When it comes to choosing writers and editors for projects, you need the right person for the job. Not everyone can work with any kind of text. Some prefer working on fiction, for instance, while others are great at travel books. Certain areas are very specialized though. For example, if you're going to produce a book that engineers would use, you need an engineering technical writer and editor.
Many people think that technical writers and editors should be qualified specialists in the subject they're writing about. However, this isn't always the case. While it's certainly ideal to have an engineer writing or editing your book, it's more important to choose someone who can write and edit well, even if they know nothing about engineering.
One reason why engineers don't automatically make a good choice is that they may assume that their readers will already understand the concepts in the text. However, someone new to the field may not always know what certain terms mean. People with a background in writing and editing know this and will ensure that they explain every concept in a way that is easy to understand.
It's very important that the members of your team will know how to do research. Moreover, they should be prepared to do so and be willing to learn something new. They shouldn't just accept what one source says as fact but should cross-check different sources. If they can find ways to understand the different concepts, they'll be better able to explain these concepts in a way that will make it easier for their readers to grasp too.
Naturally you need to look at the candidates' grammar and spelling too. This is especially important when choosing someone to do the editing, since this person's job is to correct any grammatical and spelling mistakes the author may have made and to improve sentence structure to make the text more readable. However, you can save a lot of time and money by choosing an author who gets it right in the first place.
One thing to remember is that because your writing and editing team don't necessarily know much about the subject, factual errors may slip through. In a text for engineers this can have disastrous consequences. Therefore, as an extra measure of quality control, find a subject specialist, in other words an engineer, to go through the edited text to ensure it's accurate. This person doesn't need to look at the language but simply at the content.
If you don't already have access to a database of language practitioners who can be members of your team, one good route to go is to advertise the job on a freelancing website. Then, check the backgrounds of the different applicants to see whether they have the experience and expertise you need. Also go through the feedback each candidate has received from previous employers. You may also ask for a short writing or editing sample before making your final choice.
Also remember that professional language practitioners won't work for rates that are far below average. Therefore, ensure that your budget allows for market-related remuneration. Be realistic about the time frame in which to complete the project too. Taking a little more time will produce a better end product.
Many people think that technical writers and editors should be qualified specialists in the subject they're writing about. However, this isn't always the case. While it's certainly ideal to have an engineer writing or editing your book, it's more important to choose someone who can write and edit well, even if they know nothing about engineering.
One reason why engineers don't automatically make a good choice is that they may assume that their readers will already understand the concepts in the text. However, someone new to the field may not always know what certain terms mean. People with a background in writing and editing know this and will ensure that they explain every concept in a way that is easy to understand.
It's very important that the members of your team will know how to do research. Moreover, they should be prepared to do so and be willing to learn something new. They shouldn't just accept what one source says as fact but should cross-check different sources. If they can find ways to understand the different concepts, they'll be better able to explain these concepts in a way that will make it easier for their readers to grasp too.
Naturally you need to look at the candidates' grammar and spelling too. This is especially important when choosing someone to do the editing, since this person's job is to correct any grammatical and spelling mistakes the author may have made and to improve sentence structure to make the text more readable. However, you can save a lot of time and money by choosing an author who gets it right in the first place.
One thing to remember is that because your writing and editing team don't necessarily know much about the subject, factual errors may slip through. In a text for engineers this can have disastrous consequences. Therefore, as an extra measure of quality control, find a subject specialist, in other words an engineer, to go through the edited text to ensure it's accurate. This person doesn't need to look at the language but simply at the content.
If you don't already have access to a database of language practitioners who can be members of your team, one good route to go is to advertise the job on a freelancing website. Then, check the backgrounds of the different applicants to see whether they have the experience and expertise you need. Also go through the feedback each candidate has received from previous employers. You may also ask for a short writing or editing sample before making your final choice.
Also remember that professional language practitioners won't work for rates that are far below average. Therefore, ensure that your budget allows for market-related remuneration. Be realistic about the time frame in which to complete the project too. Taking a little more time will produce a better end product.
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