I don’t know how editors do it….
July 20, 2006 – 6:20 am(with a nod to our own editor Jay)
I’m working on several pieces right now. It’s always been my goal to submit one piece a month for publication. I have two going for July and one for August and a couple chapters of my book i’m editing.
Well, editing probably isn’t the correct word. You see, I fall in love with my own words and have a horrible time butchering them and rearranging them. I can do minor changes, but I don’t see the big picture of rewriting yet. Guess that’s why I haven’t been published more than a handful of times!
Anyhow, a big thanks to Jay for what he does for writers…giving them a platform to express themselves and the editing to help them sound articulatee. Now if I was just a self organizing man….LOL
2 Responses to “I don’t know how editors do it….”
Ona, have you tried just snipping passages that you particularly love and filing them, to see if they can be used in future pieces? I do that sometimes if I really love a particular turn of phrase and don’t want to “lose it”.
Actually, I think editing is really fun, I love doing it! In my current job, I am responsible for helping a lot of nurses apply for federal grants, and careful eyes are desperately needed, to ensure the best-possible final product. No lack of opportunities to see how others struggle to package their thoughts - and it’s actually quite comforting to see that some of these PhD-holders are average writers at best.
By Jennifer Gee on Jul 20, 2006
Thanks for the kudos.
I think I’ve gotten better over time. I also have little investment in the beauty of the writer’s words.
I’m striving for what works. And what I think and what others think about what works can sometimes differ. That’s okay.
I remember Natalie Goldberg talking about when writing, be absolutely kind to yourself and give yourself permission to write shit. When you edit, she continued, you must be fearless and dispassionate, like the samurai, taking your sword to everything that does not work.
Your only obligation is to the story. Not your ego. Learning to distinguish between the two is a lifelong challenge.
By Jay on Jul 21, 2006