A number of qualities contribute to skilled editing:
- Good editors read widely. They will be familiar with genre conventions across place and time and are able to advise authors where their work most aptly fits.
- Good editors read closely. They are able to analyse the language used by the author as well as the effect of the text arrangement, punctuation and sentence length. Good editors are detail oriented.
- Finally, good editors have a deep and wide understanding of linguistics: specifically, morphology, phonology, semantics and syntax. In short, a full tool box.
A Living Language
English is a living language that is continually evolving. New vocabulary develops in response to social innovation and cultural change. New syntax reflects new lifestyles or activities that were unknown a decade ago. Editing a piece of written communication today demands a knowledge of the author’s goals, the target audience, the context for the piece and the ability to suggest appropriate conventions for that audience and context.
Good editors are capable of being both descriptive (aware of new language trends) and prescriptive (alerting authors to writing conventions that are currently considered correct for a particular context). Good editors are life-long learners.
But I don’t want to lose my ‘voice’.
To preserve an author’s voice, an editor will prioritise clarity and correctness, focusing on the content and author’s intent rather than imposing personal style. I use Track Changes and comments to suggest solutions rather than unilaterally changing the text. Key strategies include understanding the author’s purpose, making edits only when necessary, asking the author for input on ambiguous sections, and choosing to make a comment rather than a direct change if a stylistic choice might be intentional.
If you have any more questions about editing your work, you can reach me at:
Maria Gunn Editing Services 