Editing and proofreading can sometimes be the
difference between a great
idea and a great book. Remember - editing is not a negative
reflection on you
as an author. It's your job as the author to be focused on the
story,
characters, plots and scenes - if you spend all your
time on the mechanics
and technicalities of the English language you will never
finish your book.
Even Editors who are Writers invariably have someone else edit
their works.
If you're a writer who feels apprehensive about turning your
work over to an
editor, you're not alone. Editors have a reputation, after
all, for being
merciless, nit-picky scrutinizers, on the prowl for
transgressions of all
magnitudes. The writer feels in danger of the gavel of
judgment thudding
down at every turn: "Awkward!" "Unclear!"
"Wordy!" "Not fit for
publication!" "Next case!"... The publishing
industry is already so famously
fraught with ways to intimidate writers deep into writer's
block, you'd
think editors would at least try to be helpful, rather than
adversarial, to
those brave enough to submit themselves to such
trials--wouldn't you?
Be assured: The best ones do. Good editors are advocates, not
adversaries.
Advocates on whose behalf? Yours. And your readers. Both roles
are crucial
and inseparable. As arbiters of clear communication, editors
are trained to
intercept the blips that will irritate or confound readers and
make them
turn away. No matter how compelling your message, one or two
blips are all
it takes these days. The remote control of attention span is
at everybody's
fingertips, and readers use it with a vengeance. So, rather
than brace
yourself to defend against an onslaught of criticism, view
your editor as a
sympathetic but firm "test audience" who is on your
side. Help your editor
help you.
Here's some quick tips to make your editing go smoothly and
without
apprehension:
- Remember, the editor is working for you and you are in
control. They can
make recommendations, but you choose whether or not to accept
them.
- The editor really is working with your reader's best
interest in mind -
don't fear that their suggestions or comments are
"personal" attacks. They
aren't!
- Choose a style guide, and use it. You don't have to follow a
style
manual, but you should. The Chicago Manual of Style is the
standard one for
most publishers.
- Minimize your typos. "Decluttering" your
manuscript of its obvious
errors as best you can helps your editor get straight to the
meat of your
message, freeing him or her to concentrate on strengthening
your logic and
clarity.
- Verify your accuracy. Nothing makes a book or story more
infuriating than to
have obvious mistakes in the factual content.
- Don't feel defensive - the editor will never attack you or
the validity of
your work. You do, however, what them taking their sharp
pointy pencil to your
grammar, spelling, and other technical details. Although you
may be wedded to
every word you, luckily for you, your editor isn't.
Remember - it's all about getting your message across to your
potential
readers, and keeping them hooked from the first page to the
last
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