Editor for Life: Laura Edlund, Self-Employed Professional Editor, Writer, and Plain Language Consultant

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.

Thanks for the questions. I work with clients from around the world, and I live and work in East Toronto. In my work as an editor and writer, I now focus on stories, education, and plain language. I work with publishers, professionals, institutes, governments, non-governmental organizations, and other clients. The projects range from publications that are text only to combinations of text, photos, reproduced art, and commissioned art, and from tightly crafted works by solo writers to complex publications for diverse readerships and with big author and editorial teams. 

I’ve been editing since 1985, and I tend to specialize in structural and stylistic editing. While I often work remotely and the work may appear solo, I consider each publication a team effort. I’m thankful that I was trained by outstanding professionals and have worked on staff and freelance, on great teams, and with a lot of mutual respect for what each person and role brings to the project. 

These days, I work a lot with plain language and clear communications. I use the international standard for plain language that was recently released (ISO 24495-1), I take online courses with Simon Fraser University, and I am on a federal government committee for accessibility and plain language standards. 

Who: If you could edit one famous author, living or dead, who would it be? 

“Anonymous.” Okay, there are many works with “anonymous” as the byline so that could be many authors, but I’d like to know more about them, know why they could not or would not be named, and help their unique voices be heard. 

What: What is the one thing that has helped you the most in your career as an editor? 

My first reaction is my glasses! I’d be lost without them. However, it’s hard to choose one thing. All of these come to mind: my glasses, checklists, style sheets, curiosity, sympathy or empathy for the intended audience, feedback from readers, the readiness of writers and subject experts to help me learn about their expertise and let me bring my expertise to their projects, clients and colleagues who are keen to do the best for the audience and project given the mandated scope, the phrase “it depends,” my public library card, an embarrassing number of bookshelves at home, a willingness to check everything, a willingness to sit still for long periods of time, trips to the eye doctor, training in critical thinking, my training at Centennial College and in-house to look at “the forest and the trees,” my University of Toronto degree, and courses in Old English and Shakespeare, which I use as a reminder that English changes over time. 

Where: If you could work anywhere in the world as an editor, where would that be? 

In the Pantheon in Rome, which was built around 126 CE, by (or under the direction of) Emperor Hadrian. The building is stunning and there is an oculus, an open “eye” in the roof, so that the sun and rain can come in. Also, I could listen to so many languages there, which is a reminder to me to think beyond English in Canada now. 

When: Was there ever a time in your life when you seriously questioned your career choice? 

Yes, it could have been when I was proofreading a book about hell or editing books about assessment standards, but really it was when I was working with an author who was writing about how to overcome writer’s block. The writer actually had writer’s block and explained missed deadlines with fantastic, unrepeatable stories of dogs, raccoons, and streetcars. 

Why: Why did you choose to become an editor? Or, should we ask: Why did editing choose you? 

Oh, I chose editing! I loved reading, writing, English class, history, maps, travel, and geography. The last led to a special immersion geography class in high school. I poked around the city, interviewed people near and far, mapped an island, and wrote up everything I learned—which was fun and led me to want to write for a living. Add work in a library, a bookstore, and a hospital, and a degree with an English literature major. At a key moment in my life, I saw a poster for the Banff Publishing Workshop held each summer for a week or so and a poster for the two-year Centennial College Book Editing and Design program. The Book Editing and Design program felt like a good fit and I enrolled, which led to my first three in-house jobs and decades of rewarding work. 

And, of course, we just had to ask the inevitable how: How would you sum up your motto? 

Keep learning, listening, checking, and growing. And look after your glasses! 

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Keith Goddard is a freelance editor based in Toronto.

This article was copy edited by Jane Hodgkinson.