Editing is more than a hunt for grammar, usage, punctuation, spelling, and typographical errors. Editing consists of a series of quality checks that are done at different times, and often by different people—don’t try and do them all at once. Review the levels of editing listed on the next page and make sure that they are done by the appropriate people at the appropriate time.
The language edit can be done as each section is completed, or once all sections have been drafted. It’s best if one person does the editing—usually your best writer. Try not to edit your own work (you’re often blind to your own mistakes). Consider using the services of a outside editor.
Use the edit process to pare the manual down to its essentials. It’s often better to have too little than too much. If you need help on how to edit, refer to The Elements of Editing by Arthur Plotnik.
Use your word processor’s spell checker, but don’t rely on it to catch everything—it won’t find errors that masquerade as other words, such as there instead of their. And don’t edit solely on the screen—some problems are easier to spot on paper where you can see more of the text.
Policy edit – ensuring that the document meets your organization’s established standards, such as inclusion of disclaimer and use of logo (usually done by the project manager)
Integrity edit – checking to see that page references on the table of contents, list of figures, index, and cross-references are correct (usually done by the writer just before reproduction).
Format edit – checking to see that the page layout meets the style guidelines, including margins, use of bolding, underlining, etc. (usually done by the word processor as the text is formatted)
Content edit – evaluating for problems with organization, structure, misplaced emphasis, accuracy of content, etc. (usually done by reviewers)
Language edit – editing at the word, sentence, and paragraph level for grammatical faults, misspellings, awkward usage, ambiguity, redundancy, etc. (usually done by a professional editor, or your best writer, before the text is finalized)
Proofing – proof reading to verify that text has been entered correctly, as well as looking for spelling and punctuation errors (usually done by the writer each time a section is written or revised)
When you’re editing others’ work, make sure you have a reason for every change. In English, there are many ways of stating the same thing. Don’t change something simply because you would have stated it differently.
Point out the good parts of the writing too. Editorial comments are often taken personally as a criticism, so should be balanced. And if the changes are extensive, you might consider re-typing the text before returning it.
If someone is editing your work, don’t take the editorial suggestions personally. The purpose of editing is not to criticize you, so try to divorce yourself from what you’ve written. Don’t argue with every editorial change.
