Re: Writers vs Editors

Subject: Re: Writers vs Editors
From: Jean Weber <jean -at- wrevenge -dot- com -dot- au>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 27 Dec 2000 06:29:40 +1000

At 02:40 AM 26/12/00 -0800, Andrew Plato wrote:

Editors have one basic skill:
1) Communication skills.

Editors do not generate content, they rearrange and reformat existing content.
Editors must have a good eye for how to express things properly - but they do
not need an extensive understanding of the content. Editors are great at
enforcing standards - like a style guide.

While I'll agree that editors don't usually generate content, skilled, experienced *technical* editors do a lot more than enforcing standards, and they often *do* need an extensive understanding of the content. Please see my Technical Editors' Eyrie website for lots of information about what editors can and should do. This page is a good place to start:

http://www.wrevenge.com.au/about.htm

I've also got some excerpts from job ads, showing what some companies are looking for in a technical editor:

http://www.wrevenge.com.au/eyrie/tenews24.htm#define
http://www.wrevenge.com.au/eyrie/tenews36.htm#do
http://www.wrevenge.com.au/eyrie/tenews37.htm#do

The world needs editors. Editing is a very important part of all written work.
Good writers always need good editors to help them. The two are dependent on
each other.

We definitely agree on that point!

Regards, Jean
Jean Hollis Weber
mailto:jean -at- wrevenge -dot- com -dot- au
The Technical Editors' Eyrie http://www.wrevenge.com.au/
Avalook at Australia Travel site: http://www.avalook.com.au/
-----------------
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