: Re: What exactly is an editor? I recently read the assertion that many great works of fiction were chiefly down the contribution of a good editor. I must admit I was a little taken aback by this

@Debbie451

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There are different levels of editing which are lumped together under the same term, which might be what's confusing you.

"Syntax glitches and spelling" is line editing, aka proofreading, sometimes called copyediting. Similar to this is fact-checking, where the editor is looking up anything based in reality or researching anything made up for plausibility.

Pointing out things which don't work in terms of plot, character, setting, world-building, etc. is content editing, also called developmental editing. Whether phrased nicely as a suggestion or bluntly as a direction, the editor is saying that something about the story itself has to be changed. (This is what you're calling "critique," which isn't totally inaccurate, but critiquing leans more towards style and less towards mechanics.)

The assertion which you heard refers to the idea that a writer and editor (one single editor) work together over multiple drafts to shape a book. The writer is the person coming up with the main idea, the plot, the characters, and the actual words. The editor points out what is and isn't working, suggests moving this bit to over there in that chapter, points out where foreshadowing could be inserted, objects to out-of-character behavior, and chops out chunks of unnecessary narration (among other things).

A good editor is someone who works with you, someone who respects your style and your ideas but pushes you to improve. Speaking as both a writer and an editor, I think what goes on the page is ultimately the writer's privilege and responsibility. So an editor's job is to suggest, and make arguments in support of suggestions, but the writer gets the final decision.

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