What to Know About Editing Projects

Writers seem to view the editing process much like a court trial: Opening arguments, prosecution, defense, scrutiny of the evidence, and verdict—after which there may or may not be an appeal to a higher court.

To put it in similar terms, I’m a trained, certified mediator (no kidding, I am). As an editor, I’m here to help you avoid the agony of trial by judge, jury, fire or rejection. Feel free to use those figurative terms interchangeably.

I simply want resolution between an author’s intent and the reader’s perception. To me, that is the essence of editing. No matter which form, genre and subject one chooses, writing is a personal endeavor. The writer's approach, audience, goals set, and motivation are all individual matters.

As well as being particular to each writing form, editing is particular to each writer. Some writers wish to know the details, to learn from each editorial change. The trust I've developed with some of my clients has distilled the level of detail to discussion of only those areas that need clarification from the author. You choose the degree of detail that works for you.

• Is it Possible to Edit Your Own Work?
• Why Even Editors Need an Editor
• What to Expect from an Editor
• A Note About Affiliations with Agents and Publishers

Is it Possible to Edit Your Own Work?

Of course. The best tool in the do-it-yourself (DIY) editor’s toolbox is time. Set your writing aside. The rule of thumb I use is two days per page. If a poem is a single page, I will finish it and tuck it out of sight (and temptation) for a minimum of two days. DIY editing is most effective in catching grammatical or punctuation errors and language that stumbles from multiple revisions.

Why Even Editors Need an Editor

Even experienced editors miss their own logic errors and gaps in information. Neither time nor your trusty spellchecker will point out to you that you left the child in your story unattended when both parents walked out of the house and headed in separate directions.

What to Expect from an Editor

Finding the right editor is like finding the right counselor, dentist or doctor. If you are still not comfortable after the first visit or two, you pay your bill and take your business elsewhere. I take nothing personally if your match isn’t found in me.

I do become invested in the successes of my clients and still I can set aside only so much time per page before a project becomes personally too expensive. An editor usually does not have the time to be a writing coach or mentor. Balance in all things, including editing.

I want each client to know their writing receives my undivided attention during the review of their work and discussion of the edits I suggest. This is a one-on-one process, not an assembly line. I remain flexible and I hope that you will be flexible as well.

In addition to the usual grammar, punctuation, spelling and usage, different types of writers can expect specific focus from an editor. Below are brief points for fiction and nonfiction or technical writers, as well as poets. These are not meant to be definitive or inclusive, as the relationship that develops between an editor and a client is unique.

• Fiction. An editor should know the difference between narrative and character voice. I’m not going to strip your protagonist’s personality of colloquialisms; I just want him or her (or it) to be heard. If a story needs gaps filled, logic sorted, groundwork laid, reorganization, or rewriting, an editor should pointedly tell you what is needed. Don’t expect an editor to revise your work for you, though. It is your story and those are part of a writer’s job.
• Nonfiction and Technical. Nonfiction and technical writers often know their subjects well—too well. An editor can help a nonfiction writer find a balance between informational gaps and talking down to the reader. Knowing the audience and intended media is helpful, but not always key, since nonfiction (and sometimes technical) writers usually look to get more mileage out of a piece of writing than just one publication. In general, a private editor is not liable for misinformation and will not check the facts and figures unless they are also experts in the subject about which you are writing.
• Poetry. Poetry seems subjective. Many poets assume that poems should not be edited. What is there to edit in poetry? I first read the poem as just a reader. The initial comments are of sympathetic response, the impact of the poem as a whole, and the most striking parts. Then, I review again for the easy stuff (grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc.). Next comes a review using analytical filters such as sensory perception and, more difficult to describe, the poem's internal rhythms. Each line, each stanza, and the poem as a whole are put through the paces. As with fiction, an editor’s role is to pointedly tell you what isn’t quite right. Fixing critical content is the poet’s job.

A Note About Affiliations with Agents and Publishers

No editor can tell you where best to publish your work. Each writer needs to determine this for him or herself, even if that means hiring an agent. I am not affiliated with any agent and I cannot recommend an agent to you. There is no mutual back scratching here. Clients are my best form of advertisement, and I hope you will be, too.