The Best Way To Find The Right Academic Editor To Help You Publish Your Manuscript

An old witticism provides the following definition of a camel. Camel: A horse designed by a committee.

How is this relevant to journal article editing? I’ll get back to its relevance below.

True Peaks vs. False Peaks

From personal hiking experience, reaching a false peak is truly a very difficult moment. Just when you thought you made it to the top, you realize that you are only halfway there. From personal writing experience, there is a similar moment, when you have concluded your creative work in completing your manuscript, only to realize that the road to publication is still full of many twists, turns and challenging ascents, in the forms of editing and proofreading.

Of course, the above analogy is incomplete. While the completion of a trail only requires you to double your efforts by repetition (still not an easy feat), covering the distance to publication will require doubling efforts based on skills and know-how that is only tenuously related to the earlier part of the academic writing process.

Camels vs. Horses

Now back to the camel. Although I truly appreciate the humorous barb aimed at camels and committees, plunk me down in the Sahara Desert, and I’ll take a camel any day over a horse. Quite simply, the former will thrive, while the latter will likely not survive. The world of publication can be as harsh as the Sahara, and while attempting to traverse it, you should always opt for the camel. Never the horse. Or in other words, you need professional editing assistance from others.

Up until the point when you complete your writing, you are the professional taking the lead. Working single-handedly or with others, you have been in the driving seat. However, in the journey towards publication, whether a book, manuscript, or research article, having a great support team, functioning as a committee, is crucial.

This team-committee consists of you - the author, the editor, and proofreader.

As the author, you did so much more than just type words. You are the visionary and the creator of a new area of research that has not yet been explored. If this is the case, why do you really need an editor?

Why do you need editing services?

In your published work, it is safe to assume that you would wish that your readers give proper and full attention to your ideas and conclusions. To ensure this, you must turn over your work to another professional – your editor.

A good editor will focus on the macro-level of your manuscript. This includes verifying the following key elements:

• The overarching logical flow of your entire manuscript and its various sections.
• The consistency of the tone throughout the work.
• The uniformity of style.
• The rule and regulations of grammar and language.

Taking all this into consideration, your editor should prepare the material for publication by correcting, condensing, or otherwise modifying the paper to make sure it meets academic standards.

Journal and Book Manuscript Editing

Here are some things to look for when seeking the editor who is best for your research paper:

• A good editor will be able to edit your work in a way that your target audience will not even be aware of the fact that it was originally translated or written by a non-native speaker.
• A good editor will ensure the nuances of your work reflect cultural differences in the final text.
• A good editor should have a relevant background in the field they are working on.
• A good editor will have experience helping scholars publish in their field and working with the journal style guide.

If you are able to find the editor who can provide all of the above, you are in very good hands indeed. Nevertheless, be sure to ask for a sample before you start to make sure they are the right fit for you.

Since you already are a talented researcher, adding the right editor at your side will bring you well on the way to assembling the best committee possible. The result, of course, will not be a horse but rather the desired camel.

Practical Steps for Checking Your Academic Editor

In addition to the abstract above, here is a list of five concrete actions you can readily take:

• Request recommendations from colleagues.
• Ask for a sample of previous work or of your text (up to 250 words is acceptable).
• Check if your university/college has a list of recommended editors.
• Post a message on a professional forum in your field.
• Schedule a time to speak with us. We can help.

How We Can Help

Academic Language Experts can help you overcome the challenges of academic publication and submit your paper with confidence. With handpicked editors who are experts in their respective fields, we are proud to have the top language experts from around the world, many of whom are academic scholars themselves.

We have worked on journal article editing for hundreds of articles, and provided numerous other author services, in a vast array of academic fields. Many of the manuscripts we have worked on have been published in high Journal Impact Factor publications around the world. Thanks to our unique 5-step process, hundreds of scholars have published their research. You can request a number of free sample edits of a portion of your text, and then choose your preferred editor to work on your text.

WHY US?

We have edited thousands of articles, which have been successfully published in respected journals and books. All of our projects are completed by an expert in your field and then proofread by a second language expert. We work with you throughout the process to ensure you are satisfied with the end result.