I am an ideologically driven editor with experience in social media, press, critical research, and teaching fields, who seeks to explore complex topics thoroughly; pinpoint their rigorous, philosophical framework; and present them in insightful, concise ways that they may serve to engage, inform, and transform communities through effective communication across different platforms.
I've come to see editing as shepherding the conversation—facilitating written communication by identifying weaknesses in a way that brings growth, strength, and excitement rather than a mere stripping away. Writing, like speaking or singing, can be quite a personal affair. It is an expression of our voice, a sacred, creative plane of expression. As editors, we have the delicate task of calling this expression into a fuller maturity through love, presence, and relationship—much as a pastor calls his congregation into maturity in the expression of their daily lives.
Quite apart from any pride or ill-will, editorial work in its truest form is a humble work of service to the author. An editor is doing their job rightly when nobody recognizes that they exist. They are the friendly face of the "other" for the author to perfect their work against and simply serve to elevate a work and facilitate its engagement.
I didn't plan on becoming an editor. I had said that I wanted to become a pastor, and pursued that in my studies. But God has directed the heart of that calling away from a congregational expression and toward a literary one. Written words are transformative and impactful—and there is a great responsibility in presenting them to the public and the church.