Since No Name Losers did a guide similar to what I'm about to do right now and major kudos go to them, I felt that I should do this. Now, note that this is how I edit material. You don't have to follow everything I do, but this should be a good guide (hopefully) to help you get started. This guide won't cover how to edit with games because I doubt that I'll be working with games themselves. Besides, they're hard enough to find anyway and there are games that will take forever to edit with like any "Tokimeki Memorial" game, unless you're doing openings of a game. Oh and for those that don't have a fast connection, beware of the images that will pop out.
So, you want to be an editor? Though it may seem like an easy job, it is actually harder than it looks. Whether you're working with game guides or something else, it is harder than it looks. Adding on, if you become an editor or any other job like a timer, keep in mind that you do this for a hobby and nothing more. Though I edit for fun, the real big reason why I edit is because one day, I plan to be a historian, meaning that I'll write a lot of books and since I'll be working with books, editing will be a big part of my life.
Okay. I better get to the good stuff. So, how do you become a decent editor? First off, you have to decide what kind of editor you want to be. Why is this important? Though I'm about to give requirements of being an editor in general, each type of editor has different guidelines. After you decided on what kind of editor you want to be, look at the requirements down below and click on your section.
Oh yeah. Before I show the good stuff, if you want to know how I edit, I am always learning. I try to learn from mistakes of the past. I don't use slang, unless the word is from its respective language like "KoF" Ky's "Anta ja moero na," instead of "Anata wa moero na," or "You are really burned," (and to this day, I'm still not even 100% sure if the "ja" used in this case is really slang, though I know that "anta" is more used by girls than guys, not some sort of Japanese slang). The best way to say this, and I'll use Tagalog slang in a Japanese conversation for this case, is that if someone says "Yappari kimi wa osoi da Pagong-kun," I'll say "You are slow after all Pagong-kun," and then I'll put down a note like this: Note: "Pagong", which normally means "turtle", is Tagalog slang for "slow". While I'm at it, I do the little tasks like capitalizing when I'm supposed to.
Requirements
A good grasp of grammar - Despite the fact that English is my second worst subject, some people ask me to correct their papers or do quality checks (and that's what "q.c." stands for if you don't know) because I know my grammar, though I may have my kinks.
A year of Japanese, Korean, Chinese or any other language at least or the ability to be fluent in the language you’re working with - This may be optional, but I find that my Japanese classes had helped me out in terms of editing. Personally, I should change "optional" to "recommended". It's up to you if you take a class or not, but like I said, I found my classes beneficial. As for the latter, it sure helps.
The ability to analyze what's in front of you - There are various meanings to this. When you want to edit a subject's text, you have to study the subject itself. You also have to know if there are cases you can get away with sentences you need to put in different words. No Name Losers does go in full detail on this analyzing matter.
A pair of dictionaries - Isn't it obvious? You need a pair of dictionaries and by that, I mean an English dictionary (or a dictionary of your native language) and a dictionary that translates from either Japanese or the language you’re working with to English (or your native language, if you can find one). Not only will you get the correct spelling, but you will also find the meanings of certain subjects if you don't have the resources of your subject in front of you. If you don't know what I meant by that last point, the best example I can come up with, if you have the resources, is Ani-Kraze's "Monster".
's "Anta ja moero na," instead of "Anata wa moero na," or "You are really burned," (and to this day, I'm still not even 100% sure if the "ja" used in this case is really slang, though I know that "anta" is more used by girls than guys, not some sort of Japanese slang). The best way to say this, and I'll use Tagalog slang in a Japanese conversation for this case, is that if someone says "Yappari kimi wa osoi da Pagong-kun," I'll say "You are slow after all Pagong-kun," and then I'll put down a note like this: Note: "Pagong", which normally means "turtle", is Tagalog slang for "slow". While I'm at it, I do the little tasks like capitalizing when I'm supposed to.