When most people think of “editing,” they probably think of things like fixing spelling, correcting grammar, and tightening up sentence structure. However, there is another element to editing that can often go unnoticed, which is editing for your audience.

Before you begin editing, you have to know who your audience is—as in, who will be reading this content? What is the designated demographic that this content is supposed to reach, or appeal to? Knowing your audience well will ensure you can tailor your edits and suggestions to their level of knowledge and expertise.

References

In this case, I’m not referring to the usual round-up of sources at the end of a document that list the published materials consulted by the author. Instead, when editing content for a specific audience, you need to know what kind of references they are going to understand.

What are they going to be familiar with? If the author has used an analogy containing a historical reference, will the reader be able to appropriately parse that information to understand what the author’s meaning is? 

The same goes for cultural references. As the editor, if you don’t fully understand the author’s intended meaning, it might be a good idea to add a flag or comment asking them for clarification, or confirmation that their readership will have the background knowledge to understand the reference.
This can come up when editing academic documents as well. The author might be writing a journal article for people in a certain field, such as education or medicine. Readers of the journal, who have studied and practised in that field, may understand what the author’s meaning is, even if you aren’t quite sure yourself. Flagging instances like this doesn’t do any harm, and the author will more than likely respond with “Yes, readers of the journal will be familiar with this reference.”

Language Selection

Similar to being familiar with references, it’s important to understand if the intended readership will have prior understanding or knowledge of terminology specific to the content. If you’re editing a document that is related to a certain industry, it might be likely that you encounter a word, term, or phrase that you don’t understand. Usually this can be solved with some Google sleuthing, but if, after checking it out, you’re still not quite sure what the author is trying to say, then it may be a good idea to flag it so that the author can check and make sure they haven’t gotten mixed up. 

Keep in mind, however, that there is a difference between industry-specific language and jargon. Jargon refers to “special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand.” While some jargon is not so bad, especially if it’s used within its intended context and meant for readers who will understand its meaning, it more often encompasses unnecessarily complicated language that is used to impress, rather than to inform, an audience, and should therefore be avoided.

Bias

Gender Bias

One important thing to look out for when editing is gender bias. You might have heard the old riddle that goes as follows: A man and his son are in a car accident and are rushed to the hospital in critical condition. The boy requires immediate surgery and is brought to the operating room. However, the surgeon looks at the boy and shouts, “I can’t operate on him, he’s my son!” How could this be? 

The answer, of course, is that the surgeon is the boy’s mother. However, in a 2017 BBC video illustrating gender bias in action, only one respondent was able to come to the correct conclusion. The video shows that the idea of a surgeon being a woman is just simply not the conclusion that people tend to jump to (one respondent instead came to the conclusion that the surgeon was the father’s ghost, somehow).

That is gender bias in action, and editors can help combat such bias by editing for biased language in their practice. And editing organizations are following suit—many style manuals, including the newest editions of the Chicago Manual of Style and AMA Manual of Style, have been updated to include statements about and recommendations for avoiding gender-biased language. For example, editors can watch to ensure that authors are making sure not to automatically use male pronouns in hypotheticals, and only mentioning gender differences when relevant. 

You can also ensure that gender-neutral terminology is used wherever possible; for example, instead of using “chairman,” use “chairperson.” Similarly, swap out “mailman” for “postal worker/mail carrier,” and “fireman” for “firefighter.” This extends to common phrases such as “mankind,” to which you could likely easily use “humanity” instead.

Racial Bias

The likelihood that you as an editor will encounter an outright racial slur is low (though it does happen), but it’s important to also watch for ethnic slurs that might fly under the radar. As Amy Einsohn writes in The Copyeditor’s Handbook,

Some authors will use derivative terms that may strike some readers as insensitive. Controversies abound: Are colloquial verbs like gyp and welsh (or welch) offensive? Do expressions such as Dutch treat, French letter, and Siamese twins (scientists now use conjoined twins) promote stereotyping? Or are phrases objectionable only when they attribute negative characteristics to the named group: Indian giver, French leave, Dutch uncle? Should writers avoid metaphors in which the adjective black is used to connote discredit (black sheep), illegality (black market), or exclusion (blackball, blacklist)? (p. 410)

She concludes that “perhaps it is better to err on the side of caution than to run roughshod over entire nationalities, cultures and social groups,” and highlights “the power (or tyranny) of language.”

 
And really, what’s the issue with erring on the side of caution? We have an abundance of words that are available to us—it’s really not that hard to switch out one that could be viewed as offensive for a word that will just as aptly describe whatever it is you’re going for.

Unfortunately, language selections of decades past linger and stagnate while our viewpoints, perspectives, and understandings have continued to evolve. We cannot change the history of language and the way it has been used in the past, but one thing we can do is to make a conscious effort to address the practicality of how we use language (and the power—or tyranny—that it holds) to reinforce equality, instead of propping up and reinforcing inequality.

Editors have often been considered the gatekeepers of information, and it’s our job to ensure that we are watching for accurate representation and balance.

So, Keep Your Audience in Mind!

As editors, it’s our job to ensure that a piece of writing or content is clear, easy to understand, and well-written. That, of course, encompasses grammar, spelling, and clarity, but it’s important to remember also that what one audience will find easy to understand and comprehend, another audience may not. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing! 

If you’re editing an article for a legal journal, it’s probably going to be the case that the average reader might not understand some of the language and terminology that is going to be used. But then, the average reader is not the intended audience—other lawyers are, who will have the background knowledge, education, and experience to easily understand the author’s meaning.

Not every piece of content has to be completely understood by everyone, and that’s because not every piece of content is intended for everyone! And, as the editor, it’s part of your job to tailor your approach to each project by keeping this in mind.