What is the function of an editor? I ask myself this question on a daily basis to reinforce the benefits of the service I provide. I really enjoy the challenge posed by a piece that needs significant rewriting. This rewriting requires a lot of concentration, and it's this sustained intellectual activity that brings me the most joy. However, I know I need to be cautious when making alterations; I know how delicate is the task of changing words written by another, and I don't want to do violence to the text. Furthermore, I understand how justified and priceless the changes I effect should be.
A good editor has an eye for simplicity. In my opinion, the most important requirement for good writing is that it must be clear. I do see the facilitation of truth and brevity as my primary purpose. The meaning should be present and reflected in the words on the page. This alignment actually runs parallel to the first dictionary definition of the word 'meaning'; meaning is the very thing that a word represents. There is a one-to-one relationship in language occurring between idea and expression. Correspondingly, in good writing there is a one-to-one relationship between a sentence or paragraph and reality itself. Simplicity is beautiful. There's no need to be florid for the sake of being respected as an expert or revered as a luminary.
A good editor facilitates flow. Good writing is not labored. The writer should not have to prove herself through tense effort that produces clumsy, overdone prose. This frequently occurs when the writer's meaning is absent. One who does not know what she wants to say is not expressing anything at all when she struggles to produce a sentence. The true sentence should itself be found at the foreground of the writer's mind, or in her subconscious where it can be drawn out through reflection. The statement must be located somewhere within the writer as a statement or form of her perception or experience. She must seek the inner truth instead of pretending. It cannot be contrived in a way that produces a false sense of rigor and strained emphasis. Why fabricate when the truth is so much more interesting? Readers will see through the ruse, and the writing won't make sense or be interesting.
A good editor knows how to tease out the truth the writer is trying to express. Heavy copy editing requires that I be of one mind with the author, or at least very familiar with what the author is trying to say. Clarity is difficult to achieve if the writer is unclear about meaning. I may have to ask questions—maybe even question after question aimed at getting to the truth of her experience—to discern the best way to express an idea that can be difficult to express, or to find the reality behind the inadequate word. We should all strive to express ourselves accurately in the most fluent way possible. Simplicity and knowing what you want to express is key.
In other words, use your words, but don't warp your meaning. A good editor seeks the truth alongside the author!