While I can, and do, edit all kinds of publications for all sorts of audiences—from early-reader materials to doctoral theses—when I have my choice of materials to edit, I always favor editing books, magazines and other periodicals, websites, and information for the young adult, middle-grade, teen-aged reader.   

What many people don’t always take into consideration is that the young adult audience actually includes readers who have challenges of one sort or another, readers transitioning from second languages, and readers who just want to skim materials in a superficial way, as well as general adult readers. 

Regardless, I’ve found that editing for young adult readers results in language that can be read, understood, and processed by nearly any general audience—and can do so without insulting or embarrassing or “looking down on” the average reader no matter what his or her age.