What an editor can do for you

When I can't write from picture prompts, I sometimes copy them!
Just a sketch done with biro.

There comes a time when an editor is necessary. Not for my flash or short stories, but for longer pieces of work. My latest project is one of those. A story set over Christmas time and currently running to around 40,000 words. It's had a read-through by a couple of people, and one aspect cropped up, which had me re-writing the ending. Even so, the result didn't sit happily with me. I love this story, and I love my characters. I want this to be the best it can be. It was time to employ an editor, yet that thought scared me. What would he/she say about my writing? Was what I'd done rubbish? All those negative thoughts crept in, and I knew I didn't deal with criticism well. Was it worth it? I decided it was, and went ahead because it was a step forward. I'd stood still long enough.

So, how do you find an editor? Well, after one false start (someone on a group page on Facebook who offered to give a quote and a free sample of work, and then never replied), I found my perfect editor. As a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors, I scoured their online directory. In there are services of all kinds for writers, so I looked at editors. Each one gave a little about what they did, and I was drawn to one in particular. When I looked at her website, and read the different options, I was convinced I could work with her. Her website was friendly and she sounded approachable. There was a contact box on the website, so I wrote about my novella and what I thought I might need. Her reply whizzed back in the same friendly manner as she sounded on her website. We agreed a critique was indeed my best option, and she ran through the way she worked and what to expect. Also as a member of Alliance of Independent Authors, I received a discount. I thought about the money and decided it was equivalent to a few days away in a B&B. It was worth it to me.

I accepted her offer, paid half the invoice and submitted my full manuscript. She kept me informed and quickly came back with positive words. And then I waited for the full report. I checked my email daily as the deadline approached for it's arrival as my emotions swung from high to low. Then at last the report pinged into my email....all seventeen pages of it. I almost dreaded reading it. 

After her initial thoughts (all positive), she then broke the work down into setting, plot, characters, dialogue and so on. That's when I felt my stomach drop. The big issue I'd known about was really not working, and suggestions on further things overwhelmed me. The report had come in late evening and at the time I wondered whether to leave it until the following morning, but I knew I'd not sleep. I didn't sleep well after reading it! I had a dreadful night going through everything in my head, but I had a call fixed for the Monday to discuss the report. I had to make plans.

The following morning I was up early and printed out the full report and then read it again, making bullet points of things my editor had raised, as well as questions I wanted to ask or things I wanted to point out. I highlighted bits of the report and then felt I'd done all I could to be ready. I would say here that much of what was said rang true. As writer, you often don't see things as a reader, and though I've tried to read my work like a reader, it is hard. I often think readers know what is going on because I do in my head!

My editor called me on the Monday morning dead on time over a facetime WhatsApp (if that's what you call it, as I've never done it before!), and this changed everything. We chatted for an hour and a half. She was so good, so positive, giving ideas, telling me how I might tweak things, and not to give up. Three great positives she told me to pin up for times when I struggled were - I am a talented writer; I write excellent dialogue; I do suspense well. 

She will be there for me if I want further feedback, and I probably will. It was a great relief to know I am on the right track and to know that my gut instinct was right over my strengths and weaknesses. This is a good thing to have as a writer, she said.

Her feedback will help in the future when I write other things, and despite the initial feelings of despair (yes, I did feel that for a while), I knew she was right about her comments. 

I took a break from the work, and was away for a few days, but yesterday I opened up my file for the first time since I submitted the manuscript, copied the work into a new file (always keep your original!) and began revisions, starting with a new opening scene.

Yes, employing an editor is daunting, but the benefits are great once you get your head around the findings. You find out (if you don't already know) your strengths and weaknesses, where the plot works and doesn't, whether your characters sound genuine and different from each other when they speak, whether you have enough dialogue or descriptions, whether you are going deeply enough into your characters, whether the text and plot flows, and whether characters have a proper story arc. It is a lot to take in and you need time to adjust before you go back in and start revisions, especially if there are major shifts in plot or characters. I was told to take my time and even given some hints as how I might work to make revisions, but always, she said, work the way that's best for you.

Obviously, for everyone the process will be different. This is my experience and I can only speak about that. However, I've always tried to be very honest about my writing experiences, the short highs and the desperate lows of being a writer, especially on submission and rejection. It is a tough world out there, and the competition is great. It's makes you wonder why you bother. All I can say is that I have to write. I cannot imagine my life not writing in some form or another. And I want to share my stories with others. The positives out of the critique will be there for me read when I have those bad days, and they will give me the confidence to carry on.

There are different forms of editing, including developmental editing and line editing. You need to find the form of editing you feel you need for your work. That isn't always easy, which is why I suggested a critque might be for me, and my editor agreed. Always be honest with an editor about where you are with your writing and hopefully they will find the best way for you.

I hope reading this will be of use to those reading it, especially if you've not used an editor before. It took great courage to go down this route, but I shall be ever grateful for the feedback I received and the help to continue and finish my novella. Hopefully, one day it will be out there for everyone to purchase.

Due to working on the novella and time constraints, I've not really done much writing. However, Visual Verse published my poem Blue last month. Their picture prompts keep me going when nothing else works.