Look out for the following traps when you are Editing...

As an editor, it is good to revisit your own skills and behaviours regularly. You may be new to editing or you may have been editing for some time, but it can be easy to fall into the trap of becoming a dysfunctional editor. It is important to keep considering the following:

Recognise that some things are a matter of opinion - they can also be a consequence of where you were educated, how you were educated, your upbringing, your personality, and so on. When editing any book, the ultimate authority is the publisher, so it is essential to follow the requirements of the publisher. For example, if you strongly disagree with children playing computer games but are asked to edit a book that discusses how children can be educated through the use of computer games, this could potentially cause problems. You may think about the book in a negative light. You may hone in on a lot of mistakes and find yourself criticising the content, and so on. This is your opinion. If you want to write a book that conveys the message that computer games are bad for children then that is your right, but in this situation you are being asked to edit the work of another person. It is essential that you try to do your work without bias. If you find yourself asked to edit a piece of work which you totally disagree with then you would be as well to highlight your problems to the employer, or request an alternative task.

Being rigid with styling can have negative consequences. A publisher wants you to check that the styling is right for the document, but that does not mean you should change a document, its flow or organisation to fit in with styling.

Don’t be too pedantic. As stated earlier, it is important to work with a detailed eye and be clear and particular, but sometimes pedantry can be counterproductive.

Most of all, you are working for your boss – the publisher – not for yourself, so you do need to follow the rules, regulations and requirements of the publisher.

You must find balance here. You must be a good, highly observant and detailed editor, but you do not want to be overly fussy, picky and pedantic. It is a balance that you should always be aware of. If you find problems that you are not sure of, ask yourself whether that is your decision to make – the publisher has the ultimate authority.

Learn more about editing with our ebook- How to be a Successful Editor