by Matt Skaggs

Created on: October 20, 2010

Like it or not, fair or not, people will judge you and anyone you represent based on your mistakes. If you misspell a word, that hurts credibility. If you misuse a phrase, that hurts credibility. Readers can be unforgiving, and they will not respect writing with errors strewn throughout. Some will reject it out of hand. Writers should have the chance to be judged on content, not their understanding of grammar. A good editor is crucial to good writing.

An editor focuses on two areas: technical correctness and clarity. For the former, editors ensure that spelling, syntax, and morphology are correct. For the latter, an editor makes sure that the average reader will understand each part of a document naturally in the first read-through. You want readers to understand your writing naturally and fully; an editor helps you get there.

For correctness, a fresh pair of eyes is invaluable. All writers make mistakes in their own words that they would otherwise see right away: their minds know what's coming and what phrasing to expect. These small issues sometimes damage readability and frequently damage credibility. Editors spot these issues and correct them or draw the author's attention to them for correction. For your readers, this means readable, enjoyable copy, allowing them to understand and judge what you say and not how you say it.

Authors perfectly understand their own clarity in word choice and transitions, but that doesn't mean readers will follow. Editors work to make sure readers understand what the author is already saying; they do not mark problems in logical flow or ineffective arguments. Without good editing, you might just lose a reader who needs to review a sentence or paragraph due to poor clarity. When an editor works through a document, they identify potentially unclear points and boost the article's effectiveness. The weaker portions of your writing become clear to your audience as well as clear to you.

If you're looking for an editor, you want one that has good experience and a firm understanding not only of English grammar but also of good writing in general. Sadly, some editors try to rule over writing with an iron fist, reworking a document to the point that it loses the writer's unique style. If you've had a poor experience with an editor, he or she probably misunderstood the balance of flexible grammar rules and strong writing. Find one that knows good writing as well as proper English, and you will get that boost you want for effective, clear, and correct words.

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