Sounds like you're an excellent editor.  I also really enjoy the editing process and the feeling that you've helped to contribute to the development of someone's ideas into a really good piece of writing.  I agree that it's really important to let people (particularly those that are learning) make the changes themselves and develop their own writing style.  I encountered a few PIs during my graduate studies who were incredibly controlling when it came to writing things.  Although I can see their point that they want it to be the best it possibly can be so that their student gets accepted to that conference, or earns that fellowship award or gets that grant (whatever the case may be), they won't learn anything from having a piece of writing completely rewritten for them, except the belief that they aren't very good at writing.  That's why I enjoyed writing my thesis so much, my PI was more relaxed about it and really gave me free reign to develop my own style.

I've had some very *very* good editing help over the years - both in academic-type writing and in popular-type writing. Everyone should have good editors.

I need to find me a good editor. The folks I worked with for grad school/postdoc were good but writing was not one of their more awesome talents. Especially postdoc PI - HATED writing. I would hand over drafts and after about 10 m I would get "revisions". Usually a "looks good". Not so useful. Now I'M the editor, so that should be interesting. Hopefully I can do better. Great advice, Dr. O!

I'm not always a big fan of editors but they do have a knack of getting a piece clearly, more succinct and well... better! I had the chance of being kind of mentored by one and it's a great experience. Especially to a newbie like me.

Writers may want to check out the new guide about science communications published by Nature Education (at Scitable). It's worth it.

You are absolutely right, editing is a balancing act!  My old PI used to re-write every sentence I wrote no matter how good or accurate.  It left me wondering if I would ever be able to write an abstract on my own when I left the lab, let alone a grant application or manuscript.

My new PI is excellent at improving sentences that require editing and leaving the rest untouched.  I find that I am slowly regaining confidence, and I have even received a prize on the back of one of my abstracts.

Learning to edit is a really important skill to learn!

My old PI and I used to have a constant battle over the two spaces versus one space after a full stop (period for any Americans). He would always take out one of the spaces and I would put them back in, I'm old school, not changing for nobody!

Two spaces is AWFUL! My PI wanted me to do that in my dissertation and I refused. I ended up pulling out several style guides to show him how bad it is. He finally gave in because he didn't want to argue with me anymore!

It seems to be a US vs UK thing mostly, though one space is also the more modern way of doing things.  I was brought up with two spaces so it just feels right to me, but I'm not bothered by people who demand one, a lot of the freelance work I do requires it so I've kind of gotten used to it, but I still always prefer two! Just a personal preference.

See, for me it is the opposite.  I was taught to put the twp spaces after the period so it is just second nature.  It always looks/feels weird to me not to put the two spaces in.

I too was taught on a typewriter and to put two spaces after a period. If you'd asked me what I did currently I'd probably have guessed that I still use two spaces, but I just looked at my latest manuscript, and it's mostly got just one space. So apparently I've adopted the modern trend without even knowing it!

Glad I have some two space support!!  Us two spacers seem to be more flexible than you one spacers!

See it just doesn't look weird to me, if anything the one space looks weird, but since I've become accustomed to it recently it doesn't look quite so strange.  You're most likely right that it's a typewriter vs word processor thing but I've been taught the old fashioned Brit way and I'm gonna stick to it until someone complains.  It's strange because until recently I wasn't even aware that one space was acceptable, now it seems I've become passe!

Hmm...on further consideration, I think I am a little wrong about the en dash. It is not just a hyphen! According to mentalfloss.com, it should be used for number ranges and complex hyphenated ideas.

FWIW, I also think that the two spaces is just odd. I was also always told that the it was a thing that you did with a typewriter but the wordprocessors automatically correct. I have always been a little confused about the use of the em- vs. en-dash. I generally avoid using them to prevent mistakes.

We had the em vs en dash discussion in my editing room one week putting the paper together. That was a rough night!