The mark of a good editor isn’t an understanding of grammar. It isn’t being a good speller. It isn’t even the ability to be able to look at something objectively and notice that if only it were worded this way or that way that everything would be much clearer. The central core ability that distinguishes the good editor from the schmuck who collects meaningless titles for personal gratification and possible resume stuffing is communication. An editor communicates. They build relationships with the writers and the projects that they accept. They invest themselves into those projects because they want to make them better. The very least that an editor should do is have the courtesy to respond to email from those that they are supposedly editing. If you can’t do that. If you can’t even talk with an author, you have no business changing a comma of their work. Drop the title.

The only way that language works is if we agree on the definitions for words. There is a reason that there is a different word for ‘proofreader’ and ‘editor’. They mean different (though similar) things. Proofreading is part of the role of an editor, the lesser part. Proofreaders check for spelling and grammar mistakes. They check tense usage. They take a big red pen and circle all instances of clashes or spelling mistakes. They point out run-on sentences and sentence fragments. And then they hand the work back to the author. They do not try to make judgements on whether a sentence fragment is being used as a literary device. That’s what editors do. Editors proofread first and then go through and ‘edit’. They make changes based on their experience with the written word. They go back and forth with the author getting clarifications on why and what and then offer opinions when those ‘whys’ aren’t answered and those ‘whats’ are unclear.

Based on their experience with the written word. You are not an editor if you can’t even be bothered to run a spellchecker. Heck, you’re not even a proofreader at that point. Drop the title.

Editors are not omniscient. They are not infallible. What they are is willing to offer their opinion in an attempt to be constructive. They are willing to be convinced that they are wrong.

Perhaps I expect too much from something that is essentially a hobby. Nobody is getting paid in fanfiction. There are those that are writing for the love of the characters. There are those that are writing to improve their craft in a medium that they enjoy. There are those that are trying to do both. It is the same for the editor. Editors also need to improve their craft. They do not spring full-grown like Athena out of the head of Zeus armed with a keen literary insight and the skill to use it. Editing is a skill like any other that gets better, more polished, with use.

It takes skill to be able to edit a piece without trying to remake it in your own image. Good editors respect the style of the author even when that style is alien to their way of writing. They find ways of working within the author’s vision to improve the product. Bad editors rewrite pieces into their own style.

As a writer, I look dubiously on being told that I have an editor and then a piece of writing is posted with no changes to it. If you have the attitude ‘it’s good enough’ then you are not an editor. Drop the title. As much as I would like to believe that my prose is perfect, I know that it isn’t. Even with a degree in English, I still get confused by ‘then’ and ‘than’ more often then (than?) not. Some writers love to work with editors. Some writers hate to work with editors. All writers NEED to work with editors.

If what you are doing is taking a piece and fitting it into HTML because the writer is unable (or too lazy *guilty look*) to pick up the skill then you are not an editor. Drop the title. Call yourself ‘HTML God’ or ‘Lord and Master of all you survey’ or something equally grandiose that tickles your fancy. The service that you are providing is appreciated beyond measure. But you’re not an editor. And by all means, at least have the courtesy to respond and say hello.

I reserve the right to prevaricate.

M.