Manifesto

Accuracy – I will always prioritize the validity of claims, descriptions, places, events, people, interviews and facts before anything else in any writing I’m tasked with editing. Errors and misinformation can quickly damage a writers reputation, and sometimes that trust can’t be repaired. It’s important for me to protect them from their own mistakes and defend others from the consequences of inaccurate writing.

Clarity – The text being understandable and digestible for a potential reader is of the up-most importance. I will always uphold clarity and allow it to guide my hand in every edit I make.

Protecting The Writer’s Voice – Although it’s tempting to initiate a complete re-write of a paragraph in my own way; it’s important to protect the original writer’s voice and keep their tone present. This shouldn’t come at the cost of accuracy or clarity, but when making revisions it must be kept in mind. A careless approach to editing could result in a bland text that is void of any personality.

Attention to Detail – I will always be meticulous when combing through any text I’m given. I enjoy the process of editing and believe rushing through important structural issues like grammar and punctuation can be a huge determinate; it risks completely changing how the intended message is received. 

Honoring, Respecting and Acknowledging the Use of External Sources – The misinterpretation or weakness of a source can distort facts and in turn harm credibility and reputation. It’s important for me as an editor to be mindful and attentive of this when assessing any text. I see it as my mission to avoid any failures to include proper citation and acknowledgement of the original author of a source whether it be an image, video or quote. Not only is the inclusion of uncited external source material unethical; it opens my client up to potential legal proceedings. These proceedings are costly and pointless for how little effort it takes to root out problematic content.