Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Editing

Now that I am back writing, I got to thinking about the whole writing process and how it impacts your life and more. When you write it is part and parcel of the process that your work is edited. This is to be expected but it seems that over the years this editing process has changed. Of course it takes many forms! You can self edit your work and if you choose to do this there are a number of  books to help you in the process (Self Editing by Renni Browne is an excellent example for the fiction writer), or you can be edited by others- which is most often the case with trade publishers. My experience of editors has been varied.

The best editors help you to write at your best while maintaining the integrity of your voice and creation.
The worst editors are so intent on their own voice and their vision that they make your writing worse than when you started. Needless to say, I prefer the former.

Editing is an art form. In fact, I look upon editing like walking on a tightrope: maintaining the correct balance is essential!