Working with an Editor

     Every time I receive my work back from my editor, Cecilia Stephens, I marvel at how well she always manages to polish it to perfection. When she’s done performing her magic on my fiction, promotional articles related to my fiction, or how-to articles, I always ask myself “Did I write that?” And magic it is. We always think of editors as people who catch our mistakes. But they are responsible for way more than that. They possess the power of perception and the knack for turning something ordinary into something extraordinary. Fiction should consist of a mixture of five different styles of writing: dialogue, description, thought, action, and narrative. As to dialogue—the stuff in quotes that people say to each other—it should not read like an instructional sentence, but should reflect what people actually say to each other when conversing.
     First-time writers often omit descriptions. Such descriptions help the readers envision what the characters look like, how they are doing what it is they are doing, and to see who and what’s all there. In other words, describing the complete setting is extremely important. Thought or clarity of who is speaking, i.e., first-person, third-person, information or narrative, the point-of-view character(s) is/are thinking, is of paramount importance. Then, in relation to thought, there’s the action, the things happening, and the narrative, which is basically information. But writers usually don’t concern themselves with all these things while writing; they are only interested in telling their tales, finding the rules of writing distracting to doing just that.
     We count on our editors, the experts of writing, to turn our carefree-styled, humdrum tales into marketable Cinderella stories, articles, books, etc. And that makes me wonder: what all does editing entail? What skills should editors and copy editors possess today? What credentials qualify editors as certified in their given profession(s)? I researched these questions and learned the following.

What all does editing entail?
     Editing comprises many components including line editing (correcting minor errors), technical continuity, style and critique, publication submission formatting, and much more, all while maintaining your personal voice.

-Line Editing includes grammar, syntax, punctuation, subject-verb tense agreement, parallelisms, spelling, and phraseology.
-Technical Continuity includes chronology, character attributes and plot continuity (fiction). It also includes illustration/figure/table reference/placement for non-fiction.
-Style & Critique includes plot/thematic analysis (improving immediacy, tension, suspense), story line or story flow, character assessment and development, overall tone and style for fiction and content, structure and thematic analysis for nonfiction, improving setting and background blend into story action for fiction, rephrasing for nonsexist and nonlibelous language, and emotional connection for the readers.
-Publication Submission Formatting includes proper line indenting, double-spacing, proper font, paragraph spacing, chapter/sub-heading, scene spacing, pagination, page set-up (margins, etc.), and author/title page header.

What skills should editors and copy editors possess today?
     I learned that editors should have a broad understanding of their own disciplines, be fluent in English, have easy access to electronic communications (e-mail), and should be conversant with the World Wide Web and eager to explore its potential for rapid dissemination of information to the writers’ works they edit. At the basic level, copy editors need up-to-date reference books, Internet access, and improved electronic library systems.

What credentials must editors have?
     The credentials of editors significantly vary depending upon profession or industry. Those listed below have Bachelor’s or Master’s degrees or Ph.D.s:

-Academic Editors edit Anthropology, Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Engineering, English texts...
-Book and Copy Editors edit Adventure, Biography, Drama, History, Horror/Suspense books...
-Business Editors provide editing to accounting, banking, business law, consulting, customer service departments...
-Admissions Editors edit for business schools, graduate schools, law schools, and medical schools...
-Style Editors edit in AMA Style, APA Style, CBE Style, Chicago Style, MLA Style...
-Web Content Editors are experts of the arts, E-commerce, health, news, recreation, reference, science...
-Resume Editors edit resumes and cover letters...
-Article Editors edit journal articles, magazine articles, newspaper articles...
-Ghostwriting Editors totally rewrite or polish your draft manuscripts to accomplish the flow that makes it sing to the readers, which includes pulling your information together, shaping your ideas, and any conceptual or creative contribution. They do everything writers do; research, interview, compose and compile, etc.
-Technical Editors provide information technology solutions, produce effective documentation in both hard copy and online formats, and strive for well-organized and clearly written text in many different languages, supported by meaningful graphics.

     In conclusion, editors are invaluable to the field of writing. They are the doctors or Gods of storytelling. I found working with my editor, Cecilia, a most pleasant experience. She always responded in a timely manner with my fiction, A Conspiracy to Ponder, due to be released by American Book Publishing Company this fall. Visit my website at http://www.aconspiracytoponder.com to order a copy of my book and judge for yourself.


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