Roles of the Editor

Editors are masters of organization and detail.

Editors.ca

While reading a lot of periodicals and books, I’ve always wondered about the magical role of editors, professionals whose names were present at every printed medium I’ve looked at. And at last the magic of our course “Editing for Writers” revealed this secret.

Editors appear to be one of the most significant links between readers and writers in creating a piece of work. I see an editor as someone who performs all the work behind the scenes, helping the author to shine on stage with the work assessed, clarified and polished by a true supporter. An editor can be a writer’s impartial “confidant” who is the first to see the manuscript and give constructive criticism. An editor may occupy a role of an interlocutor between a reader and a writer, who understands both of the parties and can connect them in the most efficient way.

The job of an editor is multifaceted. They oversee the whole project: its management, overall direction and the improvements needed to be made. They can specialize in some subject areas such as law, medicine and economics or genres including advertising, fiction, websites.

Taking as an example the career path of our guest speaker Shannon Whibbs, it is clear that at the bottom of the ladder lies proofreading, which finishes the whole cycle of editing with final checking of the publication.

Then comes an assistant editor who checks grammar, the accuracy of quotes and facts, places heds and deks.

The next level occupies a senior editor, whose tasks include rewriting of the original manuscript by inserting new pieces based on the information provided by the author; stylistic editing, which excludes jargon, makes text concise and the language polished; and structural and substantive editing, which may include reorganizing the manuscript to improve its content and structure.

I believe the top of the editor career ladder includes the position of developmental editing manager, which I found in one of the job sites. The required skills include solid editing as well as project management, budgeting and strong communication skills, supervisory experience. Knowledge of production, distribution and marketing are also essential.

As far as I can see, no matter what type of editing you are doing and what kind of position you obtain, there are certain characteristics that are essential for this field. An eye for detail, an ear for language and excellent grammar skills are the must-haves of a good editor. Critical thinking and common sense contribute to the productivity and excellence of the performed work. Without doubt, collaboration and strong communication skills are vital at any step of interaction with the writer and a team.

Having looked at the multiple job ads in editing, I found out that this profession is in demand, especially rich in part-time and freelance options. So there is always a chance to supplement your income with such an indispensable and required position.