5 Myths About Editing and Editors
There are a lot of misconceptions out there about what the editing process looks like, what editors do, and the profession of editing in general.
In fact, if you Google the word editor, the first page of results is all about photo editors. Only the dictionary.com result says “the supervisor or manager of a department of a newspaper, magazine, etc. or a person who edits, or selects and revises, material for publication.”
Unfortunately, that definition really isn’t accurate either.
An editor can wear many hats and provide different types of support depending on the writer’s specific needs. This can make identifying what type of editing you need and finding the perfect editor for your project confusing! However, most of the common myths about editing are a result of not understanding the editing process or what the role of the editor should be.
To make things easy for you, I created a list of 5 of the most common myths I hear about editors and editing. Keep reading to get a better understanding of what exactly you can expect from an editor, what editing is in general, and what the editor-writer relationship looks like.
Myth #1: All editing is the same.
This is like saying if you broke your leg, your cardiologist would be able to set the bone correctly and put your leg in a cast. Technically yes, your cardiologist is a doctor, but odds are they haven’t looked at a broken leg since med school. Just like there are different types of doctors, there are different types of editing and each type is designed to help your writing in a different way.
When you think of editing, you’re probably thinking of proofreading. Making sure all your t’s are crossed and your i’s are dotted and there aren’t any glaring typos or missing punctuation. For most people, this means running a spell check on their document one last time before they consider it ready to go.
What you might not know is that there are actually 3 major phases of editing and several editing sub-types. (Even in the writing and editing community, the number of major phases of editing varies depending on who you talk to.) Usually, these different types of editing happen in stages and often, a writer will go through multiple rounds of revisions before moving to the next stage of the editing process.
Here is a summary of the 3 main phases of editing:
Developmental editing:
Also called content or substantive editing, developmental editing is when an editor provides “big picture” feedback. This feedback should be pretty detailed and cover everything from idea refinement to major plot holes and character development or inconsistencies. A developmental edit makes sure your writing has answered all major questions your reader may have and a strong argument and structure before you begin the copyediting and proofreading process.
Copyediting:
Sometimes called line editing, copyediting is the meat and potatoes of the work necessary to take your writing to a more professional level. Copyediting improves clarity, consistency, and cohesiveness by addressing any spelling or grammar errors, checking for proper word usage and repetition, ensuring proper tense and point of view, assessing flow, and reviewing all other mechanics of the writing. A copyeditor will look at your writing line by line to make sure your writing is as strong as possible.
Proofreading:
Typically the last stage of the editing process, proofreading is done to check for any lingering spelling or grammar mistakes before you send, publish, or share your writing. Proofreading is one last meticulous check to make sure there aren't any typos, the layout is correct, there aren't any awkward formatting issues, and all references, links, and captions are correct.
If you want to learn more about each of the different types of editing and when you need them in your writing process, check out this post [link to x types of editing and why you need them].
Myth #2: Editors aren’t needed in the digital age.
This one always makes me giggle.
Now that everyone knows what the squiggly red lines mean, your Google Doc makes grammar suggestions, and there are relatively cheap editing programs that will scan your document for mistakes, some writers feel these tools can adequately replace the need for a (human) professional editor.
While these tools are great for assisting in the self-editing process, there are many things a professional editor will help you with that are beyond the capabilities of any software. Here are just a few of the things your editor will look for in addition to the standard spelling and grammar checks:
Inconsistencies (Meghan/Megan/Meagan or a brunette being called a blonde further down the page)
Confusing sentence structure
Sensitivity reading for conscious language (checking for stereotypes or biased language)
Developmental issues (flow, plot development, themes, overarching structure)
Confusables (passed/past, accept/except, affect/effect, rain/rein/reign)
Check proper nouns (or verify words you are using as a proper noun that your computer doesn’t know are supposed to be proper nouns)
Overuse of words or expressions (uplevel, boss babe, conversion copywriter)
Punctuation overuse (!!!!!! or ……)
Most importantly, editors are not obsolete because of the value of the writer-editor relationship.
Your computer will change things without asking, it won’t read your entire document and offer suggestions to elevate the quality of the writing, and it won’t tell you why it is recommending any of the changes it wants to make.
Good editors do everything an editing tool or software can do and they will keep your voice, vision, and context of the story in mind when recommending changes.
That’s right, your editor should talk with you through every stage of the editing process and if you have a question, we’re always happy to get you an answer or meet for coffee to talk!
Myth #3: Editors have all the power in the editing process.
Sharing your writing with an editor can feel extremely vulnerable. You don’t want to feel judged. You don’t want someone to change your message. You are afraid to get your writing back covered in red editing marks.
Sadly, it is all to easy to find horror stories shared by writers and entrepreneurs about editors who did all of those things to them and their writing.
Usually this happens when the person they worked with, isn’t really an editor (or not a good one). As a result, some writers don’t want to share their work with an editor because they have given blood, sweat, and tears to their project and they are afraid to lose control or be criticized.
A good editor will take the time to understand your vision, goals, and audience to make sure your writing is the best it can be without removing your voice or ideas. While we may make suggestions to improve flow, consistency, and clarity, we operate under the oath to “first, do no harm” and will never destroy or lower the quality of your writing.
The writer-editor relationship should be just that: a relationship.
Your editor should communicate with you about why they have recommended certain changes and give you some feedback on your writing as a whole. If you have questions about a recommendation or a change, ask!
A good editor should always be able to give you a reason for why they made a change or suggestion. And don't forget, you have the final say when it comes to the changes made to your writing.
While the removal of typos and glaring grammatical errors are probably a welcome change, a good editor will always respect your wishes even if they don’t agree with you. Hopefully you have a great relationship with your editor and you trust them to help you succeed so you should probably take their advice!
Myth #4: Good writers don't need an editor.
Good writers have editors.
Successful entrepreneurs and content creators have editors.
Multi-best selling authors have editors.
Even editors who write have editors.
Often the best writers are those that are immersed in their writing. This means the first (or second) draft is probably full of great ideas and golden nuggets of wisdom but it also means you’re too close to the writing to be objective about what’s on the page.
It’s just like how you can read this: yuor sotry is gerat but yuor wirtnig is a mses.
Your brain fills in the gaps between what it expects to see and what is actually on the page.
Additionally, editors can help you assess the bigger picture of your writing. Because you spend hours planning, researching, and outlining, your knowledge base is probably more extensive than your average reader - an editor can help you identify and address any assumptions you may have made about your audience.
You also don't know what you don't know.
The rules of writing are changing all the time and unless you are keeping up on the latest trends you might not be working with the most recent set of rules. (FYI, the double space after a period is officially a no-no.)
What's more, different rules for writing and editing apply depending on the format of the words being published (email, newsletter, ebook, print manuscript) and who your audience is.
Myth #5: Anyone can edit my writing.
This is similar to the misconception that editing should be cheap. After all, your Google Doc comes with spell check.
As with anything, you get what you pay for.
There is no doubt, the more eyes that take a look at your writing, the better. However, having your spouse, grandma, bestie, or neighbor with an English degree read over your writing isn’t going to cut it.
While they all love you and might give you some wonderful support, if you’re serious about creating outstanding written content, you need to work with an actual editor.
Editing is a skill. Not every editor has a degree in English, but all of them will have some level of professional experience or training that has equipped them with the tools to look at your writing critically.
The best editors aren’t just looking for typos. They’re checking for inconsistencies, overarching themes and cohesiveness, underdeveloped ideas, unclear arguments, and will provide you with feedback for how to make your work better.
Want to know the truth?
A great editor will be your biggest cheerleader.
She cares - a lot - about the writers she works with and wants nothing more than to see you succeed. Even though sometimes she may tell you things about your writing that you don't want to hear, your editor will be there to encourage you, teach you, believe in you, and root for your success!
I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have heard in the past about editing and you have a better understanding of what the writer-editor relationship looks like. Not all of us are out here with our red pens and pitchforks waiting to tear apart your writing - we mostly just sip our tea and kindly point out the areas that need a little more love.
