The editor is a strict and fastidious person. He always sees errors and omissions in any text. But how does the editing process work? Few people know, but all stages of manuscript proofreading are based on the psychological model of any human activity.
Based on the work of psychologists, it is possible to construct a scheme for studying complex forms of human activity. Its structure:
- receiving the information;
- setting goals;
- creation of a pattern of behavior and a diagram of expected results;
- actions and their results.
Each point of the scheme is determined in the editorial work by specific practical stages.
The first component - the author's work goes to the editor. If it is a work of fiction, the editor will read the abstract, summary.
The second component is the editor sets tasks. They depend on external circumstances and the quality of the material. At this stage, the type of revision, the volume of the manuscript, the genre and the form of contact with the reader are determined.
The third component is an action plan for editing. The editor chooses the method of working on the text: independently, together with the author, or sending the manuscript for revision.
The last step is editing. The process is driven by a communication link between the reader, author and editor. Only the editor combines creativity and analyst. Therefore, psychologists conduct research in the work of the editor, when the imagination is processed by logic.
- this is the awareness of the text, a serious attitude to each word, understanding of the different shades of the narrative.
This is the ability to look at the text from the side of the reader. Thanks to the control, the text is corrected and reshaped, it becomes clear and easy to read. It is important to get a sense of the moment when you need to stop editing, otherwise over-processing will lead to simplicity of the text, which will only cause boredom.
For the author, the editor is the first reader who objectively evaluates the manuscript and begins to work on it together with the writer. The psychological model is used because, thanks to it, the editor maintains an active perception of the text and creates edits and recommendations for the author throughout the entire work on the text.
