“ There are good copywriters who can also edit, but the two disciplines are separate specialties. Most writers enjoy researching their topics and crafting their prose, and for this reason, many writers are less than enthusiastic about shaping someone else’s words—but it pays: so they’ll do it. An editor’s training lends itself more strongly to working with clients who can scratch together a good portion of the copy. Editors are taught to weave disparate voices into something more professional, and they can quickly identify and prevent common errors—particularly on multi-writer projects. They are taught the fine art of helping writers improve their work and have a strong eye for detail. Where writers often like to start with nothing, editors expect to start with a pre-existing body of work, and generally enjoy shaping it into something stronger.
Pepi Ronalds says what I’d like to tell a lot of people. It’s basic stuff but people forget. All the time.
Hat tip to Sarah.
2 months ago