It is not unusual for an editor in Britain or in the United States of America to tamper with a writer’s manuscript. For instance, where would F. Scott Fitzgerald have been without the scrupulous assistance of Max Perkins, or for that matter, Ernest Hemingway, in the early stages of his writing career? One could go on and on to include practically all the greatest writers, past and present, who have been assisted by the anonymous editor.

But can we extend the same principles of reshaping, revising and rewriting to Indian publishing conditions? Specifically, do we have the editors, in-house or outsourced, to fine-tune a work and make it more accessible for the reader? Sadly, we don’t have too many editors who have the taste, skills or passion for the work undertaken which requires close attention to details.

Yet, some editors in India have tried to emulate their distinguished counterparts in the West: either stuff has been added, taken out or ‘suitably edited for stylistic reasons’. Invariably, the results have been disastrous, which has led a distinguished academic to describe it as “editorial vandalism.” Is this charge justified and what, if any, are the reasons why some editors “vandalize”?

But, first, what do we mean by editing? Ideally, it means not what we need to put in, but what we can no longer take out. But this isn’t simple as it assumes that the editor has a firm grasp on language, syntax, logic and common sense, and also what has been described as “the voice of the story”. It also assumes that he has a reasonable grasp on the subject matter. But the combination of language, style and subject matter is not easy to come by; it is nurtured through experience and supplemented with a wide range of reading.

Since these abilities are rare, what editing in India boils down to are just two things. First, fact-checking of details — dates and places, quotations and their sources, and any information over which there may be some doubts. Experienced editors would also test the information for reliability and relevance and arrange and present it in a useful, accessible and effective way. This is always done in consultation with the author; otherwise, it invariably leads to differences between the editor and the author.

Second, to ‘clean’ the manuscript. This means to remove errors and make it consistent. What most writers need is not another writer but an editor. Yet, why do some editors intrude into the writer’s copy? First, because ours is an oral, not a written, culture. We tend to write too much to say too little. Second, very few writers have developed the patience and the care required for careful writing. So what should an editor in India do? Study the author (especially if you have access to his/her earlier writings) before you edit the copy.