Some Comments About Editing

What is an editor? 

Let's do a little research. After all, part of editing is doing research and making sure you've got your facts right by going to a recognized and reputable source. With that in mind, let's go to the industry-recognized standard, Merriam-Webster. Here's what I found at Merriam-Webster.com:

editor

noun

ed·​i·​tor ˈe-də-tər 

Synonyms of editor

1

: someone who edits especially as an occupation

2

: a device used in editing motion-picture film or magnetic tape

3

: a computer program that permits the user to create or modify data (such as text or graphics) especially on a display screen

 <insert eye roll here> Dude. Seriously? An edit is someone who edits? 

Well, that's a fail.

Let's try this:

edit

verb

ed·​it

ed-ət

d-ət

1

a

: to correct, revise, and prepare for publication

edit a book of poems

b

: to assemble (as a film or tape recording) by cutting and rearranging

2

: to direct the publication of

edit a daily newspaper

 

Good Lord. This is also a fail, because the formatting of the definition of "editor" and "edit" is different even though I used the same source. C'mon, Merriam Webster. Get your act together!

 

Still, these two definitions (and their formatting issues) are a good illustration of what an editor does (or should do).

 

Whether or not they defines the word/words well is another matter altogether. 

 

Perhaps I should attempt to define it for myself (and for you) as I understand the word: In general, an editor is a person (and sometimes a program) that analyzes words as they appear, especially in print, and looks for problems to be corrected in style, voice, formatting, use, and understanding for the reader.

 

There are different kinds of editing tasks to be performed by editors; some special in one function or another, and some editors perform all tasks but charge different rates based on the tasks performed (as some tasks are more labor-intensive than others). For more information about each task and how much I charge to perform it for you, please see my page in the sidebar, or just click here.

Also, see:

nitpick

verb

nit·​pick ˈnit-ˌpik 

nitpicked; nitpicking; nitpicks

Synonyms of nitpick

intransitive verb

: to engage in nit-picking

transitive verb

: to criticize by nit-picking

nitpick noun

nitpicker noun

nitpicky

ˈnit-ˌpi-kē 

adjective

Again. Seriously? To nitpick is: to be a nitpicker? Merriam-Webster needs an editor.

 

I'm available. 

 

I'd like to mention that an editor has the capacity to be a bit curmudgeonly if not kind of a know-it-all. Unfortunately for me, a curmudgeon is also defined as "a grumpy old man"; since I'm a woman (as far as I can tell in the context/meaning of the word, whether or not some people can actually define what a woman or a man is--these days, the language is fluid and too much so for a clear definition to be possible), I am not technically a curmudgeon. Funny thing, there is no actual replacement word for the female equivalent of a curmudgeon that I've been able to find--except possibly "battle axe". 😮 

 

I don't identify as an axe of any kind, especially as one which battles. Therefore, I will eschew this definition. 

 

Fortunately, there are some sources which argue that the word should not only be applied to men, and while perhaps that is true, it's also a form of bowdlerization (see: bowdlerization. See also. Thomas Bowdler). Be that as it may, I will defer and accept the mantle of curmudgeon whether or not it's technically correct.

 

Looking for things like this are also what an editor does--not only researching particular words and their meanings (and functions) but even their etymology, the birth and growth and development of words so they can be used correctly, and if necessary, with historical accuracy and yet in a way which is (hopefully) acceptable (or at least, understandable) for the modern day reader.

 

This skill is particularly helpful in my current role as an editor for Dragonblade Publishing, a company specializing in historical romances. 

If you're wondering: Besides historical romance, I have edited contemporary romance, paranormal romance, paranormal fiction, general fiction, mysteries, suspense, sci-fi, and fantasy as well as non-fiction including essays, articles, and books. I've been editing for over twenty-five years for self-publishing authors, a variety of publishers like Lyrical Press, Decadent Publishing, and other companies under a variety of pseudonyms (because--honestly--the potential misspellings for my actual name could send this female curmudgeon into a state of apoplexy). 

 

If you'd like more information, please reach out to me at: cynthiablackburned@gmail.com. You can also follow me at https://www.instagram.com/editorburns/.