It will be not be an exaggeration to say that the kingdom of digital media is ruled by none other than content. Content in various forms like text, video, audio etc. is what is dominating the World Wide Web. As much as we love browsing through content at the click of a button, what we do not realize is that the content that we see is the result of sheer hard work of a lot of people. Right from the conception of the idea for a particular piece of content to the time it is finally put for the viewers’ perusal, many people work actively to create content worthy of the time of people who read it.
Content editing involves assessment of practically all aspects of content. Editing gives the final touches to a well written piece of content. One of the most important aspects of editing is to check the content for consistency. English language is mostly categorized into two parts namely; British English and American English. Quite a few times, writers tend to switch between the two types of English and this can produce inconsistency throughout the article. While to a normal person, there may not seem to be any mistakes in an otherwise grammatically correct document, to a professional editor inconsistency may be the first thing that may come to notice. In addition to the consistency, content is also checked for its completeness. Sometimes the central idea of a particular piece of writing may not manifest itself clearly through it to the reader. This is where the content may be rewritten or partially rephrased by a professional editor so as to enhance the idea for the purpose of clarity. Some people view the job of editors as something that entails some mindless snipping of chunks of text in a well thought about piece. However, this could not be further from truth.?? Editors do a very important job of polishing the content to achieve the desired results.
So, does a content editor’s job only consist of correcting grammar and rectifying inconsistencies, if any? The answer to this question is no. The job of editing the content begins with the structural editing of the content which may involve rewriting or rephrasing the text to maintain the fluidity and coherence in the text. Also, the editor may remove some parts if they are causing repetition in the text. Thereafter comes the task of editing the content. This is where an editor has to work the hardest. The content is checked and edited for any grammatical mistake and errors in punctuation. Everything from correct use of tenses, pronouns, language etc. is checked. The content will be checked for the placement of keywords which may be in accordance of the client’s preference. Things like reference links and source of some particular information may also be added if required. Many writers while writing their story books or novels take the help of professional editors for manuscript editing. Editing a manuscript can make a huge difference on the outcome of the book, as the content is edited to keep the storyline interesting. Editors do many things during manuscript editing including maintaining the same timeline through the book. Some editors may make changes in the paragraph structure or the sentence structure so that the text does not become redundant.
As per the client’s requirement the style of the content may also be formatted by the editor. Some people want focus on some heading or bullet points which may be done by the editors. After going through various stages of editing, finally the content is proofread by the editors. Most content writing services also provide proofreading services to the clients.
Although, the process of editing entails in- depth analysis of the text to ensure that the text is completely error free, there is still a possibility of minor error remaining in the text. Proofreading is done so that even the most minor errors or discrepancies can be removed from the text. During proofreading various things like insertion of headings, correct numbering of pages, use of figures etc. is also taken care of. The facts in the text are also checked again even if the text is fictional.
Editing is a task which comes with great responsibility. The editor is not only answerable to the writer but to the client as well as the reader. A good editing job would result in content which is not only in logically correct order but also is free of any type of typographical or grammatical errors. For a writer, sometimes objective analysis of work done by self can be a little difficult. Professional proofreading as well as editing services can make enormous difference in the quality of the end product. Proofreading services are generally provided by all content writing agencies which also provide editing services.
Dr. Mitalee Shome is a top English Language Expert, based in Mumbai, India. Dr. Mitalee is a PhD in English literature, with over 30 years of rich and varied teaching experience. For all your editing, copywriting, content & Blog writing requirements, please contact us at English Expert India.