Having gone my own way with writing and publishing in recent years, it’s a while since I’ve submitted anything to the care of an editor. It’s surprising how many ridiculous mistakes creep into your work – mistakes, if we’re honest, that we might laugh at in somebody else’s book – not just matters of proofreading but of sheer illogicality or poor continuity, that pass you by no matter how many times you check. It takes a second pair of eyes.
There’s a fine balance in editing, between gently improving a text and turning it into something the writer doesn’t recognise. The editor’s job is not an easy one. Some do the bare minimum – correcting obvious errors but not really offering much to tighten or improve the story-telling. Others definitely overcook it, so the writer is left feeling criticised and invaded. As I said, it’s a fine balance.
So it’s a real pleasure when you meet an editor who genuinely seems to ‘get’ what you’ve written, isn’t afraid to make suggestions for improvements, picks up all the silly things you’ve missed, gently draws attention to your writing foibles, but nonetheless leaves you feeling it’s still absolutely your own work. The text I submitted to my new editor is only about 12,000 words – a very short book – but she found many a phrase that benefited from a careful rewrite. I really couldn’t argue with much of her gentle critique, and I came out of the edit pleasantly unbruised and with writerly confidence intact.
I suppose it’s possible I’m a bit less precious than I used to be. It’s natural to be defensive about your writing, especially when you first start – but you do eventually get used to letting other people pick it over. Or maybe I’ve just found an editor who combines fully understanding what I’ve written with a light touch in suggesting ways to improve it! Either way, she now has a second text of mine to look at, and I’m perfectly relaxed about it, convinced it’s in good hands. I’m actually looking forward to seeing what she has to say.
The editing process can be a bit of a trial – or even a battle of wills – and many writers dread it. But it’s a lot less painful with a sympathetic editor on your side.