Writing
All Writers are Editors
What Do I Mean By This?
I truly believe that we, as writers, ARE ALSO EDITORS.
Whether we edit:
- our own work
- for a publication within Medium
- for a large publishing house
- for a friend’s book or article
- as a beta reader
- as we give a review for a book
You are using your editing skills
Recently I submitted an article to a publication in hopes that it would be published.
The editor suggested a few format changes which I gladly did within the hour. I knew that the changes would make for a better piece of writing and I thanked her.
I re-submitted my article, assuming that I would next receive word that my article was published.
Wrong!
After an hour, I was informed that there were more changes to be made. This time the changes would mean an entire re-write, which meant that the article would no longer be in MY voice.
After some thought, I realized that I was NOT willing to make THOSE changes. I kindly informed the editor of my decision and withdrew my article, publishing it elsewhere.
I began to consider WHAT a good editor’s characteristics are
Most of us don’t know what a good editor ‘looks’ like even to edit our own work. I hope this list of attributes of a good editor helps.
Here are some tips to help edit:
- Honor and respect the author’s voice, intent and skills. Don’t attempt to re-write what has been entrusted to you to edit. The written piece is the work of the writer, not the editor.
2. Be mindful of how you communicate. Please realize that the piece of writing that you hold in your hand is someone’s ‘baby’. Be collaborative and not adversarial. Be diplomatic, clear and truthful with the goal being to help the author, not to frustrate and hinder them.
3. Develop a trust-filled relationship between you and the writer. Always be up to date on the rules and intricacies of the craft of writing. The writer needs to be able to trust the editor’s suggestions. Of utmost importance is being honest about what you know and think, never making changes just to make changes.
4. Create balanced feedback. Offer suggestions to improve the writing and offer encouragement along the way in a spirit of helpfulness, not criticism. Focus on improving the text, avoiding personal bias.
5. Be timely, specific and detailed when communicating with the writer. Don’t leave the writer out there hanging, wondering what you thought. Provide clear guidance on what steps to take to improve.
6. Acknowledge the strengths in the author’s piece. Don’t just point to the areas which need work or correction, but compliment the author on their strengths. The goal is to have the writer succeed.
In conclusion: Please remember that the ultimate goal of editing is to provide helpful feedback by being KIND while enabling the writer to improve and to continue growth as a writer. If you keep that in mind, you will never fail.
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Dawn Ulmer, a retired Registered Nurse, has enjoyed writing since the age of 19 when she wrote ‘My Philosophy of Nursing’. Presently, she is enjoying writing on Medium, her favorite platform.
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