When deciding which editor is a good fit for you and your writing project, there are a number of factors to consider, such as the editor’s experience and qualifications, their rates and turn-around times, and their availability. However, it’s also important to determine whether their approach to editing and/or language makes sense for you and your writing.

When it comes to language, I am at heart a pragmatist. What this means for my editorial approach is that I prioritize what language can do. I am neither a dyed-in-the-wool prescriptivist (meaning I’m not fully committed to upholding an ideal of what language should be), nor am I entirely descriptive in my approach (meaning I don’t only follow how language is actually used by people). Rather, I balance both approaches while prioritizing the goals of the piece of writing.

In the writing courses that I regularly teach, the first concepts we present, before any specific writing skills, are audience (who am I writing for?) and purpose (why am I writing?). I prioritize these questions in my editing as well. In other words, how I edit will depend on the audience and purpose of your writing. If the audience and purpose of your writing require meticulous adherence to highly specific rules (e.g. for a grant application or an academic publication), then my editing will help your writing follow those rules. If the audience and purpose of your writing are more likely to be better served by a more descriptive approach (e.g. for a blog or social media copy), then my editing will help your writing follow that. If the audience and purpose require a mix of both (e.g. for teaching materials), then I will learn from you how best to balance those.

As an editor, my job is not to rewrite your writing or to impose my voice in any way; my job is to help your writing do what it needs to do by ensuring that it speaks to your audience and achieves your purpose.

If this sounds like an approach that makes sense to you for your writing project, contact me to discuss how I can help you deliver your message today.