How to work with an editor
By Mark Nichol | Posted: September 11, 2013
You’ve retained an editor’s services and have received the edited version of your manuscript or article, or you are reviewing the work of a staff or freelance editor working for a publication you have submitted your content to.
你聘僱編輯者的服務，並已收到您的稿件或文章編輯後的版本，或者您正在審核您幕僚的工作或自由編輯工作者為你提交的內容所做的出版物。
If you haven’t worked with an editor before, you may be disconcerted by the amount of editing that has been done. But whether you’re a novice or a veteran, these guidelines will help you have a productive relationship with the editor.
如果你以前未與一個編輯者共事過，你可能會對已經完成的編輯感到不安。但是，無論你是新手還是老手，這些準則將幫助你與編輯者共處成為一個富有成效的關係。
1. Respect objectivity
1。尊重客觀
An editor experiences your work dispassionately. Whether he or she simply engages with a decent manuscript or exults in the opportunity to help craft a classic, the editor is not emotionally involved. Take advantage of this fortunate fact by carefully considering any changes, comments, or suggestions the editor makes about your work
一個編輯者以冷靜體驗你的工作。無論他或她只是從事一個體面的手稿或狂喜的機會，以協助制定經典工藝，編輯者是沒有情緒涉入。利用編輯者運做你的工作這個幸運的事實以獲取機會仔細考慮任何異動，意見或建議。
Is a character in a novel too good or too evil, or inconsistent in behavior or inadequately portrayed? Is your how-to book poorly organized or too sparse or too dense? Have you inserted yourself too obtrusively into an essay? An editor will let you know. Trust his or her outside perspective. An editor is the reader’s representative, and as he or she reacts to the content, so, likely, will your intended readership.
在一本小說裡性格太好或太邪惡，或不一致的行為或不充分的描繪？你如何預訂病態組織或過於稀疏或過於密集？你是否將自己過於冒失的置入一篇文章呢？。編輯者將讓你知道， 相信他或她的外部視角觀點。編輯者代表讀者的典型，當他或他對內容有所反應，，因此，有可能的，你預期目標讀者。
2. Cool off
2。冷卻
If something an editor does or says puts you off, do not respond immediately. Consider the substance, not the delivery, of the critique, then reply or accept the comment or the change with good grace or reject it with good grace based on its merits. Don’t be defensive. Good editors are generally diplomatic, but few people can avoid saying something the wrong way sometimes. (Editors should follow this advice from their end, too.)
如果編輯者的所作所為讓你延遲，不立即回應。考慮要義，而不是傳遞，或批判，然後回覆或接受意見或改變好的恩典或根據其實際情況善意拒絕。不要處於防禦姿態。良好的編輯者通常具外交的，但有時沒有幾個人能避免錯誤的方式說些什麼。（編輯者最終也應遵循這一建議。）
3. Pick your battles
3。選擇你的戰場
Editors reorganize syntax and replace words, among other tasks. Sometimes these are optional changes, made because the editor believes that another word or a recast sentence works better and sometimes because the original word is wrong or the original sentence is confusing or ungrammatical. In the former case, feel free to disagree, but understand that an editor may revise dozens or even hundreds of words or sentences, and you’re wise to let most of them pass without comment.
編輯者在任務當中重組語法和置換字詞。有時，這些都是可選的變化，因為編輯認為，另一個詞或重鑄句的效果更好，而且有時因為原詞是錯誤，或原句混亂或不合語法。在前者的情況下，感覺自由的表達不同意見，但須明白，編輯者可能修改幾十甚至上百的單詞或句子，而你需明智的讓他們大多通過不加評論。
That said, if you strongly believe in challenging a change, politely ask the editor about his or her rationale for making it. If the editor informs you that the revision corrects an error, thank him or her—perhaps before asking for clarification so that you can avoid repeating such mistakes—and move on. If a particular edit is discretionary but strongly advised, use your good judgment about accepting or rejecting it. (But see the next item’s second paragraph, too.)
這就是說，如果你堅信是在挑戰改變，禮貌地詢問他或她的理由而使其編輯。如果編輯告訴你，修訂錯誤以糾正，感謝他或她— 也許要求之前澄清，讓你能避免重複這樣的錯誤，繼續前進。如果一個特定的編輯者任意且強烈建議，使用你良好的判斷力接受或拒絕。（不過看到下一個項目的第二段也是。）
4. Be prepared to rewrite
4。準備改寫
When you work with a developmental editor, he or she will likely recommend that you do a lot of rewriting. (If you thought you had submitted the final draft, you were naive.) You will likely be advised to do significant reorganizing of sections and recasting of sentences. The editor will suggest that you add new content and delete existing material.
當你與有發展的編輯者工作，他或她可能會建議你做很多的改寫。（如果你想你已經提交了最終草案，你是天真的。）你可能會被告知要執行重大重組段落和句子重鑄。編輯者會建議你添加新的內容，並刪除現有的材料。
[相關閱讀： 在我們的公關作家峰會讓你的寫作技巧完美，並學習新的技術。]
[RELATED: Perfect your writing skills and learn new tips at our PR Writers Summit.]
A copy editor will send you a list of queries, or embed comments in the manuscript, or both. A good copy editor will usually understand what you were trying to say and will improve unclear or verbose content, but occasionally he or she may be unsure of your intent, or may ask you to confirm that the revision better reflects it. You are always welcome to revise a revision, and good editors are happy to know that they prompted you to come up with something better than both the original and their alteration
文字編輯者將送你一個查詢清單，或在稿件中嵌入意見，或兩者兼而有之。一個好的文字編輯者通常會明白你想說的以改善不清楚或冗長的內容，但偶爾他或她可能是不確定你的意圖，或者可能會要求您以修訂更好地將其反映。歡迎你隨時修改修訂，好的編輯者會很高興知道，他們促使你拿出更好的東西以使原著變更。
5。接受不可靠
Even the best editors sometimes misunderstand material or make a mistake. If you catch an editor’s error, go ahead and gloat a little, but then politely inform the editor, who should appreciate receiving clarification or learning something new. Forbearance is especially important if the content is especially esoteric or technical.
即使是最好的編輯者有時也會誤解材料或犯個錯誤。如果抓到編輯者的錯誤，繼續，雖有點幸災樂禍，但隨後禮貌地告知編輯者，他應該明白澄清或學習新的東西。寬容是特別重要的，如果內容是特別深奧或具技術性。
Of course, if errors are numerous or you are otherwise dissatisfied with the editing, or the relationship becomes strained for some reason, try to resolve the difficulty calmly. If your efforts are not productive, check in with a staff editor’s manager and ask for advice or action, or inform the freelance editor that you will pay him or her for the work already done but have decided to retain the services of another editor.
當然，如果錯誤眾多或在其他方面不滿編輯者，或出於某種原因讓之間的關係變得緊張，盡量心平氣和地解決困難。如果你的努力沒有效力，與專職編輯者的經理檢查，詢問意見或採取行動，或告知自由編輯者，在他或她工作已經完成時你將支付薪資，但決定保留另一個編輯者的服務。
A version of this article first appeared on DailyWritingTips.
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