An de Fortier completed the Copy-editing and Proofreading and the Grammar for Writers Courses at SA Writers’ College. In a few short years, she has become a sought-after editor specialising in scientific texts and non-fiction books written in many genres in South Africa. We caught up with An to discover how her SAWC courses impacted her career and landed her a seat on the executive committee of the Professional Editors’ Guild of South Africa.
Q: Can you please tell us about some of your editing jobs since completing the course?
[ADF] When I started off, I focused on what I was most familiar with – editing academic texts in the field of natural science (biological work mostly). This included peer-reviewed journal articles and examinable texts like theses, dissertations and grant applications and project proposals. I then expanded into other fields like environmental and earth sciences. Joining the Professional Editors Guild then facilitated networking, which catapulted me into the world of editing self-published non-fiction books. I started with genres I was most familiar with (horticulture, e.g. Spekboom Bonsai Masterclass, by Dr Andre Swart) and then expanded into other areas of non-fiction (personal finance, e.g. Change Your Perspective, Change Your Life by Estelle Pieterse; memoirs, e.g. The path I didn’t plan by Imraan Soomra; business leadership, e.g. The Equilibrium Code by Dr Tebogo Selebano; self-help, e.g. Beyond the Nest: A Guide for Moms When Kids Leave Home by Janine Nijs), learning as I went.
Each new project I take on offers learning and growth opportunities, not only in the sphere of editing and the publishing environment but also in the personal realm. Working with authors is such a fulfilling experience as they bring so much insight from their respective fields to the table.
Currently, I balance my time between smaller academic projects and a variety of non-fiction books. I aim to further expand my service offering to larger academic and educational text projects and recipe and craft/hobby books.
Q: What was the biggest gap in your editing skills before you started the course, and what was different after?
[ADF] I already had extensive experience in academic writing and scientific editing, so many of my editorial decisions were initially based on experience and intuition, and completing the Grammar for Writers course set me up beautifully by refreshing my language proficiency. Therefore, the main gap for me was formal training in professional editing practice. The course helped me develop a systematic approach by strengthening my understanding of the different levels of editing, the appropriate degree of editorial intervention, and the importance of consistency, house style and style sheets. It also helped me refine my judgement about when to correct, query or leave text unchanged.
The course gave me a clearer professional framework for skills I had already developed through academic and practical experience, and made my editing process more consistent, deliberate and defensible.
Q: What was something you didn’t expect to learn or that changed how you think about copy-editing and proofreading?
[ADF] One thing I did not expect was how important it is to preserve the author’s individual voice and writing style rather than simply making the text conform to my own preferences. I was also surprised by how much ‘grey area’ there is in technical language practice. Many editorial decisions are not simply right or wrong, so I learnt that the key is to make decisions that are defensible, appropriate to the context and, above all, applied consistently throughout the text.
Q: What would you say to someone who’s on the fence about signing up for this course?
[ADF] If you are thinking about getting into editing but are not quite sure where to start, this course is a great first step. It is easy to follow, practical and not at all overwhelming, which makes it ideal when you are new to the field. It also gives you a real confidence boost as you work through the material, and that is incredibly valuable when you are starting out and still learning to trust your own editorial judgement.
This course launched me into the editing world, and just a few years in, I am fully immersed and loving it! I even serve on the executive committee of the Professional Editors’ Guild!
Visit An’s website showcasing her editing services here.
