Perfection or clarity of communication?

Creating the perfect document is often the goal for writers, whether it’s online content or a novel. But isn’t is wonderful to know that in the editing world this phrase exists: there is no perfect document.

So why hire an editor? Editors work hard to create documents that are clear, concise, and coherent. They also check for grammatical errors, yes (as well as some fact checking), yet sometimes errors remain. Here are a few reasons why editors are super helpful in creating documents you can be proud of:

• We add clarity to documents. Would a graph help the reader understand the information instead of a paragraph? Is sentence structure getting in the way of the message?
• We provide advice for concision. Do you need that example to make the point? Can a wordy sentence be rewritten to get the point across quicker?
• We check for coherence. Does your work flow? Does the order make sense? Can the reader understand what you are trying to communicate?
• We make sure that the document is mostly correct. Did you want to use all together or altogether? Does this run-on sentence add to the voice or does it cause confusion?

A good editor does not add new errors; a good editor allows the author’s document to connect with the reader. So the editor is there for the writer, but the main goal of the editor is to consider the audience and make sure that the writing meets the needs of that audience. And sometimes, errors get missed. There are no perfect documents, just well-written documents.

Projects big or small, an editor might be exactly what you need to connect clearly with your target audience. Even if the document isn’t perfect.