Interview conducted by Keith Goddard.
A career as an editor is often a solo adventure, especially if you’re a freelancer. So, we thought one way to better connect with fellow editors was to ask them the Five Ws: who, what, where, when, and why. Read on for some thought-provoking, enlightening tidbits from those of us who choose to work with words to earn our keep.
Please tell us a little about yourself, the kind of work you do (and where you live), and how long you’ve been an editor.
I’m originally from Rochester, New York, and now live in St. Louis, Missouri, having become a first-time homeowner (of a beautiful condo in a lovely, walkable urban neighbourhood) at 65, a few months after my beloved husband died. I’m a writer first, but I’ve been editing since college, when I typed and edited students’ papers and had work-study jobs that involved communications projects. Editing has become at least half of my communications business. My editing clients include magazines in gardening, glass art, wedding planning, statistics, computing machinery, and Porsche history; newsletters in the decorative arts and for my high school alumni association; a law firm, PR firm, youth leadership program, and university policy centre about retirement; books from associations and by independent fiction and non-fiction authors; and more. I keep pretty busy!
Who: If you could edit one famous author, living or dead, who would it be?
Shakespeare! It would be so much fun, because his works were/are so beautiful, and such a challenge, since language in his day wasn’t very standardized.
What: What is the one thing that has helped you the most in your career as an editor?
It’s a tie between sixth-grade English class, where my teacher instilled a strong foundation in grammar, usage, and punctuation (I was always good at spelling), and a high elective in critical reading and writing, where I learned the value of organizing/outlining and reading for elements beyond meaning and creativity—consistency, clarity, all the grammar elements. That training was so important to my career that I created a scholarship at my high school in memory of those two teachers.
Where: If you could work anywhere in the world as an editor, where would that be?
Right here! I love being where I am. Of course, I can do most of my work anywhere, so either Paris or Cape May, New Jersey, would be second choices. If it weren’t for my cat, I’d probably split my time between St. Louis, Paris, and Cape May.
When: Was there ever a time in your life when you seriously questioned your career choice?
I’ve had a few moments of financial iffyness over the years, but I’ve never wanted to be or do anything else. Even when I had to scramble for a new job or project, I never thought of changing careers. I would do this even if I weren’t paid for it. I don’t expect to ever really retire from editing and writing, even though I’ve started making glass and ceramic art lately.
Why: Why did you choose to become an editor? Or, should we ask: Why did editing choose you?
Editing chose me—I found myself being either the person with the best grammar, usage, spelling, punctuation, and style skills, or the person who cared the most about documents and publications being done right. Over time, that became more and more absorbing and interesting. I love making people’s work better. And my editing skills and insights led to a very flattering moment: when Rich Adin handed off his An American Editor blog to me, where I wrote about my love of editing (as well as many other aspects of the profession).
And I’ve even presented workshops and webinars about “The Basics of Editing and Proofreading” to share what I know and help colleagues reach a similar sense of achievement.
And, of course, we just had to ask the inevitable how: How would you sum up your motto?
My motto is “I can write about anything!”®, and I would add “and edit” to that. Versatility and variety have been the hallmarks of my career. The range of topics I’ve written about and edited amazes even me. I’ve written, edited, and proofread for Black, Jewish, gay, and women’s publications; written about how writers and editors can enhance diversity for their clients’ or employers’ publishing projects; and have had a lifelong commitment to including new and diverse voices in everything I work on. Doing this work as a freelancer has meant I’m never bored, and I’m constantly learning new things. It’s, um, a wonderful life.
Keith Goddard is a freelance editor based in Toronto.
This article was copy edited by Vilma Indra Vītols, a freelance editor and opera singer living in Toronto. She is a member of PLAIN (Plain Language Association International) and sings with the Canadian Opera Company chorus.
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