Writer Interview – Sharon Colaco D’Souza

This month we introduce you to Sharon Colaco D’Souza,  freelance writer and editor, home interiors blogger.

Sharon Colaco D’Souza  is a freelance writer and editor based in Pune, India. She has 15 years of experience, most of which she has spent working extensively with IT companies on marketing collateral, web copy, etc. She also co-hosts a popular blog on Indian interior decor ideas which is her creative outlet, and allows her to combine her interest in interior decor with her love for writing.

How would you describe yourself and your career in 3 words each?

Me – An introvert, a dreamer, impulsive
My career – Always evolving, flexible, gives me a lot of personal satisfaction

What do you enjoy more – writing or editing?

I enjoy writing on the subjects I am passionate about – lifestyle, kids, interior design, profiles, marketing collateral, etc. However, when it comes to editing, I have no preferences. I enjoy editing anything that lands on my table.

You’ve been writing and editing for many years now, what are the biggest challenges you face as a writer?

Many writers these days are asked to ‘rewrite’ or research and summarize, rather than write an original piece. Sometimes this does make sense, especially when the writer is not a subject matter expert on the topic. However, for general articles and topics, all writers should endeavour to write original copy. In the age of Googling, when a click can bring you enough fodder for thought, this is easier said than done. So getting out there to interview, research and write something totally original requires effort. It is so easy to accept quick projects, make a quick buck and let your own creativity or skills lie dormant. I am guilty of having done this many times, so this is really my biggest challenge.

And are the challenges different as an editor?

Most definitely. As an editor one must do a complete editing job – not just correct language, but also research, verify facts, and make the content look better. Until I took the Chillibreeze editing test, I used to think I knew everything about editing. It is so easy to get complacent when work is appreciated. The challenge in editing someone else’s work is of course to make necessary changes without losing the writer’s tone and intent.

Tell us about some of the odd/unusual or funny edits you have had to make.

I can’t be specific, but the funniest edits are usually the ones that have been translated from another language. I worked extensively on a travel writing project, where people from different countries uploaded information about their respective countries. Some of the phrases were quite hilarious, and the meaning was quite lost in translation!

Do you think being a writer and editor has its advantages? Would it help if all writers learnt the basics of editing?

Yes! The advantage is of course that you can assure error-free work when you submit a piece to a client. However, I would always prefer if another editor read my work, because it is difficult to really edit, or be too critical of one’s own work. I believe that editors need to be emotionally removed from the copy.

That said, yes all writers should be well-versed with the basics of editing.

Have you ever taken any assessments/evaluations or any specific training to become an editor?

Yes, the Chillibreeze editing test.

You recently took the Chillibreeze editing assessment, was it useful?

The editing test was very useful.  I was in an editor’s rut – complacent and full of myself, because all my editing work was being appreciated. I had no reason to believe that I needed improvement. The test made me sit up and realise that even editors need to update their skills. We all know that our writing skills need to be constantly reviewed and updated. Well, the same goes for editing.

Do you think assessments are only for beginners or can they be useful even for experienced writers and editors like you?

The test will help both beginners as well as experienced writers. It definitely helped me look more closely at my editing process, and realise that there were things that I needed to incorporate. I am now more confident of providing better editing jobs to my clients. Earlier I used to be content with a client’s appreciation of my work. Now, that’s just not enough. I  realise that I have to keep updating my skills.

And finally, if you had 1 tip or piece of advice to share with a new writer or editor, what would it be?

My tip is: Read a lot of books by well-known authors. Indian writers write beautiful content, but make horribly unpalatable grammatical errors. A good writer should not only have a good story, he or she should also be able to tell it in a way that the reader understands it. Too often the wrong usage of a word or grammatical mistakes will prevent your audience from reading a perfectly good story line (or piece of content). Reading a lot is the best way to improve your command over the English language.

I am so glad you gave me a chance to share this tip because after years of being in this profession and editing other Indian writers’ work, it’s something I really want to convey to aspiring writers and editors.

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3. Writer Interview – RP Subramanian
4. Writer Interview – Dr. Vidya Gangadhar
5. Writer Interview – Satish Dey

Tagged as: freelance writer and editor, home interiors blogger, Sharon Colaco D'Souza, writer interview

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