Editing: what’s the point?

Everyone now recognizes that the Internet is a revolutionary form of communication, on par with the printing press over 500 years ago. In the grand scheme of things, we are still in the early days of this technology, and it shows in much of the content one finds online. Some web content is, of course, very good. Much of it, though, can be choppy, confusing, and a little sloppy.

That is partly to be expected; not all web content needs to be perfect. But content that is directed towards the general public, such as news, corporate sites, and most blogs, should show a fair amount of professionalism.

Organizations that put content on the web are gradually becoming sensitive to what has long been taken for granted in the world of print: that any content that will be read by others can benefit from professional editing.

But what exactly is editing? What good does it do? Some writers see editors as meddlesome—coming in and distorting the writer’s view—or nitpicky—fixing every last dot until the text is washed of all personality. No good editor, of course, will do this.

Editing essentially serves two main functions:

First, it provides an objective eye that can catch weak points before the public does. The writer is usually so close to the content that (s)he fails to see some obvious, and some not-so-obvious, mistakes. These may include gaps in logic, fuzzy thinking, even missing letters. The good editor will provide that critical perspective, essentially standing in for the audience and pointing out things that the writer has missed.

Secondly, editing provides professional input into the art of writing. We all have our own way of speaking and our own style of communication. A good editor keeps the unique tone of your voice while making the rest of the content conform to conventional style so that the average reader is able to understand exactly what you’re saying. This includes correcting grammar, standardizing spelling, rearranging sentences, eliminating jargon, and so on.

Seeking out an editor is not an admission of failure as a writer. The best writers need editing. With a good editor by your side, good writing is turned into clear, sharp, and persuasive text.