Good writers benefit from good editors. It’s almost a symbiotic relationship that produces high-quality, marketable manuscripts.
Just like writing, editing is a craft that requires practice and dedication to hone. However, you can accelerate your growth by learning techniques that enhance your abilities as an editor.
Editorial Skills
As an editor, you must be adept at reviewing and revising manuscripts to improve their quality for publication. You focus on various aspects such as grammar, content structure, consistency, tone, and coherence.
The qualities of a great editor change depending on their specialization though some basic skills are essential. These include fact-checking, research, strong language skills, critical thinking, attention to detail, effective communication, writing proficiency, and knowledge of the publishing industry.
The skills you have and your proficiency with them will change depending on your specialization. For example, a line editor focuses on grammar, syntax, and vocabulary while a developmental editor concerns themselves more with storytelling, themes, and plot.
Tips on Becoming a Better Editor
Here are a few tips that can help you be a better editor, no matter what kind of editing you want to do.
1. Stick to a style guide.
A style guide is a set of standards and guidelines for writing and formatting text. It provides you with rules on grammar, punctuation, spelling, and other language elements. Following one means being consistent and clear throughout the entire text you are editing.
2. Use tools.
You can use plenty of tools to improve your workflow and quality of work. A lot of them are even free, or at least have a free version.
Your most used tool is probably a word processing software like Microsoft Word or Google Docs. You supplement these with grammar and style checkers such as Grammarly, Hemingway Editor, or ProWritingAid.
Even style guides are now accessible online, though most require a paid subscription. You also have online dictionaries and thesauruses.
For project management, you can use websites like Trello or Asana. Collaboration tools like Slack, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams are also common.
Some tools are great for one specific thing. A favorite of mine is Capitalize My Title, which allows you to quickly capitalize text depending on the use case and style guide.
However, these tools aren’t perfect. Learn their limits, features, and best uses for your work. For example, many don’t utilize the “Find and Replace” or Comment features in Microsoft Word or Google Docs.
As an editor, the first can help you change identical errors within a document. Correcting common slipups like “your” instead of “you’re” is a piece of cake. The second is helpful when leaving feedback or adding additional info for someone else.
3. Respect the writer.
While you— by the nature of your work—can create changes, the writer’s direction should still be followed. You can’t make changes just because you think it will make the manuscript better.
As an editor, you need to understand the writer’s vision and reasons. It’s their story. There must be a reason why things are written in a particular way. A mistake might be intentional. You need to stay true to that vision.
Learn the writer’s boundaries and what they can budge on. Collaborate and negotiate with them if you think a big change is necessary. Make it clear why you’re doing specific edits or suggesting specific changes.
Also, remember that you have your own biases and preferences. Be aware of them and learn to set them aside when working. The ones who benefit from any edit should ultimately be the book’s target audience.
4. Learn to communicate with your client.
While editing itself is a solitary skill, it doesn’t mean you won’t be collaborating with your client. Collaboration is inevitable and necessary when developing a manuscript. You should be able to communicate any progress, issue, or suggestions efficiently.
First, you must be clear with what type of editing you provide. A lot of writers, especially newbies, only understand editing in a general sense. Someone might contact you, a developmental editor, when what they need is a copyeditor.
You also need to set clear expectations and boundaries before even committing to a project. What are your rates? How long will it take? How frequently will you communicate? What’s the scope of your editing? Be firm in your process but also understand what your client needs.
Perhaps the most important thing to learn is being honest and thoughtful in your feedback. You can’t become a good editor if you hold back issues because you’re afraid of offending.
This means explaining a manuscript’s problems in a clear, respectful, and encouraging manner. Focus on solutions and give your client positive, but realistic suggestions.
5. Always double-check your work.
You’re only human. Sometimes errors can slip past your careful attention. It’s a great policy to always double or triple-check your work before sending it to your client.
The earlier you catch mistakes, the easier they are to correct. Even later on, grammar and punctuation errors are easy to fix. Fact-checking, continuity, plot, and character errors, however, will likely need extensive edits that will delay the whole process.
5. Specialize.
Good editors have experience and knowledge in all types of book editing. The best ones, however, specialize in what they offer.
When you narrow your scope of editing, you’re able to provide a more detailed and nuanced service that’s more likely to address a writer’s specific issues. Even traditional publishers have teams of editors that work on specific edits.
6. Be organized.
Have a clear process to follow. Simply skimming through pages and finding errors will not work.
Create a checklist of tasks you can refer to now and again. Utilize the notes function of your word processing software. Keep track of your edits no matter how small.
Having a system gives you direction and reduces confusion when you’re working. Remember, you’ll likely deal with thousands of edits within a single manuscript. Things can quickly get messy.
Part of being organized is the ability to choose your most significant edits and comments. Send these separately to your client so they don’t get buried under all the others. This will help both of you keep track of what to prioritize and what steps have been taken.
Editing Better
You, as an editor, can influence the success of someone’s manuscript. Writers are not expert grammarians or storytellers, they rely on you to enhance what they’re trying to create.
It’s a tightly intertwined relationship that determines your mutual growth. So be able to give great feedback as well as take it. Set aside your biases and understand the writer’s vision. Avoid editing on autopilot and consider how to highlight their unique style and voice.
It’ll take time to improve your skills. The advice above may seem basic but it’ll assist you in the long run. Having a strong foundation will lead you to better projects. Who knows? You might even work on a future bestseller!
What other tips do you have for becoming a better editor? Share your thoughts below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- Types of Editing: Knowing What You Need When
- Developmental Editing: What to Look For and How to Find the Right Editor
- Proofreading Your Book Post-Layout: How Editing After the Edit Can Save Your Story
- 7 Common Editing Mistakes and How To Fix Them
Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
