S. Wilkins
If you have contacted an editor or if you are thinking about contacting an editor, you are, most likely, rooted in your identity as a professional or professional in the making. You know methodology. You know the theoretical underpinnings of your field. You know the norms of your field. Essentially, you know that the findings that you are reporting are evidence of thorough work. Editors can help subject matter experts like you to polish your words to increase the chances that journal editors and your community of peers know about your work as well. Whom can you trust to assist you in this part of your career journey? A good editing partner will have the following qualities:
- Transparency
When you work with a freelance editor, be sure to have a signed agreement before you begin. In this agreement, the editor should state what will be done to your document so that you will know what to expect. Will the editor simply check spelling and punctuation, or will the editor change sentence structure and paragraph structure when doing so will enhance clarity? The document that you receive from the editor will not be a pristine, finished product that you can send to your target journal. Sometimes, the editor might note that a detail seems to be missing. In other instances, the editor will ask what is meant by a certain phrase, offering choices for rephrasing when possible. The editor will correct all he or she can in accordance with standards of the English language and the style guide that you request to be used. However, because some nuances of the text reside only with you as the subject expert and author of the text, the editor will query you about some of the necessary details that are beyond the editor’s knowledge. A good editor isn’t afraid to admit that he or she doesn’t know it all.
- Respect for your deadlines
Editors know that authors often come to them when they are faced with deadlines. You will have the best experience if you talk to an editor ahead of your known deadline to get a sense for how much time it will take to edit your document. In this way, you can build in the time it will take to have your document edited and for you to incorporate changes that you need to make. Also, each editor has his or her own pace of working, so don’t assume your delivery timetable on the basis of your experience with another editor. When you make your first contact with a new editor, discuss the number of words you have and the editor’s work pace. An editor is able to gauge the timetable best after looking at a sample of your writing. The first page or so indicates the writer’s writing style and may indicate the writer’s habits of organization. By looking at the sample, the editor can generally determine how long the job will take.
- A desire for your success
Most editors choose the field of editing because we want to use our knowledge of language to help people. The nature of the work requires that editors point out the features that are in error or those that are not as clear as they could be. However, our ultimate goal is to help the author as much as possible to have his or her document published. We know that the document that you submit for editing represents a vast investment of your time, training, and passion. We honor your trust by expressing our suggestions in a tactful way.
A good editor can be an essential part of your professional progress. In your next editor, look for the qualities noted here.