How to Be a Better Editor

No one writes a perfect first draft. Not Toni Morrison. Not Ernest Hemingway. Not Charles Dickens. 

All of them had editors. 

Editors are critical for making sure a story flows well, that it’s factual, that the content is legible and that the reader understands the theme and narrative being shared. Without them, people may not read your content, or, worse, they could start to read it and stop because it’s confusing. 

Great editors are also decision-makers, coaches and strategists who improve everything they touch. Learning how to be a better editor means crafting insightful, informative content that moves people to action.

Content marketing teams need skilled editors more than ever, especially as more companies rely on generative AI to write first drafts. According to Salesforce, 76% of marketers use AI for basic content creation and copywriting. However, HubSpot found that 95% of marketers edit the AI-generated text while 44% make significant changes. 

Good editors can see the big picture, and they match content ideas to the brand’s voice and strategy. They understand how to adapt content to the desired format. Great editors help their team learn and grow, and they always deliver value to the end user, whoever that is.

Here’s how you can become a better editor and produce greater value for your audience.

What Do Today’s Editors Do?

When editing and proofreading human- or AI-written content, editors mostly work in three stages:

• Developmental editing: Sometimes known as content or substantive editing, the developmental editing process is the first stage. The editor will read through the content to determine if the content flows well and the ideas are cohesive. Additionally, the editor will look at the overall structure of the content and may suggest structural edits.
  
  For example, during the developmental editing process, I’ve realized that a list of takeaways needs to be shifted to the second section of an article so that the third section can talk about “what’s next.” Depending on project scope, the editor may also fact-check and determine brand fit during this stage to ensure any references are accurate.
• Copyediting: Copyediting is more detailed than developmental editing, focusing primarily on improving the content at the sentence level. Copy editors will review every sentence to ensure it aligns with the brand’s tone and style, that it’s free of grammar, punctuation and spelling errors and that it’s clear and consistent. Fact-checking will likely take place during this type of edit, even if it was done during developmental editing, to double-check any references.
• Proofreading: Proofreading is usually the last step, primarily focused on combing through the content to find any mechanical errors, such as spelling errors, grammatical issues or punctuation changes. Proofreading and copyediting may happen sequentially during the same editing task or separately, depending on the content needs. Most often, I’ve seen proofreading happen separately when larger content pieces or designed pieces are involved, especially when there’s a chance that typos could have been introduced after the content edit (such as during the transfer from manuscript to design).

However, modern editors do more than proofreading and editing writing.

Today’s editors are content gatekeepers. It’s their job to curate content that informs audiences and drives their behavior. That starts with the organization’s content strategy, which often is created with the help of editors while aligning with high-level goals.

Editors then shift to executing that content strategy and managing operations. From planning the content calendar to ensuring the final product succeeds, editors wield tremendous power in content production.

With that power comes many responsibilities. They might be recruiting and hiring staff, freelancers or outside experts. They review submissions and pitches from external contributors. Editors assign work, shape it throughout production and approve it for publication.  

Editors are also managers. They make sure everyone is aligned with the strategy and that schedules and processes are being followed. And, of course, they must lead people, giving them the resources and guidance they need to produce great work.

What underpins all this work? Editors are constantly making important decisions. Let’s look at some ways that editing decisions can improve content.

Refine the Writer’s Voice

The editor’s gift is to help writers articulate ideas in their own voice. “A good editor understands what you’re trying to say and helps you say it better,” says Wayne Hoffman, executive editor at Tablet Magazine. Editors help writers present these ideas in ways that make sense and are compelling to the audience.

That said, editors should be clear about what they’re looking for. “I tell writers what I do and don’t want. Sometimes I’ll even lay out the article for them — the beginning, middle and end,” Hoffman says.

This might sound strict, but great editors don’t make writers guess. Clear parameters free up writers to focus on the work, which helps unlock their writing style and voice.

Another way to set expectations for writers without stifling their voices is to share your brand guidelines. “It’s a useful aid for both internal teams and external consultants, providing consistency across content regardless of who is writing,” says Lucy Mowatt, founder of Method Marketing.

From the pitch to publication, editors must help writers unlock their insights and convey them to the target audience.

Guarantee Value to the Reader

Editors are the backbone of the writing process. They serve as the first and last set of eyes on a piece of content. In this vital capacity, editors must guarantee that the content provides value to the reader, not just the content producer.

Good content serves the reader first. It provides value beyond a pitch for a product or service. Editors for brand magazines, for example, are responsible for putting out content that offers helpful insights or thought-provoking ideas. That’s a different focus than primarily trying to sell products and services.

You may receive pushback from leaders in the business who want to prioritize selling to the audience. Editors must consider these concerns carefully without making the disagreement personal. Ultimately, editors must successfully make the case for content that puts the reader first and protects the brand’s reputation as a trusted source.

Become Feedback Pros

Writing and editing are companion crafts: You can’t produce good writing without an effective editing process. Combine that process with effective coaching, and editors can help writers grow and improve their skills for the long haul.

That growth and development requires tough conversations, like when editors send back pitches or early drafts. For example, some articles may require global revision before they’re ready for publication. “I’ll get a pitch where the story is shaped wrong, but there’s a kernel of something interesting in it,” Hoffman says. It’s your role as an editor to reshape those ideas to provide the most value to the audience.

Editors are well-versed in leaving feedback, but don’t forget that feedback is a delicate dance between two humans that sometimes requires difficult or sensitive conversations. “Getting editorial feedback is a vulnerable experience,” says Lindsey Donner, Vice President of Member Benefits at Community.co. “Be aware of that.”

Process helps here. Many times, for example, writers can benefit from seeing the changes you’ve made and learning why. That “why” might cite the style guide. The explanation might be more big-picture, such as showing how revisions enhance the brand voice or strengthen the content’s key points.

Focus on getting everyone to the best outcome, even when you’re making significant changes to the text. Use the editing process as an opportunity for constructive feedback from which the writer can learn and grow. Offer feedback in a way that accounts for strengths and gives clear recommendations for improvement.

The more you can help writers improve their work, the better their next assignment will go.

5 Best Practices for Better Editing

Editing is a craft, and the more you practice, the better you’ll become. These five pointers will help you learn how to be a better copyeditor, make better decisions and continue developing your editing abilities.

Start With the Big Picture

Diving into edits is tempting, but read through the content first. You want to gain an overall understanding while checking for key concerns, such as whether the content delivers what the headline promises. Ensure the desired ideas are present and communicated in the best order. At this stage, you should also check whether the content aligns with the overall brand.

Once you’ve read through and better understand what needs to change, decide whether to move forward or kick it back to the writer for revision. Once the bones of the piece are in place, you can look at sentence structure, word choice and grammar to ensure error-free copy.

Read Content Aloud

This idea seems simplistic, but bear with me: Reading something out loud helps you notice repetition, poor word choice, run-on sentences and many other problems that drag down writing.

There are larger benefits, too. Reading something out loud also shakes you out of your day-to-day editing mindset. It’s easy to become absorbed in the production process and start reading over content without fully grasping it.

Reading content aloud helps us approach content as a consumer would. With that added perspective, you’ll uncover areas where the content needs more work.

Edit for Format and Audience

The idea of “content” covers countless formats and locations, including blog posts, pillar pages, web copy and more. When assigning and editing content, be aware of the channel where it will be published. Edit for the nuances of that particular channel or medium.

For example, a pillar page shouldn’t be stuffed with long, unbroken paragraphs. The content needs to be organized into smaller sections. As an editor, you also need to make sure the ideas presented justify the big word count.

Who’s your audience? A white paper for specialists in a technical field might require a formal tone and technical language. By contrast, narrative content designed to reach everyday consumers will likely be informal and conversational. Your brand’s reputation, voice and style will also affect how content is created and what channels you publish it on.

Pace Yourself

We’re culturally programmed to hustle, but even the busiest people benefit from breaks. Editing too much for too long becomes overwhelming and leads to poor results. Looking at the same piece for too long makes it harder to see from a reader’s perspective.

If the bulk of your job involves editing, then build time for breaks into your workday. If your job involves other tasks, switch to one of those between editing rounds. Take a break from editing to do something else so you can return to the draft with “fresh” eyes.

Utilize Today’s Tools

Give yourself a fresh perspective with the right editing tools. Grammarly and the Hemingway App have been helpful tools for editors needing a “second pair of eyes” to ensure they didn’t miss anything. Other generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, can be used for line editing or answering specific editing-related questions.

I sometimes use ChatGPT to ask for a better word when I get stuck or notice something is repetitious. I also use Grammarly’s spell-check feature to make sure I don’t miss any typos, or I’ll go through its recommendations to check for passive voice.

3 Habits to Keep Your Editing Skills Fresh

Whether you’re a managing editor or a freelance copyeditor, these practices will help you keep your skills up to date.

Read and Write More

Editing is just one part of the production process. The best way to keep your skills up to date is to engage in other parts of the process: reading and writing. The more you read and write, the more perspective and inspiration you’ll have for refining and elevating the content you edit.

Exposure to new ideas sparks creativity and helps you recognize ideas that are stale or too ubiquitous. Reading more will help you become more discriminating in the content you assign and the submissions you accept.

Prepare for the Future of Content Marketing

Content marketing is constantly evolving. As the function expands and improves, the types of content we produce also evolve.

Stay up to date on innovations in how content is produced and shared. For example, you need to see how new interactive content is designed so you can provide better edits that are suited to new formats and channels. Communicating ideas on an interactive webpage, for example, is very different from expressing them in a white paper.

When you’re aware of these distinctions as an editor, you can make better decisions about content strategy and help writers perform better at executing that strategy.

Teach Someone Else

Helping someone else learn makes everyone better. Start by offering to cross-train or upskill a colleague.  Better yet, develop a formal program where you and other team members share knowledge and best practices.

Teaching someone how to be a better editor also helps you evaluate and refine your own abilities. You must step back and articulate your processes, which helps you understand where you might have gaps. By instructing others, you improve your communication and gain self-awareness.

Do It Yourself: Editing in Action

To get some practice in, we’re providing you with a new AI-written section about “using AI for content writing.” How would you improve this section? We’ll provide our changes below to see what we did when you’re done!