What does an editor do?
When I was a kid, I loved to read a lot of stories. I was enchanted by books, and thought it'd be wonderful that if I could make books when I grow up. I thought it was a writer who make a book. But a writer seemed too faraway for me. I didn't think I could be. Then I found that it was not a writer, but a printer who actually make a book. I thought a printer may easier to be, but somehow, it sounded not attractive. Maybe it was because of my uncle who was a printer. He was specialized for stickers, and didn't make any book.
If I knew a word "editor," I would have thought it was what I wanted to be. A writer writes a story, but he will not make a book. A printer may prints, but printing is not making a book. It is an editor who makes a book. Somehow the dream of my childhood had come true, and I became an editor. I've made many books. But still, I find it difficult to explain my job. What is an editor anyway? A writer writes. A printer prints. There is a designer, proofreader, typesetter, DTP operator, and binder if you need. What do you need an editor for?
I don't know much about editorial in other languages, but in Japanese publishing, there are many odd jobs that an editor has to do. He writes, do layout, proofreads, and designs. He makes up plans, finds a writer, reads manuscripts, and gives an advise or two to a writer. Sometimes he encourage a writer, and sometimes discourage him. Often, he doesn't put his hands on layout and book design, just assign them to a designer. If time and budget allows, he doesn't proofread at all, just give it to a proofreader. In some cases, he writes or rewrites most of the book he is working, and does everything by himself. In other cases, he doesn't do almost nothing at all, just pass a script to a printer. In many cases, he does something in between, depending on his status, ability, and nature of the book or plan he is working on.
Now you know why it is hard to explain what an editor is for. You can make a book without an editor, while an editor alone can make a book. He can do everything, but he doesn't do everything. Sometimes as an editor, I feel that I don't know what I am doing. I do what is needed to make a book, but I always know that the book can be made without what I am doing. Am I working in vein?
But you need an editor to make a good book. I know it in my experience. You cannot make it without an editor, although he sometimes doesn't do anything at all.
What I do is a series of many odd jobs to make a book. I call it editing. What an editor do is editing, and editing is what an editor do. I know this explains nothing, but that is life as it is.
If I knew a word "editor," I would have thought it was what I wanted to be. A writer writes a story, but he will not make a book. A printer may prints, but printing is not making a book. It is an editor who makes a book. Somehow the dream of my childhood had come true, and I became an editor. I've made many books. But still, I find it difficult to explain my job. What is an editor anyway? A writer writes. A printer prints. There is a designer, proofreader, typesetter, DTP operator, and binder if you need. What do you need an editor for?
I don't know much about editorial in other languages, but in Japanese publishing, there are many odd jobs that an editor has to do. He writes, do layout, proofreads, and designs. He makes up plans, finds a writer, reads manuscripts, and gives an advise or two to a writer. Sometimes he encourage a writer, and sometimes discourage him. Often, he doesn't put his hands on layout and book design, just assign them to a designer. If time and budget allows, he doesn't proofread at all, just give it to a proofreader. In some cases, he writes or rewrites most of the book he is working, and does everything by himself. In other cases, he doesn't do almost nothing at all, just pass a script to a printer. In many cases, he does something in between, depending on his status, ability, and nature of the book or plan he is working on.
Now you know why it is hard to explain what an editor is for. You can make a book without an editor, while an editor alone can make a book. He can do everything, but he doesn't do everything. Sometimes as an editor, I feel that I don't know what I am doing. I do what is needed to make a book, but I always know that the book can be made without what I am doing. Am I working in vein?
But you need an editor to make a good book. I know it in my experience. You cannot make it without an editor, although he sometimes doesn't do anything at all.
What I do is a series of many odd jobs to make a book. I call it editing. What an editor do is editing, and editing is what an editor do. I know this explains nothing, but that is life as it is.
posted by Jun | 7:23 AM
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