Why You Need an Editor Even if You Hired the
Best Writer

chillibreeze writer — Swati Nair

Barring the obvious logic of two proofread copies exceeding the value of one, there are plenty of other reasons why you still need an editor even after you’ve hired the best writer.

1. Writers often tend to write things with an inherent bias. Even the most objectively written piece is sometimes subtly laden with influencing adjectives and/or ideas. Editors, with their hawk-like eyes and sharp minds, help keep such slanted writing in check.

2. More often than not, writers don’t stick to word limits and other instructions about headlines and formats. If not for editors, the uniformity in website content will be absent. There will be discernable differences in date formats, byline placements, headlines and other content.

3. The “best” in “best writer” may well be a misnomer. All great writers are great not because they are master spellcheckers and Grammar Nazis by themselves. They may have a knack for juxtaposing the right words in the right manner and structuring them to make even the most prosaic ideas seem worldly and fresh. That doesn’t mean they are beyond errors as simple as the ones amateur writers make. Even experts who write books on writing and editing need their books to be read and edited!

4. A writer can’t usually find all the faults hidden within the article s/he has written. This is because thoughts flowing from one’s own head are perfectly apparent and understandable to oneself. It’s hard for a writer to perceive her own work as “unclear”. Editors can help check this.

5. Writing is a creative process. Good writing comes naturally to writers and for them, oftentimes, writing is a way of “letting go”. Their ground rules are not strict, solid and confining. Writers often let this manifest in various ways. The style of their writing, their ideas, their expressions and other idiosyncrasies may not always go well with the content of the website. An editor is of great importance here. Editing for consistency and language is always a matter of tact, precision and avoiding loss in meaning. This has to be done without causing any discomfort to the writer. Editors sometimes have to get their hands dirty and take the iron rod. It can be a thankless job but it has to be done.

6. Editors are not just people who make a few corrections to the copy. They are visionaries who generally have a fair idea of what is appealing to the readers. They know their audience, their market and their team. They can help tune the writer’s mindsets and skills so as to be of optimal use to the organization and its tangible and non-tangible profits.

7. Usually, editors are people who have a predilection towards writing. They can be good sources of motivation, inspiration and resourceful philosophies. Writers often consult editors for their informed opinions. Their experience makes them valuable assets.

8. Editors know the industry and are generally good judges of the prospects of a piece of writing. Writers may not particularly care for popular appeals and conventional thoughts and methods of writing. Editors have to have a presence of mind and an ingenious strategy if there is a need for espousing new viewpoints.

9. Editors manage the team of writers and designers. They enable coordination between the team and thus are able to fit content to suit the design and vice-versa. Writers and designers cannot always be mindful of this because they are emotionally involved with their work and such involvement can hardly ever be subjected to self-censure.

10. Editors help maintain a consistent tone, if there are two or more writers co-authoring a book. They also help negotiate between authors which takes a great deal of effort and editing and management skills. In such cases, editors take on the role of peacemakers, being voices of reason and generally ensure the smooth writing of the book.

11. Editors have the necessary contacts and coordination skills to get in touch with other experts and get their help. Writers cannot do these things themselves as it’s easy to view even constructive criticisms coming from strangers as a violation. Editors are rational enough to understand these facets of book or website writing as they should be understood.

These are only a few reasons as to why editors are crucial even when you have hired the best, most innovative team of writers. Trusting the creator of a work of art as a fine judge of its industrial standard and value can be detrimental to the reputation of the writer and the publisher.

Editor's note: Most articles submitted to Chillibreeze go through a selection process. Only 30 percent of submitted articles are accepted for publication on the Chillibreeze.com featured article list. All accepted articles are edited and proofread for glaring errors of punctuation and grammar. Sentence structure is changed in certain cases and sometimes, entire sections are rewritten. If you notice any errors that have slipped through the cracks, do let us know! (Email us at info at chillibreeze dot com).

Chillibreeze's disclaimer: This is a contributed article and was published on Chillibreeze in January, 2012. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article. The relevance of the facts and figures cited (if any) could change after a period of time.

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Related links:

Why You Need an Editor Even if You Hired the Best Writer
Editor Versus Writer
Five Must-Have Qualities for an Editor
Editing Successfully When the Author is a Subject Expert
So You Want to be an Editor

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—About our writer: Swati writes for Chillibreeze.

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