What is Editing Bias? All writers and editors are biased. Biased as in, showing an inclination or prejudice for or against someone or something. This can be as innocuous as a preference for ‘is not’ to ‘isn’t’ or as problematic as demanding a character’s race or gender representation be changed to conform to a stereotypical expectation. How to Identify and Overcome Editing Bias? There are several recommendations for how to identify bias in writing and editing. First, proofread. Consider how you choose which words or phrases to change, and in what ways you correct the text. What cultural norms are you assuming? Do your edits change the voice or representation of a character? If so, why and in what way? You can find some excellent examples of how to proofread your texts and edits in Avoid Bias with Conscientious Proofreading Some examples of assumptions in writing/editing and how to correct them: Avoiding Bias Another method is to engage a sensitivity reader to check your edits.