By: Sir Khalid Rehman
What makes a good editor?
An editor should ideally have:1. Human qualities of sympathy, insight, breadth of view, sense of humour and imagination.
2. A well-balanced and orderly mind, one suggesting judgment, perspective, and a sense of proportion.
3. A cool head; the ability to work in an atmosphere of excitement and hurry without becoming flustered or incapable of accuracy.
4. Quickness of thought — coupled with accuracy.
5. Keenness, conscientiousness and ruthlessness — rightly used.
6. Well-informed common sense that translates into sound judgment.
7. The ability to set aside your own feelings and see things from the point of view of the reader — whose representative you are.
8. A familiarity with the major laws concerning libel, copyright, invasion of privacy, and contempt.
10. Dedication to physical fitness in a trying, sedentary job that takes a toll on the stomach, eyes and nerves.
11. Team spirit. Publications, in order to be published regularly, require a dedication to cooperation and collaboration.
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Freelancers' Favourite Editor
What the freelancers want their editor to be like? Freelancers love to grouse about bad editors but good editors are a like treasure. So few and far between. Several queries to veteran freelancers boiled down to the following top qualities of a good editor.
1. Good editors have good etiquette. They inform you when they receive your story, call or email to discuss its attribnutes. Edit it in a timely fashion.
2. They are organized. They keep track of several writers working on multiple stories for multiple issues without constantly acting like the world’s about to end.
3. They have a good grasp of their publication or their department. They can explain to you why your article is or isn’t good. And they can make practical suggestions for appropriate changest.
4. They suggests sources for stories or makes themselves available for brainstorming.
5. They are not stingy with praise if your article is really good.
6. They are prudent copywriters and their editing actually improves your copy rather than making it confusing.
7. They are not egotist and can relate to writers as equals, not underlings.
8. They are good decision makers and do not change their mind, asking you to doi your story from a different angle after it has been done.
9. They keep their promises and retain their contracts. They make sure you get paid well and on time.
10. They show their appreciation, by regularly giving you assignments :)
Would you like to add any other qualities or as k a question click here?
