Do You Have What It Takes?
Editing is a process all writers
utilize in their own writing. We call it revision (or rewriting). When we
critique others’ writing, we are employing the tasks of editing to help others
improve.
Perhaps you’re wondering if you have
the skills to freelance edit. The answer may come readily if your weakness lies
in grammar, punctuation, or spelling. Don’t let this stop you—your strength may
lie in content editing. My suggestion to you would be to evaluate your skills
and your aptitude (do you enjoy working with the details?). You may want to
peruse The Copyeditor’s Handbook, The Chicago Manual of Style, and The Associated Press Stylebook at your
local library (there’s an exception to every rule!). Know your strengths and
weaknesses to find your niche in freelance editing.
I hope you have found this series
helpful both in knowing what to look for and how to communicate your needs to a
freelance editor, but also in editing your own work.
To conclude this series, I’m offering
a special good now till May 31, 2012: a free copyedit of one article up to 2000
words. Contact me via email at Deb [at] DebraLButterfield [dot] com.
Until next time…
