Possibly use a background of Japanese letter (such as "luck", "peace", or "opportunity") as a backdrop for the fish.
Carries the concept, ties the fish in (koi are indeed goldfish here in the midwest to us rednecks!), and tells about your business while implying the sucess of your input.
Wow, what a run-on sentence that was.
SGT Dave
Posted by: SGT Dave at July 12, 2005 05:01 AM (jPvjS)
10
Excuse me - but why in the world are you doing a DBA?!? PLEASE incorporate! PLEASE! You really can do it dirt cheap, often for as little as $100, and you usually don't have to do it in your own state if CA is a beastly place to incorporate. Want to avoid the double taxation? Do an S-corp. Lord! An LLC if notihing else!
Don't you realize that if you're NOT protected from personal liability by incorporating, just one weirdo client, or one traffic accident in the course of business, can take your house and everything you own? Whether they win or lose?
If they win, you're personally sunk. If they lose, you're sunk anyway, because you lose it all to legal fees.
If they just sue your company, let the company go under and start another. No biggie. And your personal assets are protected.
We're talking, what, usually a couple hundred bucks to incorporate - through a lawyer, so no hard slog through business laws for you - and that buys you something just like insurance. It protects you from losing everything you own.
Just...think about it. Please! Pretty please!
Posted by: k at July 12, 2005 11:07 AM (M7kiy)
11
Okey-doke. I'll think about that. Any suggestions on names?
Posted by: Attila Girl at July 12, 2005 11:13 AM (RGWNz)
12
And then you could be:
Kwik Koipy Inc.
Posted by: k at July 12, 2005 11:40 AM (M7kiy)
13
Joy...since you like the "water" idea, and since you are editing...how about "Watermark Editorial Services?"
Posted by: The Anchoress at July 13, 2005 08:42 AM (Sp817)
Posted by: Momma K at July 13, 2005 09:42 AM (VR337)
15
I dont know whether your comment screen will permit html tags or not, so first I will describe what I am saying, and then write it in HTML
The code for strikeout, the word Koipy, the code for end strikeout, then CopyEditing
KoipyCopyEditing
Posted by: Don Singleton at July 13, 2005 09:43 AM (EhFBY)
16
Since you're contemplating subcontracting work out to others, incorporating is even MORE important, and s-corp more better.
And...an editorial suggestion from me to me on the name: not Kwik Koipy Inc. but
Kwik Koipy Ink.
('scuse please pixy misa!)
Posted by: k at July 13, 2005 10:22 AM (M7kiy)
17
SEA CHANGE EDITING, INC.
There's a nice definition of Sea change at:
http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-sea1.htm
from Shakespeare's The Tempest
Nothing of him that doth fade
But doth suffer a sea-change
Into something rich and strange.
Lynda
Posted by: Lynda at July 13, 2005 10:43 AM (dOmxI)
18
Oh, I Like Lyndas. It's punny.
Posted by: The Anchoress at July 13, 2005 10:49 AM (Sp817)
19
How could you possibly choose a better name for an editor than "Little Miss Attila"?
Posted by: Colin MacDougall at July 13, 2005 11:24 AM (4GfbF)
20
Use a logo of a rabbit,
and call it
"Attila the bun".
That will be not only fun, but also memorable
(which is one factor in business success")
:-)
Posted by: Seahawk at July 13, 2005 12:35 PM (te2CY)
21
Brainstorming here:
Fish or Cut Copy
Big Fish
Little Fish
Koincidence
Small Pond
Sink or Swim
Fishwrap
Alpha Koi (substituting Koi for the greek letter Chi to name your "fraternity/sorority" of editors, also suggests "alpha" dominance--no more "passive" koi fish for you!)
Immersed
Deep End
Etc...
Posted by: Matthew at July 13, 2005 02:40 PM (ozXPk)
Posted by: Rodney Dill at July 13, 2005 05:22 PM (tGTSA)
23
Copy Cat
Copyous
Copy Right (two words)
Posted by: Rodney Dill at July 13, 2005 05:27 PM (tGTSA)
24
Word Wright
Word Right
Depending on which way you want the pun to go.
Posted by: Rodney Dill at July 13, 2005 06:33 PM (tGTSA)
25
The Joy of Editing, Inc.
Posted by: Daniel at July 13, 2005 08:25 PM (fsAHR)
Posted by: mark maness at July 13, 2005 09:45 PM (M7kiy)
27
Yeah, I know, it's a book title, but how about:
The Joy Of Lex?
or, alot more seriously:
10-4 Proof
(as in CB lingo:'copy that, good buddy')
Posted by: Muzzy at July 13, 2005 10:10 PM (QVCHB)
28
The term copyediting seems a bit dated in the age of blogs, doesn't it? Why not something more like:
Express Text Detailing
Express Text Enhancement
Body Text Beautiful
Good to Great Copy
Better Body Text
Rapid Revisions
Masterpiece Prep
Rapid Text Retouch
and of course, the gratuitous:
Pimp my Text!
Posted by: a Roma Tomato at July 13, 2005 10:12 PM (JqyIl)
29
I'll have to have Attila the Hub go with me when I get the business cards printed, so I don't end up going with "Pimp My Text." At the least, it deserves some sort of honorable mention.
Some great ideas here; keep it up!
Posted by: Attila Girl at July 13, 2005 10:19 PM (RGWNz)
30
I'm on a roll...
Body Text Massage
Rapid Text Renovation
Prose polished by Pros
Text touched by Talent
Revisions ready to read
Text made ready
Letters made better
Posted by: a Roma Tomato at July 13, 2005 11:56 PM (JqyIl)
31
Joy Koi Wordsmithing, Inc.
The Hungarian Hatchet Text Editor
Attila, Proprietor
The Zen of Edit
"Total enlightenment, by eraser"
Naiad Wordsmithing, Inc.
Naiad Copyediting and Writing
Posted by: Desert Cat at July 13, 2005 11:58 PM (xdX36)
32
Attila Cuts Down the Koi Polloi!
Inc.
Posted by: k at July 14, 2005 06:14 AM (6krEN)
33
Playing off your koi fish/nature/water preference:
"Haiku Fountain" ... A disciplined form of writing that must convey its message with an economy of words, plus the word "fountain" is active -- flowing water/ideas without end. Colors -- think soft sagelike green background, printing in metallic copper. Logo very simplistic, stylized koi fish, viewed mostly from above, in a "J" position overlapping and around a combined asymetrical "HF" (I can visualize it, haven't had a chance to sketch it yet)
can ya tell I'm the daughter of a advertising man????
Posted by: Darleen at July 14, 2005 06:35 AM (FgfaV)
34
Koi Frog Pondering
Attila The Koi (gets you upfront in the phone directory)
Edit Head
Amphibious Koi
Koi Poi
Poi Koi
Edit Me
Koi Hunt(takes care of passive!)
Pond Off
Spot-On Editing
Koi Girl
High Watermark(HT to the Anchoress)
LMA Editorial Services
Koi Watermark
Best wishes for your business, no matter what name you use! The quality will be there, you prove it everyday!
Posted by: Darrell at July 14, 2005 08:31 AM (4KEXn)
35
Rapid Revisions
Tighter Text
Pages with Punch
Polished Pages
Better Books
Revisions on Demand
Spotless Scripts
Confirmed Copy
and for grins:
Counter-Errorist Strike Force
Posted by: a Roma Tomato at July 14, 2005 08:34 AM (JqyIl)
Posted by: Karl the Krud at July 14, 2005 09:21 AM (0sooI)
37
Pages with Polish
Urgent Text Upgrades
Text Tune-up
Posted by: a Roma Tomato at July 14, 2005 10:03 AM (JqyIl)
38
Sea Change Copy
Joy Proof
Joy McCann, Readability Engineer
Posted by: Matt at July 14, 2005 11:05 AM (Xqaon)
39
Orca Inc
Copy editors
Koi for lunch?
TG
Posted by: TonyGuitar at July 14, 2005 11:22 AM (rmMzv)
40
How about 'The Editorium'?
Posted by: A. Nonymous at July 14, 2005 12:08 PM (zL70j)
41
Koi Inspirations Inc.
Is this too english major-esque playing off of Coy? I like it
Better Than Koitus - ok that was just a joke
Posted by: Doug at July 14, 2005 12:51 PM (1rr7m)
42
Deepwater Copy, Soul of Koi copyediting, Ripple Effect Copy... Led Fish productions, Zen Pond... I dunno... =]
Posted by: Jeremy at July 14, 2005 01:31 PM (rUjds)
43
The Neurotic Editor 'We will get it right.'
The Koi Emendator (latin for editor)
Emendator Humanus (latin, pertaining to man, humane, humane, cultured, refined.)
Posted by: Sigmund, Carl and Alfred at July 14, 2005 04:03 PM (dHZc2)
44
Alright, Attila - lots of good choices here - what is your decision? I like the Editorium...but then I would, since it sounds like scriptorium. :-)
Posted by: The Anchoress at July 14, 2005 04:43 PM (Sp817)
45
Not sure if anyone's said these yet: (I just sort of breezed down the list of comments)
Kreative Kopyeditors
Carpe Diem Copyeditors (Or "Carp A Diem")
Coy Koi Copyeditors
Proof-Positive Copyeditors
Wordstream Copyeditors (With a flowing Hawaiian waterfall.)
I've got more, but have to go now. Hope these help.
Posted by: B.C. at July 14, 2005 05:43 PM (wPQJl)
46
I like Rapid Revisions: it's not too clever-sounding and pushes a universal selling point for clients: you're fast. Even if you're not fast, it will give your tardiness a sheen of promptitude.
In my heart, I want the Editorium, but it sounds like something my wife would talk me out of ("No, darling, it's too pompous." "Shouldn't I try to play to my strengths?" "No.")
Posted by: Chris Burd at July 14, 2005 05:57 PM (UHOpB)
47
Blue Pencil Editing -- we cross out your mistakes
Posted by: Portia at July 14, 2005 08:04 PM (xlEaU)
48
Well I doubt this is a winner, but how 'bout
"Larry's Greater San Antonio Illegal Chink Indoor Imported Carp Shotgunning Club LLC"
I doesn't have anything to do with editing, but it WILL get your business cards shown around A LOT !!!!
And yes, Larry and I were stone cold sober when we came up with it. :-)
Good luck on your venture !!!!
Posted by: Chip Thome at July 14, 2005 09:31 PM (ODexe)
49
There is an indigenous pasture grass of the western U.S. called gramma. So
Koi Gramma
or
Koi Gramma Constructions
Posted by: EBD at July 14, 2005 09:33 PM (CNTBP)
50
But I can't decide till next Tuesday! Before I finalize my decision, I have to 1) see if I can find a public domain image that can go on the business card (other than the existing koi) and/or 2) talk my friend, the illustration expert, into creating one for me for cheap.
For marketing, the image and name and slogan (if I decide to have one) must all work together.
I'm not sure I'm likely to use it, but "counter-errorist strike force" was just wonderful.
Posted by: Attila Girl at July 14, 2005 10:32 PM (RGWNz)
51
Orca Copy Edit Inc
Typos vs Atilla the Hun
Raw Copy to Finished Work
Posted by: TonyGuitar at July 15, 2005 04:20 PM (rmMzv)
Posted by: Rodney dill at July 15, 2005 07:22 PM (tGTSA)
53
Articulata
or, if you have a customer base with a sense of humor, "The Articulatrix"
Posted by: Shaken at July 15, 2005 08:53 PM (Mzobe)
54
Koi Shui Copyediting
Feng Koi Copyediting
Words rearranged to achieve total harmony and clarity...
The Real McCann Copyediting
Joy of STET Copyediting
Words of Joy Copywriting
Koi 'Tis Bliss Copyediting
Your Words, Only Better!
Hope you can substirute an autographed copy of your Avatar for that book!
Posted by: Darrell at July 16, 2005 11:04 AM (ZXWWb)
55
Linked in from SDA
"Joy of Text"
"Text Tickle"
OK, so I'm a smart ass.
You want Chinese?
"Lo Fan Flaw Fragging"
People will spend so much time trying to say it, they'll have to remember.
"Clear Copy" or even "Crystal Clear Copy"-- works well with water theme.
Posted by: R. Daley at July 16, 2005 01:53 PM (Ex2AV)
Posted by: Sam at July 16, 2005 10:05 PM (hhTnv)
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