“So, what do you edit?” I’ve been asked when meeting new people.

Blink. Blink. How do I describe my work?

Let me take you back a bit. I started as an editorial assistant at a national dog magazine, despite owning precisely zero dogs and being allergic to them to boot, and left as managing editor.

This is where versatility first made its appearance. As a “non-dog” person, I brought clear vision, unencumbered by familiarity with that world, which helped me add clarity, concision and flow to the articles – valuable aspects to the publisher and the magazine’s readers.

Regardless of its new-to-me subject, the magazine gave me a solid editorial foundation, from brainstorming story ideas and editing submissions to keeping production on track and checking page proofs.

I brought this wear-all-the-editing-hats experience to my next gig as founder of Think Communications, applying what I’d learned to other formats, including books, newsletters, reports and theses. 

I began working with several fiction and memoir writers. I gradually took on more non-fiction and subject-matter-expertise projects – again, all new to me. My I-know-nothing topics have included law, medicine, earth science, social and financial policy, government resources, social welfare material and website localization.

How does my editing benefit these clients? I see the material objectively, clearly, as a first-time reader. It seems logical that if I, a somewhat intelligent reader, can’t understand something, other readers might not either. I help strengthen their work, catching inconsistencies, logic gaps and ambiguity, and even factual errors.

The biggest benefit for me? I get to learn new things while helping others convey important ideas or information. Making a message easier to understand and relate to is so rewarding.

Now, when asked about what I edit, I usually say I’m a generalist. “I work on everything, within reason.” That means barring topics I find offensive or troubling or in cases where the material is far beyond me (subject-matter material geared to an expert audience, for example).

So, does versatility strengthen my editorial work? After thinking it through here, I’d have to say yes. Absolutely yes.

And I have a better answer now about what I do as an editor: I work with clients on an almost-unlimited range of topics to help them communicate effectively and connect with their readers.