Dear storytellers, we need an editor, even if we think we don’t. Here’s why…
Every storyteller creates in our own little world. Because of this, our story needs work. And that’s where an editor comes in.
We become consumed by a project we have laboured over for weeks, months, years; the state of the story is as subjective as it could possibly be.
When I say editor, I don’t mean a copyeditor or proofreader. These are people that make sure the spelling, grammar, syntax and word choices are correct. No, we need an editor.
What editors can offer is vast when it comes to directing a piece of creative work into a consumable piece of entertainment.
Some creatives, usually writers, have more of an idea of what exactly editors do. If a writer has completed some form of study in their field, editing often comes hand in hand.
We are taught to edit our own work and look for flaws. But it’s difficult to remain objective when the writing comes from your own brain. What exists there doesn’t always translate correctly to the page.
Storytellers usually aren’t thinking objectively; we aren’t able to see the narrative as a whole, like how it appears on paper vs how it appears in our mind.
Editors offer fresh, trained eyes that brings new life to a project. As the cheesy old saying goes: two heads are better than one.
I recently worked with a photographer on a photobook as an editor and the experience showed me just how little fellow storytellers know about what is out there to help craft the perfect narrative.
Before the project, I was unaware that photographers who have studied photography aren’t made more aware of the ins and outs of what it means to create a story. It needs a narrative ark that tells a complete story, it needs to build on ideas and themes and needs to reach a climax where all the elements sprinkled throughout come together.
Before working on this project, I didn’t realise, being in my own bubble of the editing industry, that other disciplines within the creative industry don’t know what is on offer. And now I want to shout it from the rooftops.
Editors analyse the story to see, first and foremost, if the story itself has a reason for being told. People connect to the universal and if there isn’t an overall message, what is the point? It isn’t supposed to be explicitly stated, but expressed subtly through the people in the story. An editor helps to pick on these threads to make sure the story being told means something and that the meaning shines through.
Another aspect the editor helps with is the structure of the story. A few of the questions editors will ask themselves when consuming the story for the first time are: Does every aspect in the narrative make sense in the context of the whole piece? Does it build to a climax? Does it invoke emotion when intended? Does the sequence of events flow? They then make suggestions for change to make sure every answer to these questions is ‘yes’.
This is for both fiction and non-fiction, which could surprise some. Even non-fiction stories are crafted for the emotional pay off and facts are cherry-picked to tell the story they want to tell, omitting things that don’t serve the narrative.
Another big part of editing is character development and I mean that in every sense of the phrase. This is more so with fiction where characters are created, but also applies for other types of writing. Are the characters developed enough? Do they feel like real people? Are what they say and do consistent with what has been established? Are they too one-dimensional? And editor offers suggestions to mould them into characters that could jump of the page and be fully formed people when entering the real world.
‘But I don’t want them changing my story’, you say? A misconception, for sure.
An editor’s intention is never to make the project their own. It’s a collaborative effort, with the editor silently working in the background, unseen.
Much like doctors, the editor motto is ‘do no harm’. They are there to guide the story into a sellable product that lives up to its potential, ensuring at the end there’s a flowing narrative with emotional payoff and tangible characters, while staying true to the story already on the page.
There are so many editors out there with different styles and views. It’s almost like finding a psychologist; sometimes you just don’t gel and you need to find a new one. And that’s okay. It’s not out of the ordinary for that to happen. But there is always someone out there for you.
Some may abhor the idea of someone coming in to pick their creative work apart. But receiving feedback and suggestions for improvement is truly the best way for creatives to grow. And isn’t that the point? We work and push and practice to get better at something we love.
Ultimately, it is the creator’s decision what is changed and what isn’t. An editor can only suggest. It’s up to the storyteller to decide if we want to make our project the best it can be.
