This week we have author Jane Godman sharing with us the pleasure and the pain of editing. Her new book out this month is, Colton and the Single Mom (The Coltons of Red Ridge).
Connect with Jane
Godman on the web:
Editing is the
opposite of writing. When editing, you are forced to rein in your natural creativity
and, instead, you become precise and analytical.
For me, writing is
the phase when I am in control. Editing can feel like something that is being
done to me. It’s forced upon me. Like
scrubbing the floor, or cleaning the oven, it’s one of those essential tasks. If
I’m honest, I’d rather put it off for another day.
My feelings when an
email arrives from my editor are usually mixed. The closest description I can
offer is a combination of trepidation and excitement. Because, no matter how
much I dislike this stage, I know this is the point where my story becomes a
book.
Every story I write
is an act of love. When I share it with an editor, I give that person
permission to criticize my hopes and dreams for the characters and their
journey. It’s a very personal relationship.
The role of the
editor is to be an advocate for future readers. They look critically at a book
in order to find ways to improve the reading experience.
I’ve worked with
several editors, each with their own unique style. The best are masters of
their craft, working with me to polish my story and make my voice shine. Those
who are less effective rely too heavily on their own “rules”.
What I’ve learned
from those wonderful professionals is that editing is not an add-on that
happens at the end of my writing. It is part of the process. To be a good
writer, I have to learn to embrace the editing process.
To put it simply,
what happened before was for me. Now, I’m getting my writing ready to be seen
by the world.
Edits can be tiny
fixes, or they can be huge problems that take days to solve. When I was editing
The Soldier’s Seduction, the second of my Sons of Stillwater Harlequin Romantic
Suspense stories, my editor noticed an issue with a cell phone that unraveled a
big chunk of the story. If she hadn’t seen it, readers would have, and it would
have spoiled their enjoyment of the book.
Have I learned to love
edits? I’m not sure I’d go that far. I think I’ve accepted that, with the pain,
there can be some pleasure involved.
One of the wisest
things I heard recently was that editing takes a black-and-white manuscript and
makes it technicolor. I try to keep that in mind as I’m grappling with a
difficult editing problem.
Colton and the Single Mom (The
Coltons of Red Ridge)
This Colton cop
falls for a ready-made family
A Coltons of Red
Ridge story
A serial killer is on the loose, and true-crime
filmmaker Esmée da Costa is on the case. K-9 cop Brayden Colton, the prime
suspect’s half brother, works hard to stop her prying, but sparks fly as he
falls for Esmée and her son. When Esmée and Brayden’s little family comes under
siege, can they save all they love?
Read Reader Reviews
Buy on:
Hi Kelly and Jane ... Interesting to read ... not having written a novel - I can see there'd be so much to it, especially getting it to the point to put in front of someone for possible publication - cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteHi Hilary, yes, a lot goes on behind the scenes. All of it worth it in the end!
DeleteI prefer editing. Getting the story onto the page is hard for me. But tweaking and fixing and shuffling and cutting, those are the things I enjoy.
ReplyDeleteHi Liz, it's such an important part, isn't it? Editing is what turns a story into a book :)
DeleteEditing is so very necessary. Love the analogy of turning black and white into glowing technicolour.
ReplyDeleteSadly I think that many who self publish skimp on it. And it shows.
Technology has opened up the world of publishing, which can be a good thing. But there is no excuse for cutting corners on editing. You are right. When that happens, it shows, and readers will know.
DeleteI used to really hate editing, but I'm coming to enjoy it more and more. Not sure exactly what brought about the change, but it's been a welcome experience :)
ReplyDeleteI think I'm still at that turning point! I'm glad it's happened for you, Meradeth. Still waiting for my own enlightenment :)
DeleteI used to do lots of report writing and those reports often ended up in court where I was drilled about the contents of my report. You learn how to be precise and to the point when writing reports. Writing anything else I would be a failure.
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous day. ♥
Oh, goodness! I can see where a misplaced comma in those circumstances would be a major problem :( You have a wonderful day too!
DeleteI have resisted trying to get my love child of a series published. ~shakes head~ But I enjoy re-reading and polishing as much as writing, so it's all good.
ReplyDeleteDarla, I'm a firm believer that you should go for it. If you've done the writing (and enjoy the editing!) what have you got to lose by submitting your work? At the very least, you will get feedback from a professional :)
DeleteEditors are so great to work with. Good ones can help you polish up a manuscript and see things you hadn't seen before.
ReplyDeleteYou're so right, Sherry. Editors are the people who make a writer's work sparkle!
DeleteI enjoy editing. So I see more pleasure in it. But the pain does sneak in after I've read through a manuscript several times. lol
ReplyDeleteEditing fatigue sets in after a while, doesn't it, Chrys? I always reach a point where I can't look at my own work objectively. That's where a fresh pair of eyes is so important.
ReplyDelete