The Constant Editor

Cover of Twilight (Twilight, Book 1)

I am currently working on the second part of a trilogy. I finished it some time ago. I’m on my last but two edits. That means I’ve edited the script thirteen times already. When I’m editing a big one like this, I do take breaks and do some writing in-between. Little bits of pieces like this and my blog, for instance. I’m also working in a horror story for a young adult collection. Still, though, I spend more time editing than writing. I shall, of course read this three times before I submit it.    

Much of my day job is to do with editing: I teach Creative Writing at university level and it is part of my job to critique student’s work. This happens on a day-to-day basis in class and between session as students submit work for formative marking. It also happens at the end of the semester, when they submit assignments – when we need more summative marking. Yet it’s still formative as well – even the graduating students will probably continue writing and need productive feedback.

In my spare time, I’m editor-in-chief for a small publishing company of which I am one of the three partners. And if there’s any spare time after that I often use it to visit a critique group where my own work may be looked at. In exchange, of course, I have to read the work of other members in the group.

Yet I work in two slightly different ways. When editing my own work and other work that is going to be published I am ruthless. But I am polite to other people. I ask questions: “I think you’ve changed point of view here. Could you tie it more to Tom?” “You’re using a rather old-fashioned voice in this.  I don’t think Alice would speak that way. Could you bring her into the 21st Century?” I try to be gentle with myself, too. We move on constantly as writers. The writer who is now reading what she herself has written is more competent than she was even ten minutes ago.   

With my students and my critique group members I try to find what is working well and mention that, then what is working not so well, trying to pinpoint the one thing that if removed will make the biggest difference. Then I try to suggest a positive move which will make a big difference. I’m peeling off layers. The next time I see a script by that writer there will be something else to tackle. Yet I also annotate the scripts in detail, so it’s all actually there for the taking. Funny, when I used to mark foreign language work, students used to complain if there were too many comments, too much red ink. Creative writers complain if there aren’t enough. However, I no longer use red ink so perhaps my annotations don’t seem so threatening.   

The problem is, I can no longer read a book or watch a film without going into critical mode. I’m currently reading Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series. I love it. I’m as in love with Edward Cullen as any woman. But every now and then I find myself asking “Would a seventeen year-old really speak like that? Wasn’t that particular resolution a bit simplistic?”

No worries, though, this type of constant editing can add to the enjoyment. It can even mean you can enjoy something that would not normally be to your taste. You can enjoy the dissection.