A History Edited - The Need & Scarcity of Editors
- Broken Keys Publishing
- Sep 21
- 3 min read
Aoccdrnig to rscheearch done by Graham Rawlinson at Notthingham Uinervtisy in 1976 – not Cmabrigde Uinervtisy – showed that raeders cduol sitll uesdnstnrd wrods whotuit pboerim even wenh the ltteres were a taotl mses.
Tihs is bcuseae the hmuan brain dseno't raed ervey lteter by istlef, but rather raeds wrods as a wlohe.
If you can read the above (and you can), it is because our brain auto-corrects. It is because our brain does not read letters, but whole words, like images or symbols. And it is proof positive why editing is needed.
Editing is a challenge on so many levels.
The world changed on June 1st, 1980, the day CNN launched live and began offering 24-hour a day news. News became a commodity rather than something to report. In the need for - not only more and more news - but to be the first to report it, it would be inevitable that something would have be sacrificed in this race. And that something would be accuracy, truth, and due-diligence. Speed was the ultimate value. After all, incorrect news would be updated, redacted, corrected at a later date. The editors would be the first casualty.
This would spill into newsprint, this need to be first to report on a breaking scene. Followed by repetition, repetition, and more repetition. (Worthy news is finite, after all). I know. I was there. Half-way through this spreading cascading effect, I was working at a local newspaper.
And the ripples of this effect would spread far and wide, striking numerous industries, including authors, poets, writers, book makers, and publishers. Over the course of the past four-and-a-half decades. we find ourselves at this crossroads.
Nearly half a century later, the problems and challenges are multifold.
Nature abhors a void, and the post-fallout of this decimation of the editing community and industry, countless online editors vie and compete for your services, but so precious few are legitimate, qualified editors. Running someone's manuscript through a word processor isn't editing.
Combine this with the phenomena of the Rise of the Indie-author of the 20-teens, the flooding of the market with new self-published authors, and the scarcity only exacerbates, or is fulfilled with editing-alternatives and beta-readers, and in some cases, outright omitted. (No editing).
As we are now well entrenched in the mid-20-twenties, we are seeing the rise of the Small-Medium-Sized publishers and presses, and the plateauing off of the Indie-authors, I suspect because these Small-Mid-Sized publishers and presses are collecting the indie-authors, polishing, and shining them with their specialized skillsets, and honing them into something much more marketable.
Which, once again, brings us back to editing and editors. I think we've acknowledged that there's no such thing as a perfect or flawless book. I think we've acknowledged that there most definitely is a place for beta-readers...and we're only slowly returning to the idea that true and proper editors are a necessity and a valued commodity. The opening two paragraphs of this article prove that we cannot do it ourselves. (Self-editing alone, is not a viable option). Our eyes can't be trusted.
It has been a long road, but as of November 2024, we have added a qualified editor to our roster, and we continue to work diligently and search far and wide for additional resources (including additional editors).
This is the story of our journey; to bring more and better services to our authors, poets, writers, and clientele.
In April 2022 we opened the imprint, Broken Keys Publishing - KIDS!, publishing children's books. In September of this same year we opened the imprint, Broken Keys Publishing & Press, offering printing services.
In March of 2024, we began the green initiative of Sustainable Publishing*, focusing on the environmental impact of lithium battery from e-readers, cell phones, laptops, and eBooks.
In June of 2024 we became able to offer our authors hardcover books and dust jackets, and in November of this same year we became able to offer a broader range of editing services, and just this month (September 2025) we can now offer bookbinding services.
At Broken Keys Publishing, we don't believe one size fits all,
and we can customize a service that fits your needs.
* You can show your support of Sustainable Publishing! Sustainable Publishing t-shirts and mugs are available at The Book's Better Bookshop!
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