To some, editing may seem like writing’s duller sibling; but great editing is actually a high-wire act, requiring an extensive knowledge of a variety of topics, a knack for research, an ability to simultaneously juggle small details with the big picture, and much more. Take, for example, Sophia Lindfield (Canada), whose background in ecological economies, familiarity with the speech writing genre, and facility for catching textual inconsistencies won her Best Peer Review in our Speechwriting Competition.
Below, we talk to her about her work with an environmental nonprofit, her favorite speech, and her novel idea.
Guest Judge Michael Franklin said he was impressed with your “incorporation of fact-checking to provide feedback.” What was your process for fact-checking this piece, and what sources did you use?
With a fact-based argument like the pros and cons of electric cars, I knew that I would have to make sure that the facts upon which the author was basing their argument were correct or none of my other notes would matter. I work with an environmental nonprofit, and ecological economics (the study of how human economies and the environment interact) is something that I’m very passionate about. I’ve done a lot of personal research on many aspects of it, as well as writing an extensive research paper on it for my grade eleven economics course, so most of the fact-checking for this speech was based on the knowledge I had acquired from my own previous researching from sources such as environmental journals, news articles, and scientific studies.
In your review, you pointed out that “The point of a speech is to engage people and make them aware of something and how you think change could help make it better and how it can be accomplished.” Do you have a favorite speech that does this well?
I’m very interested in politics and hope to go into the field myself someday, so I have heard a lot of speeches! However, one of the speeches I have found most inspiring, while also not sugar-coating the truth, is Emma Watson’s speech to the UN on gender equality for the launch of the UN Women campaign HeForShe in 2014. The purpose of the campaign, which is still ongoing, is to encourage men to stand up for gender equality, and I think Watson did a masterful job of conveying how much progress still needs to be made, while also seeming genuine in her belief that we could create a society where everyone is treated with respect regardless of gender.
In your review, you noted when the author styled a word inconsistently. How do you make sure to keep track of little details like this, while tracking the overall message and fact-checking?
I have done a substantial amount of editing in my life, both for my own writing and for others, and staying consistent with terminology is something I myself have had trouble with in the past, so keeping track of inconsistent words happens automatically for me now, right along with looking for proper punctuation, correct facts, and sticking to the central message of a piece. If I come across a word or phrase that I feel has been done differently earlier in the piece, I go back and check. If it’s my own work, I’ll then decide on which version I want to use. Alternatively if it’s someone else’s work, I’ll note it so they can pick which one they think fits best.
What is your favorite thing you’ve written in 2020 (so far)?
Quarantine has given me a lot of writing time, so I have many writing projects that I’m proud of from this year, including the first draft of my second novel and a Harry Potter fanfic that ended up being over 30,000 words. But my favourite is one called “The Bright Young Things,” which actually placed in the top five for September’s Historical Fiction Competition. It was basically a test run for a novel idea that’s been stuck in my head for the past year or so inspired by the group the Bright Young Things—1920s socialites in London who threw giant themed parties and played pranks on the prime minister and went on treasure hunts around the city, but who also argued about philosophy and politics and turned out many talented writers, including Evelyn Waugh. They basically invented the celebrity culture that is so prominent today and I think their stories still feel relevant a hundred years after their time.
