Dear Beginning Editor...
This one’s for the beginning editors out there.
Yes, you. The editor so new he hasn’t even flicked the gel ball off the tip of his red pen.
Also you, the editor who’s tried their hand at a couple pieces only to find the authors now hate him.
And you, the editor trying to figure out how to extract the red pen from the place that angry author stuck it (my advice—call a proctologist).
There may be a few experienced editors that need to read this, too. I’m not going to name names—IF an appropriate payment is sent to my Cash App post-haste…
Here we go.
The hardest thing for a new editor to learn is that the story isn’t theirs.
Once more, with feeling!
The hardest thing for a new editor to learn is that the story isn’t theirs.
What do I mean by this?
I’ve been fortunate enough to earn acceptances from a variety of publications over the years. There are many kinds of editors, and many different things they can focus on. But, when you get an editor that wants to make your story their own, it will be obvious.
It’ll feel like the changes are ripping the story away from you, that they don’t improve the story so much as recreate it the way the editor wants.
That’s a problem.
Now, beginner writer who’s going to lord this blog post over an editor who tries to help them, YOU need to understand something too: there is a time and a place to make your work look like your English teacher accidentally made a cup of her son’s quadruple-caffeine blood-sugar-spiking super coffee and went on an editing rampage. When you’re still learning the fundamentals of good prose, there will ALWAYS be more edits and comments than when you’ve gained experience. It’s nothing against you, you’re learning, and they’re trying to make you better. Accept it (graciously). If you’re concerned, reach out to an experienced writer to see if they think the edits and comments are fair. And even if they're not? Pick your battles. Consider the publication opportunity as well as your emotions.
The role of an editor is to advocate for the reader. It’s not to make the story what they want to read, it’s not to rewrite the story, it’s to take the story in front of them and suggest things that will make the reader’s experience better.
When an editor sits down to consider the piece, they shouldn’t represent themselves. At Undertaker Books, our editors don’t want you to be able to tell if a project was D.L.’s or Rebecca’s. Our focus is on taking a writer’s work and making it the best it can be. We want to develop the story and make sure there aren’t any gaps or obvious oversights. We’re going to go through line by line and make sure your prose is strong and vibrant. And finally, we’re going to proofread it and make sure all your I’s are crossed and T’s are dotted.
(That last line might need an editor.)
Every author has a voice. The goal of an editor is to amplify that voice, not extinguish it through their changes. This often requires restraint, stopping yourself from pushing for a million changes and instead focusing on the reader’s experience instead of your own.
It’s a lot like being a good sports official. It’s not about catching everything you can, it’s about catching what you have to in order to make the story great. Some stories will require more than others, and certain authors will require you to focus on different things.
It’s not about how often you use your red pen, but knowing when to use it to get the best results.
The story doesn’t depend on you. There’s no such thing as the perfect edit, and you’re never going to catch everything. Slow down, and make sure you’re focused on the story, not what you want to read.
Your red pen may not be used as much as you think it will.
Your expertise in a million subjects may not be needed.
Your bright ideas may never be revealed to the author.
That’s probably a good thing.
Focus on the reader. Don’t make the work your own. Let the author keep their voice. Find a good proctologist.
If you can do these things, you’ll have a long and fruitful editorial career.