Why Professional Training Is Crucial for Copy Editors
In the world of academic copy editing, we know that references are everything. Fortunately, for copy editor and writer alike, the quest to be—or to hire—a skilled editor begins with handy professional associations such as the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) or ACES: The Society for Editing. Webinars, forums, job posts, and editor profiles abound on these associations’ websites. Whether you’re new to the field of copy editing or a writer looking for someone trustworthy enough to polish your diamond in the rough, you should understand why professional training in editing is not only practical, but essential for the aspiring copy editor (let alone the author!). Here follows perspective regarding the value—which, to my mind, is absolute—of copy editors who truly hone their requisite skills and field of knowledge.
Editing is as much an art form as writing a creative piece of literature.
—Kilroy J. Oldster
In August 2019, I attended the EFA conference in Chicago and met many wonderful copy editors. What followed was nothing less than a parade of insight, tips, troubleshooting, technological discussions, SEO and publication strategies, and historical perspectives on the profession of editing—so much was shared from session to session and in between. I met the head of the EFA Welcome Program and connects new EFA members with more seasoned ones. At her invite, I volunteered to be a peer mentor.
As anyone who has taught knows so well, when you share what you know with others, you have the rich opportunity to explore and reflect further on the topic. The best advice I could give the young aspiring editor with whom I was paired was this: If you haven’t been professionally trained in editing, you should consider investing in a professional certificate in editing in order to be really stellar and know what you’re doing. And if you are a writer—whether amateur, hobbyist, or published—do yourself a favor and consider looking for a copy editor who has the credentials behind the title “editor.”
An excellent writer, and even someone with proofreading experience, is a great start, but one must go further. There are some who edit but lack the deeper training that comes with serious training under established editors or from Professional Development Editing Certificate programs (e.g., UC Berkeley Extension, University of Chicago Graham School, UC San Diego). These are hard-core programs that drill you in grammar and mechanics—the deep tracks, and by that I mean grammar rules you probably have never even heard of (and that will make you the life of the party!). Bonus alert, if you are a writer seeking to be an editor, your own writing will vastly approve in such a program: You’ll know what parallelism is and you’ll never overlook a dangling modifier again. You’ll know which grammar rules are just “rumors.” You’ll know that reference books are your best friend. You’ll be confident in your dictionary (hello, Merriam Webster!) and you’ll be equipped with a list of helpful books and tables (shout out to Chicago Manual of Style’s Hyphenation Table). You’ll know the parts of speech inside and out as well as the science behind sentences as you and fellow students diagram them ad nauseam: The fireworks scared the dogs, so the owners were upset = S-Vt-DO / S-VL-SC (PA). Further, these professional courses give you ample experience in building style sheets, copy editing various genres, formatting, querying authors, and finding work as a freelance copy editor.
And like any nugget of wisdom, this tidbit comes from experience! A lot of people think they can edit, and do edit, but there is SO much more to learn in order to be successful and reliable. As I shared with my peer mentee, I had earned a PhD in French literature, published my research on French Classical theater, worked with students on their writing (in English, French, and Italian) and taught grammar in these three languages as professor for 15 years, and been an online, part-time writing tutor for Pearson’s Smarthinking. I was an avid reader and everyone gave me wonderful feedback for my writing…. Naturally, I thought I could easily help improve others’ writing…. When, years later, I needed to find work to do from home, former colleagues asked me to edit their doctoral dissertation, their journal article, their website content. And I did. I am sure I helped, but I now know I could have edited more ethically and soundly than I did. When I began my Professional Sequence in Editing via UC Berkeley Extension, I was amazed by all I learned. For this reason, I will continue to share the value of true-blue professional development with editors and friends. Nothing tops rigorously learning your trade—and editing is a profession that deserves nothing less than lifelong learning.
Investing in your career is mandatory. Staying up-to-date with the tricks of the trade is crucial. If you are seeking an editing career, don’t dilly dally! If you love language, then dive into the finer details of grammar and embrace your reference books and resources wholeheartedly. No editor can ever fully memorize all of the Chicago Manual of Style, or any other style guide, but you can become excellent at utilizing it and keeping up with the ever-shifting nature of language and styles.
And if you are a writer seeking a copy editor, don’t settle for less! Study the CV of your next potential editor. Ask your friend (or friend of a friend) who offers to edit your content what training they have.
I am here to bounce questions off and offer advice. Please feel to write me in the comments below. Onwards and upwards, folks! We must defend the beauty, clarity, and (current) correctness of language.
Language is a process of free creation; its laws and principles are fixed,
but the manner in which the principles of generation are used is free and infinitely varied.
Even the interpretation and use of words involves a process of free creation.
—Noam Chomsky