Everyone Needs An Editor

Yesterday, I was quite pleased to discover that a blog post I had written on this website was quoted in someone else's blog. I showed my business partner who immediately pointed out the glaring grammatical error in the quote. As a writer, and even though I am called upon to edit the work of others, I do make some mistakes and this one was quite obvious. I shook my head and lamented the need for better self-editing.


In actual fact, I do not need to self-edit but turn to my editor instead. Having an editor look over your communications is crucial. Once you have written something it is hard to remain objective. Any further personal review will tend to mask errors because you will subconciously make mental corrections and skim content.

So what makes a good editor?

• They are focused. They shouldn't just glance at it and say it's fine, but take the time to really go through the piece.


• They don't sugar coat. You need an editor who will tell you the truth, not try to spare your feelings. If the writing is bad, they need to be able to tell you that. So friends and family might not be the best option.


• They are proficent with grammar/spelling. Don't hand your write up to a colleague that's worse at spelling then you are; make sure you are using the services of someone who's good.

A good editor can save your communications, whether it's a blog post or a direct mail letter.