Ever wondered what things a professional editor looks for when he/she sits down to edit?
I know I do. I want to be able to know what to look for in my writing and turn a sharp editorial eye on the things I put together.
That’s why I recently reached out to Jess Huckins, a professional editor and writer of 12+ years who has produced content for massive companies like Workhuman, Microsoft, and Tom Brady’s TB12—among others.
Everyone approaches editing a little bit differently, but here are a few common things she always keeps an eye out for.
Let’s take a look at what they are.
1. Editors often expect writers to not accept a lot of the changes they mark within a document.
“We’re not grading a test; we’re flagging inconsistencies and potential errors to make sure they’re intentional. If you’re cool with 85-90% of my edits, I’m ecstatic,” she said.
2. If you self-edit, learn the ins and outs of a style guide such as AP or CMOS.
You’ll write more efficiently when you don’t stop to think about Oxford commas or whether that compound word should be hyphenated or fused.
3. Use only one space after a period or other punctuation.
“Two spaces are as dead as the printing presses on which they originated,” she said.
4. Put in the extra thought to avoid jargon and clichés. It’ll make your work more precise.
5. A “from” needs a “to.” No exceptions, not even when writing the time of an event.
6. “Since” and “due to” are not great synonyms for “because” or “because of.”
Colloquially, sure—but not in professional writing.
7. Refer to a government, a company, or a partnership as “it” and use a singular verb.
(The singular “they” is awesome, but it applies to people.)
8. Most words—including job titles, department names, and specialized technology—don’t need to be capitalized.
“A lot of capitalization orbiting out there on the web is meaningless unless you’re entering a password. There, I said it.”
9. Using simple language isn’t for the sake of your audience’s intellect; it’s about respecting their time.
10. Contrary to what the Bachelor franchise would have us believe, “I’s” is not a word.
To show compound possession, use “my”: “Britney’s and my first date.” If that feels awkward, swap in “our.”
11. Items in a list should share the same grammatical form.
This is called parallel structure, and it’s jarring when people get it wrong.
12. Em-dashes and en-dashes got their names because they’re, respectively, the same length as “m” and “n.”
Don’t use either one when you should use a hyphen, and vice versa.
13. Accuracy is currency.
Be credible with your sources or risk breaking the reader’s trust.
14. Grammar is more subjective than you might think.
Good editors understand nuance.
15. No one will read your work as closely as your copy editor.
(Well, except maybe your mom.) Relax and enjoy the attention!
Hope these tips are as helpful to you as they were for me!
And remember: Don't take edits personally.
When you work with an editor the goal is to produce the best possible piece. You're on the same team; not opponents.
