Surviving The Editing Process

When I opened the just-edited manuscript of my first book, I literally gasped.

My editor had covered it in so many red marks, it looked like a crime scene.

As an editor, I’d been doing my own editing for quite some time, so I was totally unprepared for what I saw.

How was it possible that this editor found so many problems that I, as a professional editor had missed, and I asked myself,… did she really know what she was doing?

Turns out of course, that she did.

This is actually a very common issue with many authors; even authors who are also editors. We’re just too close to our own work to spot those pesky little mistakes that drive us crazy.

Having a strong reaction to being edited is normal. You’ve poured your heart and soul into your words. You’ve anguished over every one of them. So it’s hard to hear that your manuscript has issues.

But the fact is, as hard as it is to accept, facing that red pen is just part of the writing process.

But,… if you can get past the initial frustration, it’s totally worth it to accept your editors corrections and embrace the changes.

In this blog post, I’m gonna give you the advice that I give all of my authors.

So, let’s dive right in.

How To Survive The Editing Process.

1) Choose your editor carefully.

*Find someone who specializes in book editing.

The reason for this is, different editors edit in different styles.

Example: You don’t want a magazine editor editing your book. Because they’re not familiar with the different ways a book is edited, more often than not, they won’t pay attention to dialogue, sentence structure, story flow.

It’s just not what they do. So, many times, they won’t pick up the simple mistakes that a reader will see when they start reading. And trust me, if a reader can’t get past the simple mistakes, not only will they stop reading, they absolutely will not buy your next book.

2) Make sure you actually like them, as well as trust their abilities. 

 *Be prepared for a lot of red ink.

Anticipating lots of red ink will make the inevitable result a lot easier to bear.

And if you find red ink offensive (as many people do, and rightfully so), ask your editor to use green, blue or purple for their comments instead.

And if they decline, hire someone else. It’s just that simple.

Your editor needs to understand that it’s their job to make the editing process as easy as it can be for you, not the other way around.

The bottom line is, you’re paying for a service. They need to be as flexible as they can possibly be.

3) Take it slow.

*Give yourself at least a full day to do nothing more than glance at the volume of comments and steel yourself. 

There is no need for you to respond to edits at the speed of light. It’s important to take your time and get your emotions and feelings in the right place before moving forward.

4) Remember that your editor is there to help you. 

*Inevitably, it’s going to feel as though your editor is doing nothing but criticizing you.

I’ve actually had authors who told me I was bullying them when it came to certain edits, only to come back later and thank me for making the necessary suggestions.

Because let’s face it. As authors, we all think our work is gold.

But, no one is perfect. We all make mistakes. And it’s up to the editor to point out those mistakes and help to correct them.

5) Consider your editor to be your friend, there to help protect your work from mistakes. 

*What can be worse than an editor who points out too many mistakes?

Easy! A published work with mistakes.

Establish a repour with your editor.

Get on the same page when it comes to the type of edits you want. Be it copy, line, or simple proofreading, make sure your editor knows exactly what you’re looking for so they can provide quality, detailed editing that is as polished and error free as it can possibly be.

 6) Do the simple edits first.

*Go through the edits and deal with the ones that won’t cause you to stress.

Misspelled word? Spell it right. Unclear antecedent? Make it clear. Sentence fragment? Add the part of speech that’s missing.

This is why I always suggest a copy edit. Because the simplest mistakes, such as spelling, grammar and punctuation, are usually the most aggravating to look for, and even harder to spot.

7) Do the harder, more challenging edits, next.

*Always, for every writer, there will be some edits that seem unbearably difficult.

Here is where you need to think—deeply—about what to do.

I suggest getting away from your desk to do this because our brains operate better when we’re moving. Take a walk or go for a run. Do some gardening or house-cleaning.

Do whatever works for you to step away and ponder the question.

If that doesn’t give you an answer, then talk about the issue with someone else.

Consider chatting with a writing buddy. Or pick up the phone and speak with your editor.

In most cases, he or she probably has some useful thoughts about your conundrum, and most editors will not have an issue with discussing your manuscript, either thru a virtual call, text or e-mail.

When I work with an author, I provide not only my e-mail, but my cell number as well, and although I do have an after hours rule, in most cases, I’m always willing to discuss an issue my author may be having.

8) Don’t feel you have to accept every edit.

*Sometimes, you won’t agree with your editor’s concern and you’ll feel it differs from what you want to accomplish.

If the editor is someone you’ve hired yourself for, say, a self-publishing project, take her or his advice carefully, but know that you have every right to refuse certain pieces of it.

But, before you do this, at least have a conversation with them so you can understand why they’ve suggested what they have.

And there you have it my friends!

My tips for surviving the dreaded editing process.

I hope some, if not all of these have helped to navigate your writing journey, and as always,

Happy writing!

 

“If there is a book that you want to read, but hasn’t been written yet,

then you must write it"                       

Toni Morrison