BeyondBooks: ‘In editing, accuracy meets presentation’

Ich heisse, which is German for her name, Annika Tikkha, in Class XI (Humanities), studying at Apeejay School, Noida. Her love for languages ensured that she was the German editor for the school magazine. “I am the Director of CODE, the tech club of our school. I love taking part in debates. I am also Head of the Discipline Committee of Prefects,” she shared. In a candid interview, she talks about the skills she learnt.

 ⁠What inspired you to take up the role of Editor (German)?

My family has a deep love for the German language. Apart from the German classes at school, I immensely enjoy learning German by being hungry for any literature I could lay my hands on and watching German movies. It was this love of the language that motivated me to apply for the position. I felt that with this, I would have the opportunity to refine and showcase the works of other learners of German like me.

⁠How did this role help you improve your German language skills?

I would equate it to scaling a summit. The position significantly improved my German language skills in several ways. To do justice to my role, I had to draw upon my understanding of grammar, sentence structure and stylistic nuances. It also contributed to refining my proofreading and editing skills.

⁠What was the most challenging part of editing or creating content in German?

The most challenging part is to form connections between sentences so that the overall piece appears coherent. Yes, while writing individual sentences is easy, I believe it is crucial to maintain the overall tone of your writing. These days, the job is even more challenging because readers are quick to distinguish between content created by humans and by AI.

⁠Which new skills, beyond language, did you gain from being an editor?

As an editor, I have learnt that accuracy and presentation are important. The piece may contain beautiful ideas, but cohesiveness and attention to detail are what make the piece flawless and, more importantly, captivating for the reader. The same can be applied to other areas in life as well.

 ⁠What has been your proudest moment while working on the school magazine?

The proudest moment was the realisation that I had learnt a foreign language well enough to edit some of the most beautiful pieces my fellow German learners had to offer as fond memories for the school.

How did the school/teacher help when you faced challenges?

Our German teacher is extremely gifted at transferring her knowledge of the language. Her intellectual rigour, unwavering support and respect for student initiative created an environment where I felt trusted. Every input from her left me with even greater confidence in my abilities.