Do you need an editor?

I have more than a decade of experience writing and editing in British as well as American English, and with many house styles and style manuals. I can help you develop, revise, and perfect your marketing and technical documents.

I also have extensive experience working with authors and writers still mastering English as a second (or third, or fourth!) language, and synthesizing the input of multiple stakeholders into a cohesive document.

FIRST! A note about editing: There are nearly as many definitions of different types of editing as there are editors (we can’t even agree on how to spell the types of editing we do!).

I’ll spare you the intricacies of editorial infighting, just know that the terms I use here mean different things to different people – and are often used interchangeably –  so, I’m happy to discuss your specific project with you, to make sure you get the edit you need.

Just let me know if you have any questions. 

What is Developmental Editing?

This is the big-picture work, primarily for large, complex documents, like manuals or books, or for a series of connected documents.

In fiction, developmental editing will address elements like plot, structure, flow, point of view, characterization, pace; in nonfiction, which is mostly where I work, the organization, structure, flow, format, and logic of the document or series are the target of the developmental edit.

Of all these types of editing, developmental editing is the most likely to start early in the writing process – or even before the writing process – and involves the most support to the writer or writing team.

Developmental editing includes

• Discussions with the author(s) and any other critical stakeholders to gather information and begin formulating our plan of action
• Review of relevant style guides, related documents, and other resources to determine format and style requirements
• Reading and reviews of the document(s), making notes on structure, tone, style, information flow, and areas of focus that we have agreed are to be addressed by the edit.
• Creation of a detailed write up, and/or queries in the document, detailing suggestions for improving the readability of the document(s)
• Discussion(s) and collaboration with the author(s) to best implement the editorial suggestions

What is Technical Editing?

Are you looking to ensure that your technical documents – reports, guides, policy briefs, manuals, SOPs, proposals, and the like – are clear, consistent, and easy for your readers to understand and use? Then let’s talk technical editing.

Technical editing ensures that complex and technical information is presented in a way that facilitates your reader’s ability to easily understand and apply it.

I work with technical teams to make sure that readers, who are not technical experts in your field, can get what they need out of your documents  reducing confusion, frustration, service calls, and even potential risks.

Technical editing includes

• • Reviewing the document from the perspective of your reader
  • Editing content as necessary to ensure clarity, logic, and consistency of all text (may include some rewriting)
  • Identifying gaps in content, and seeking additional input or providing notes about what is needed
  • Working with SMEs to clarify technical concepts and language and check accuracy of information presented
  • Working with SMEs, technical writers, designers, and others to ensure format and design elements assist the reader in understanding and using the document successfully
  • Suggesting changes to content and design, to increase usability and clarity
  • Rewriting and restructuring the text to improve clarity or flow
  • Ensuring consistent structure by adding or deleting headings

It can also include

• • Assisting you to plan the document or series of documents
  • Managing or coordinating parts of the documentation or review processes
  • Developing a style guide for the project
  • Other levels of edit
  • Suggesting helpful graphics, images, or other design features to augment the text.
  • Incorporating the author’s replies to queries (cleanup editing)

What is Content Editing?

Of the three types of editing I’ll describe here, content editing is the closest to what most folks think when they hear that word ‘edit’. 

Also known as substantive and line editing (among other things) Content Editing is about making sure that your completed document makes sense and makes the right impact on your readers. 

As your content editor, I’ll look at the organization, structure, logic, and language choices in your document, to make sure that it

• • Communicates clearly and effectively
  • Adheres to any relevant style manuals being used, and
  • Addresses any specific language concerns, such as gender or cultural bias, passive vs active voice, or use of technical jargon where it doesn’t belong

Content editing addresses many of the same elements as technical and developmental editing, but it is concerned with the complete document, rather than being part of the creation process, and it looks at the way all of the text comes together to communicate, rather than focusing on technical information and logic.

Content editing includes

• • Reviewing the document from the perspective of your reader
  • Reviewing relevant guidelines that the document must meet
  • Editing content as necessary to ensure clarity, logic, and consistency of all text (may include some rewriting)
  • Ensuring that images, tables, charts, and other graphic elements are correctly placed and provide clarification to the communication.
  • Removing unnecessary information and identifying gaps in the content
  • Suggesting changes to content and design, to increase usability and clarity
  • Rewriting and restructuring the text to improve clarity or flow

What isn’t generally included in my edits?

• Ensuring accuracy of technical information or calculations – this is done by the technical experts and/or the author, though I’ll seek clarifications and work with reviewers when I see an area of concern
• Copy editing  –  Yes, I can copy edit, and will invariably do some of that in any writing or edit, but you can find a much better option if a copy-editor is what you really need!
  
• Graphic design
• Translation – I am happy to work with you to ensure professional level English in your content, if English is not your native language, but I am not a qualified translator.

If you need and editor, or have any questions, let’s talk!