July 3

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Why I provide sample edits

Two different but complementary tea cups next to a decorative metal kettle.

Editors are curious individuals—almost as quirky as authors. While there are certain principles of clear communication and grammatical accuracy to which most editors will adhere, each of us has our own idiosyncrasies and inclinations. When it works, the relationship between a writer and an editor can be enjoyable, enlightening and inspiring for both people. But how can you tell if it’s going to be like this?

One way I try to address this question is by providing my potential clients with a sample edit.

Here’s how it works. When you contact me, I get an initial sense of whether or not I am the right editor for you. If I think we may work well together, I will ask you to send me your manuscript, assuring you that I’ll keep it safe and confidential while it is in my care. I then edit part of the text, generally beginning at the beginning. I use track changes in Microsoft Word when editing. This allows you to see the changes I make, and it enables me to include comments, questions, observations and suggestions within the document.

The image below shows an example of an original draft, adapted from an article previously published on this website.
The image shows two paragraphs of text. The text reads: "Crafting your written expression demands time and attention. You’ve got to know your purpose and a willingness to keep reviewing and improving your writing. This includes choosing which terms to use and noting their rhythms and tone. Read each line meticulously and chop out whatever is unnecessary, even if it stings a little to cut it out. Crafting your written expression means respecting your reader and you as a writer. Through this, you consciously cultivate your insight and skill, developing your technique through repetition and devotion. You maybe aiming to make art. But ultimately, you craft your writing because it matters."

And this is what the text looks like when it is marked up using track changes.

The image shows the same two paragraphs as before, but this time with tracked changes. Some words appear in green with underlining, to show that they have been altered from the original. Deleted words appear in white boxes on the right-hand side of the page. Comments are also shown on the right-hand side of the page, in blue boxes. An example of a comment is: "You may wish to soften this verb. Perhaps 'requires' rather than 'demands'".

As you can see, I have made a few corrections (shown in the text in green), along with some suggestions (in the blue comment boxes on the right-hand side).

Taking these corrections and suggestions into consideration, here’s how the revised version might read.

The revised paragraphs now read: "Crafting your written expression requires time and attention. You need a clear understanding of your purpose and a willingness to keep reviewing and improving your writing. This includes choosing which terms to use and noting their rhythms and tone. It also means reading each line meticulously and removing whatever is unnecessary, even if it stings a little to cut it. When you craft your written expression, you demonstrate respect for your reader and for yourself as a writer. Through such crafting, you cultivate your insight and skill, developing your technique through repetition and devotion. You might be aiming to make art. But ultimately, you craft your writing because it matters."

Of course, if you had written these paragraphs and had received this sample edit from me, you might have made different decisions about their final form. That’s the delightful thing about writing and editing: they are both expressions of unique creativity and are both so open to interpretation and invention.

By providing you with a sample edit, I give you the opportunity to see if your creativity and mine align. When they do, we each have the chance to engage in an artful and enjoyable experience of editing.

Photo by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash

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