I recently attended my first Editors Canada conference in the beautiful city of Halifax. I justified the trip from Manitoba to Nova Scotia as a first step in the right direction toward my new freelance editing career. Deciding to include myself among this crowd felt a little presumptuous, but I convinced myself I would attend as a spectator. Perhaps I would meet a few people and learn a little more about launching an editing career (not to mention I’ve always wanted to visit the Maritimes). Ultimately, I wanted to find out if I belonged there and whether I could float in a sea of writers and editors.
I completed an editing certificate through George Brown College, and once my certificate was in hand, there was nothing but myself standing in the way of launching my own business. Although I had the education, I didn’t credit myself as having any true work experience as an editor. What I did have was more than 20 years’ experience as a policy analyst with the Manitoba government. Although my responsibilities include writing, researching and editing, my job title is not “editor,” so I didn’t feel like I could call myself one. What I learned from attending the conference, among many other things, was that I have been selling myself short. And although my current full-time job title is “policy analyst,” and not “editor,” the editing experience that I have obtained in this role absolutely counts!
Transferable skills
What does it mean to call yourself an editor, and what skills make editors good at what they do? Is it akin to cranking out a self-titled album and calling yourself a musician? Turns out, many of the skills that I have developed over decades as a policy analyst are transferable to an editing role. No matter your background or how you arrived here, we all have skills we obtained from other seemingly unrelated jobs, and they all contribute to the unique sets of skills and experiences that we bring to the table as editors.
In pondering the skills required to confidently call yourself an editor, I did a little research and these six skills kept coming up:
- meticulous attention to detail
- extensive language proficiency
- strong grasp of content organization
- sharp critical thinking
- communication skills
- fact-checking and research
In truth, many professions require a lot of these same skills. Accountants should have meticulous attention to detail, teachers should be able to communicate exceptionally well, lawyers certainly would benefit from fact-checking and research skills. So, perhaps it is the unique combination of these skills, and a love of the written word, that make someone qualified to provide editing services.
Attending the conference and connecting with others in the editing profession gave me a new perspective on my own career. Through those conversations, I realized that many of the skills valued in editing are the same ones I rely on every day as a policy analyst. My work involves researching complex issues, evaluating evidence, organizing information and communicating clearly for a specific audience. Attention to detail, critical thinking, accuracy and strong communication skills are essential in both fields. Looking back, I can see how more than two decades of policy work have helped me build a strong foundation for editing. Rather than feeling like a complete career change, pursuing editing feels like a natural extension of work I’ve long enjoyed and found meaningful.
While there is no doubt that direct editing work experience is invaluable, I’ve discovered that similar skills honed in a different profession can still make someone a good editor. Perhaps the greatest reward of making that trip to Halifax was discovering the value of the experience I already possessed. I may have arrived at the conference wondering whether I could float in a sea of writers and editors, but I left realizing that I can do more than just float. I know now that I can navigate the waters with confidence and chart my own course as an editor.
___
The Editors’ Weekly is the official blog of Editors Canada. Contact us.
Discover more from The Editors' Weekly
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Christine Peric
Christine Peric is a contract editor for Yukon University, co-chair of Editors Manitoba and a graduate of George Brown College’s editing certificate program. After more than 20 years as a policy analyst with the Government of Manitoba, she is building a freelance editing practice, bringing extensive experience researching, writing and shaping complex information for diverse audiences. Drawing on decades of experience translating complex policy issues into clear, accessible language, Christine enjoys helping writers communicate with clarity and confidence. She volunteered at the most recent Editors Canada conference and is happiest at her cabin on an island in Whiteshell Provincial Park, where she dreams of one day writing and editing by the lake.