Hey, editor! You should take some Poynter classes.
- clairewrites22
- Feb 8
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 9
Happy Sunday, readers, writers, and friends! This week I took the seven-part Poynter ACES Introductory Certificate in Editing certificate program. If you're not familiar with it, the program is an online series of comprehensive editing classes put on by ACES: The Society for Editing. I took classes on grammar, punctuation, and word usage; clarity in writing; fact-checking; and more. In my opinion, the classes were so brilliantly put together by sharp and articulate experts in the field. All of this said, I'd like to share a series of "rules" I learned that have improved my perspective as an editor. Read on for more!
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Merrill's 3 Rules of Editing
1) First, do no harm
Always leave a manuscript better off than when you found it. The last thing you want to do is insert errors, diminish the author's voice, and muddle up the message with your own personal biases.
2) If you can't explain it, don't change it
Be prepared to give a thorough, clear explanation of every change you make. It shows poor professionalism on the editor's part to make a change, and when asked about it, say something along the lines of: it just sounds right. Also remember to explain changes in terms the author would understand—get to know their background knowledge and meet them where they're at.
2a) In a tie, the writer wins
Remember, the manuscript is the writer's precious domain, the culmination of hours and hours of labor. It's not a place to charge in and dominate. Keep in mind, too, that writers possess perspectives editors can learn from.
3) No surprises
It would be an unpleasant discovery for an author to see a change in their writing, especially one that made it to print, that they weren't notified of. This rule is part of understanding the editor's role; to use the words of ACES, "Editors should consider their roles as collaborators and improvers." Someone throwing in surprises would be better referred to as an authoritarian.
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The Poynter ACES Introductory Certificate in Editing touches on many other areas: SEO, writing newsletters, social media, spelling (surprisingly tough), and more. I'll end with a link to the certificate's website and a helpful step-by-step instruction on the editing process that they provided. If you have any questions about the certificate, please email me at cardinalflowereditorial@gmail.com and I'd love to spark a conversation. I thought it was well worth my time, money, and energy!
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