The writer and... which editor?

Very recently and most randomly, I was given the opportunity to speak to a fellow participant at a workshop. She was very surprised to hear that I edit and almost immediately, she expressed concern for how stressful the act of writing can be for graduate students. She connected me with someone she knew had been agonizing over a writer's block. The dissertation submission deadline was fast approaching and the anxiety of not being able to graduate was real. I offered to be a sounding block, but was ultimately rejected for the following reason:

"I am clueless as to what to revise [at this stage]. I guess I'll need to work more on my own rather than [go for] copy editing..."

My first thought when I heard the reason for rejection was, but editors do more than copy editing.

So exactly what do editors do and as a writer, what kind of editing support should you be looking for?

The process of writing can be lengthy and some writers opt to rope editors in the beginning stages of their creation. These editors provide structural editing. Structural editors work with the writers to check the overall content, restructure or clarify the material to ensure better flow, and at times, provide additional material to be included in the manuscript.

Sometimes, writers don't approach editors until their drafts are complete and they are looking specifically for stylistic editing, to improve their writing and to ensure the content is presented in a coherent and logical manner. You will find stylistic editors conducting line-by-line checks and work closely with writers to make sure the writing is appropriate for the audience they have in mind.

Stylistic editing often involves copy editing. At this stage, your editor looks out for issues in grammar, spelling, punctuation, consistency,... and a whole host of other writing mechanics.

Just before the manuscripts go to print, writers or publishers often get their editors to proofread the final draft. As you might have guessed, proofreading is the final editing stage and proofreaders are on the alert for issues with the layout, visual elements and text. They are also there to make sure all intended edits (from the previous editing stages) have been captured in the final draft and there are no boo-boos going to print.

If you wish to find out more about the different editorial skills your editor should possess, Editors Canada provides good definitions of core editing skills. Feel free to check it out here.

I wish I had this blog entry handy before I spoke to the agonizing graduate student. Writing may primarily be a solitary journey, but the road to publication (or submission) needn't be so. I hope all writers find the editing support they require and at the right stages in their process of creating.

Ren

December 2019

#structural #stylistic #copy #editing #proofreading #editors