By Ruth E. Thaler-Carter
Have you ever reflected on how you became an editor? I started thinking about that after seeing a recent Facebook post from Susannah Noel, president of the Editorial Arts Academy, in which she said, “It seems like everyone’s editing origin story is a little different. There are so many ways to get into the field, and each has its merits.” I found the topic especially relevant because I’m a writer, and so many people think, or assume, that you can’t do both writing and editing.
It’s true that there are many paths to becoming an editor, from formal training through certificates or certification programs to hands-on in-house experience (increasingly rare these days), to self-appointment (“I notice typos in what I read, so I would be a great editor”), and more. My editing origin story begins with sixth-grade English class: My teacher gave me a solid grounding in all aspects of English that has lasted me ever since (thank you, Miss Thomas).
Starting with writing
I didn’t plan to be an editor. I always wanted to be a writer, specifically a journalist. When I got turned down for the high school literary magazine, I contacted the local community weekly newspaper and got a gig to write a column about high school activities.
In high school, I took a class called “Critical Reading and Writing” with a teacher who has become legendary among alumni for her lasting impact on our ability to think and write clearly. She gave me confidence in both the content of my writing and the grammatical cleanliness of that work (thank you more than I can say, Miss Hart). I could have graduated after 11th grade, but I stayed for my senior year – to take AP English with her.
I started in college as a journalism major, but my first weeks in Journalism 101 were a revelation: I was bored. I already knew a lot about journalistic writing, and I was self-aware enough to realize that if I was bored, I wouldn’t do well in class. I stuck it out for the semester, writing editorials and opinion pieces for the school paper, and switched my major to comparative literature; something I knew I’d enjoy learning about, even if it didn’t offer a clear career path.
An editing evolution
In college, I made money by typing papers for students and found myself fixing grammar, punctuation, usage, transition and other issues as I went along – but I didn’t realize that I was doing copy editing, or at least proofreading; it was just a natural reaction to seeing errors that I had learned about in those early experiences.
It was in my college work-study jobs and post-college in-house jobs that I recognized my editing side: I was often the only person who noticed – or seemed to care – about typos and clunky transitions or phrasing. Eventually, I realized that I was as good at editing and proofreading as at writing, and I’ve combined them ever since in my freelance business. Editing feels as much like a calling as writing does.
Editing has been an education in itself. I’ve edited and proofed projects in a variety of fields and topics, from kiteflying (really!) to the arts, collecting, education, communications, business, Porsche history, machine computing, freelancing, health and medicine, retirement planning, the metric system, waterfronts . . . My writing, editing and proofreading work are all fascinating opportunities to learn about new topics.
It seems almost ironic to have an editing career without formal training. My editor identity originated with those past classes and is based on hands-on experience and learning from colleagues (especially people on the print shop side), rather than formal training – I’ve never taken an official editing class or earned any certificates or certifications for editing/proofreading. That isn’t anything I’m proud of as such, and I always encourage aspiring editors to get formal training or experience, but I am proud of my editing skills.
The problem for today’s aspiring editors is that it’s increasingly hard to find in-house jobs working with experienced editors. In addition, the digital world, especially artificial intelligence and platforms that allow people to present themselves as editors regardless of experience or skill level, creates a greater need for such training. I wouldn’t want to try editing as a career now without some formal proof of skill beyond being able to say that I provide editing services to clients A, B, and C, or in fields D, E, F, and more. A colleague posted this warning in response to someone looking for an editor or proofreader: “Make sure that the person is a truly professional editor/proofreader, that they have undergone reputable training (some training is so much better than other training), does continuing professional development, is experienced, and preferably is a member of a professional editorial organization …”
Giving back
I’m a big believer in networking, and it’s my major avenue for giving back in recognition of people who have helped me. I’m active in several professional associations, giving presentations and writing for blogs, among other activities, to help colleagues understand what editors do and how to do it well. I also donate editing services to a couple of non-profit organizations that I believe in, and I’ve even created a scholarship at my high school alma mater, in the names of those English teachers, to support students who are interested in professional communications work.
Colleagues’ views
What is your editor’s origin story? How did you get started, what attracted you to editing as a career, how do you prove your worth to prospective clients or employers (especially if you don’t have formal training or experience), and how do you refine and improve your skills as you go along?
Ruth E. Thaler-Carter has been writing professionally since high school and editing/proofreading for almost as long.
This article was copy edited by Simon Bossick, a freelance editor and proofreader in Toronto.
This article is an excerpt from the original publication at An American Editor blog.
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