An editor is a person who proofreads a document for errors and makes suggestions for changes in terms of grammar as well as style and tone. This person, or any writer who cannot hire a professional editor, must have editing skills that include a keen eye for detail, an extensive and thorough knowledge of the language being written, grammatical rules, and knowledge of current trends in literature or the type of writing being done. Sometimes the editor must have job-specific knowledge as well, as his or her editing skills will directly relate in some instances to the topic being written about.
A business document, for example, may require a person with editing skills as well as knowledge of the topic. Without such knowledge, the person doing the editing may not be able to spot topical mistakes or factual errors concerning the issues being discussed. Many businesses or corporations will hire in-house editors who have writing and editing skills as well as experience or background in the topic being discussed to ensure each document is impeccably written and edited. Other businesses may require the services of an editor who has a broader range of knowledge to tackle several topics.
An editor is responsible in some cases for proofreading a document as well. This means scouring the written work for basic errors such as spelling mistakes, improper punctuation or missing, letter capitalization, spacing and indentation errors, and so on. This process is usually done more than once before the document is considered edited properly, and it is usually both the first and last step in the process. The person doing the reading must have editing skills that focus on picking up on errors, noticing consistency with verb tenses, making sure subjects and verbs of sentences agree with each other, taking note of missing or incorrect punctuation, and so on.
The editor may also make stylistic suggestions to the writer. This means the editor will have an active hand in altering the meaning and delivery of the information in the text. Sometimes an editor may make changes, suggestions regarding the tone of a piece of writing, or for clarifying a prominent theme or idea. In this sense, the editor is sometimes a collaborator rather than just an editor, and the writer can discuss such major changes before making them. Sometimes it may be suggested that entire parts of a written work be altered or eliminated; in fiction, it may be recommended that a character may be eliminated entirely from a story, for example. The editor will need to have a firm understanding of this type of prose to make such suggestions.
