DE as Coach

“If an author doesn’t know how to write, there’s nothing that an editor can do to help.” I’ve heard this opinion expressed by colleagues whose editorial judgment I deeply respect. It is true that a manuscript aspiring to literary heights cannot be lifted there by editing. But most authors of nonfiction wish only to communicate clearly, and an editor can certainly help a willing author to improve those skills. The DE is the author’s public speaking coach; her podium, the printed page.