by Stephanie Edwards
As editors, we’re responsible for reviewing and updating content for various communication materials, including speeches, articles, scripts, blogs, books, social media posts, and videos. In most cases, the work we edit is not our own, so we must collaborate with the creator to understand the meaning or message they’d like to convey in their work.
The editing process involves elements of communication, essential to the natural flow of communication between individuals. Be it face-to-face or electronic, the channel used to communicate, the content or message along with its feedback, and the language or psychological barriers may all hinder or promote communication.
Each element can be looked at in reference to the editing process to highlight the relationship between the creator and the editor. We will focus on these five elements: the sender, channel, receiver, noise, and feedback.
We, the editor (the receiver), receive content materials through a particular channel. We then have to decode or interpret the encoded content to understand what the sender is communicating. We have to sift through the noise to clarify the creator’s meaning or intent when unclear and obtain feedback. Let’s delve deeper into the five elements and how they relate to the editing process.
The Sender
The client or employer has formulated their ideas and created content, a process known as encoding. They are now ready to forward the content to the editor for polishing, making them the sender. They have spoken or written expectations that may include bringing characters to life; ensuring content has no grammatical, syntactical, or spelling errors; and completing the work within the noted timeline.
Our thoughts and ideas as editors may differ from those of our clients or employers. Hence, the need for a style guide from the sender. A style guide is a document that details the rules or guidelines for the expected content. It narrows the gap and highlights any obscurities between what a client wants versus what the editor thinks the client wants.
The client or employer’s unspoken or unwritten expectations are addressed in our experience and skills as editors. They are things that are not explicitly laid out in the style guide. These expectations could be the following: making the work look professional; making the work (or author) stand out; and helping the author achieve their goals and sell their content or product.
The Channel
The channel or medium is the technology the sender uses to store and send their content material. This is important because, as editors, we understand that the world of technology is vast. Our clients or employers may use different channels to send their content. For editors, channels or the like are noted as Google Docs, Adobe Suite, Microsoft Office documents, Slack, email, video editing software, postal mail, zip files, Dropbox, etc. We must familiarize ourselves with various technologies and how our clients or employers use them to communicate.
Other channels, such as face-to-face, may provide more fluid communication as the sender and receiver can understand their needs in real time. It also includes non-verbal cues and body language, which help to convey a message.
The Receiver
The editor is the receiver who works to decode and interpret the content. We consider the context, message, target audience, and desired outcome. Our job is to uncover the purpose of the content. Using the style guide and our expertise, we ensure the content is conveyed effectively for the person who reads it. We work with the sender to clarify phrases, language, words, or scenes that may be misunderstood or don’t fit the overall context. As the receiving editor, we are tasked with promoting the meaning of the content. It can be helpful to remain open and avoid judgment.
Noise
Noise refers to factors that impede communication between the sender and receiver. These can be linguistic, psychological, or channel noise.
For example, if you’ve ever played the game Broken Telephone, you understand that sometimes a message or the meaning of a message can get lost in translation. The linked video shows an example of the game. The language is informal between two friends. Psychological factors, such as the effects of the desire to end a relationship or how the sender and receiver feel about each other, affected the message and how it became distorted as it moved through the various receivers. The channel, although not physically broken, is the telephone. A provider network outage is an illustration of channel noise.
Other types of noise can be the result of the following variables: physical (body language and facial expressions), culture, experience, education, environment, etc. Formal contracts and style guides can protect the editor-client relationship against noise.
The difference between the game and the editing process is that there are generally fewer people involved, and we can and will go back to the original sender to clarify misunderstandings or misinterpretations. Although verbal communication can get lost in the shuffle, written expression can also be misunderstood.
Feedback
Feedback is the response received for the work from the sender or receiver. It lists areas that need improvement or kudos for a job well done. This includes suggestions, comments, emojis, gratitude, or a show of appreciation. Feedback may also be solicited through surveys, polls, or by request.
Conclusion
Communication is never a perfect process. No matter how much detail is applied in the encoding and decoding, there can be ambiguities and misrepresentations. The way to resolve them is through open communication between the sender and receiver.
As receiving editors, we are entrusted to navigate the sender through the trouble spots of probable noise, things they may have missed, or things that would wave red flags in the mind of a sensitivity reader. The ultimate goal is to produce clear and engaging content for the ultimate receiver(s)—the target audience. No two editors will edit the same; however, the final content copy should be polished and error-free.
Stephanie Edwards specializes in content creation and design. When she is not working or working out, she is somewhere singing. She enjoys reading, writing, and hanging out with her loved ones.
This article was copy edited by Emily Faubert (she/they), a writer, editor, and graduate student studying social justice at Lakehead University.
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