Learning Something New Every Day

Before my mom retired, she always used to joke that she learned something new every day. When I was younger, I used to dread the idea of learning something new every day because I thought that meant I would never truly be an expert in my field. It’s only now that I’ve started freelance editing that I understand the value of being in a constant state of learning (and that it doesn’t mean you’re not an expert).

I’ve seen some freelance editors on social media judging others for not knowing certain things about editing. “If you’re qualified to edit, you really should know X, Y, and Z.” And while this is true to some extent, I hate to think what editors would become if we all adopted this mentality. We wouldn’t be very good editors, that’s for sure.

Even the best editors should learn something new, if not every day, then at least frequently. I’ve always had a pretty good grasp of English phrases and idioms, but when I first started taking editing classes, I was shocked to find out that the correct phrase is “homing in,” not “honing in.” Even now, more than a year after I first made the decision to pursue editing as a career, I find myself learning new things.

On top of that, editors who have a mentality of constantly learning are just…better editors in my opinion. The editors who don’t want to learn are the ones who give us a bad rap. Having an open mind is not only cohesive to editing, it’s important in life in general. Not to mention that it allows us to connect with writers more deeply, since we’re open to new ideas or information.

So, I suppose I should apologize to my mom for rolling my eyes every time she said she learned something new at her job. It turns out I’d end up adopting the same mindset in my own career.