The discussion about editor quality in the "What Do I Do Now" thread has been interesting and gives me courage to post this. Are any of you highly qualified editors interested in taking on an apprentice? I'm willing to give the time, but I have no experience editing and no idea if I would do it well. I've written for enough professional editors at work to know that my spelling and grammar are solid. Unfortunately, my work writing is policy papers and technical articles.
I'm proposing that, with the author's permission, we both edit the same story at the same time. When you are finished, you send your edit to me and I compare it with what I did. We discuss areas that I don't understand and you comment on my comments. I think that after two or three pieces, I would have a better idea if I was any good. Perhaps, after a period of time, you might become a second set of eyes for me. I edit a story on my own and you review it before I send it back to the author. I'm open to alternatives, if one of you has a better suggestion.
I know that most of us are not professionals at either writing or editing. I just want to know that I have something to offer before I lead an author astray. Any takers?
I'm proposing that, with the author's permission, we both edit the same story at the same time. When you are finished, you send your edit to me and I compare it with what I did. We discuss areas that I don't understand and you comment on my comments. I think that after two or three pieces, I would have a better idea if I was any good. Perhaps, after a period of time, you might become a second set of eyes for me. I edit a story on my own and you review it before I send it back to the author. I'm open to alternatives, if one of you has a better suggestion.
I know that most of us are not professionals at either writing or editing. I just want to know that I have something to offer before I lead an author astray. Any takers?
