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Biological Sciences and Medicine
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Armed with a doctorate in botany, this editor has a lifetime
of achievements to his name-as a vice-president, science
technician, and senior scientist. The knowledge amassed over
the years enables him to accurately deal with a variety of
subjects.
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Could you please tell us why you decided to become an
editor?
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In my professional career, I have supervised scientists, and
have worked for government agencies and universities. When I
retired, editing seemed like the perfect choice!
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Your career as an editor has only started recently,
right?
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No, I have been editing for a very long time now. I have
reviewed and edited scientific papers for many years; I
would say for at least 20. Apart from my specialization, I
deal with papers belonging to very interesting and diverse
subjects, from ecology to agriculture to medicine.
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So, why would you choose freelancing over a regular
9-to-5 job?
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Well, now that I am retired, I can receive Social Security
from the United States government. Also, I can receive only
a limited amount of money if I work for someone else. On the
other hand, freelancing offers me the opportunity of working
while being anywhere in the world. Imagine the
possibilities!
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Do you get manuscripts from non-native speakers or only
from native speakers?
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From both; I have edited for a number of Chinese, Japanese,
and Egyptian scientists working at the University of Hawaii,
for whom English is not a native language. I think that the
most frequent errors occur in long sentences-compound and
complex sentences that are difficult for readers to
understand. Yes, it is always better to employ short and
declarative sentences with a simple subject and/or object.
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How do you actually go about editing manuscripts?
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My process involves first reading the entire article,
keeping in mind the overall meaning and context. Next, I
look at each paragraph-each paragraph should have an initial
sentence that states what that paragraph is about. I check
the integrity of each paragraph to see if there is a new
thought or idea or something that is being explained through
the paragraph, and whether it is being expressed accurately.
Next, I go through the sentences in terms of their structure
and try to simplify or clarify their meaning. Finally of
course, I check for any typographical errors or
misspellings.
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In your opinion, can anyone whose native language is
English, and who has a sound editing strategy, become an
editor?
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I do not think everyone can become an editor. Editing
requires a sense of language and great attention to detail.
Few people have such skills. Also, the editor must enjoy
writing. Some people think that brushing up sentences
written by others is a small thing, but it is not so.
I am always careful not to kill the author's voice. I clear
up the author's meaning and make it easier for readers to
understand, while keeping the author's style intact. A
balance between these two seemingly contradictory goals can
only be achieved by specialists who have received adequate
training. And, it goes without saying that keeping oneself
updated about the latest happenings in one's area of
expertise at all times is a must for all good editors.
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How do keep yourself abreast of the latest happenings in
a highly specialized area such as yours?
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I spend most of the day reading books or writing on topics
related to my field of expertise. In the meantime, I am
working on a non-fiction book called "What's wrong with
my plant," which will be published by Timber Press, the
leading horticultural publisher in the U.S.
The book is about diagnosing plant diseases; so, I spend a
considerable part of the time reading related reference
material. It will be of help to anybody who intends to grow
plants, either in their homes or in their gardens or yards.
It will help you gain knowledge of various problems
experienced by plants, such as those related to their
nutrition and environment, excess sunlight, too little
water, attacks by insects, diseases, etc.
I will be happy if I can continue to edit for 3-4 hours a
day, and then indulge in activities like bird watching,
hiking, and gardening. I would like to continue to live such
a life.
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Note that the views expressed on this page are of the person
interviewed and do not necessarily reflect the views of Enago as
a company. Please contact
feedback@enago.com if
you have any questions regarding the content of this interview.
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