Writing Like an Editor
As both writer and editor-in-training, I am keenly interested in how writers can approach their craft with the editing process in mind. Here are a few ideas for you to consider.
Start with the big picture
The first link in the editing chain is structural editing. This stage will look different depending on the nature of the project (fiction vs. non-fiction), but think: effective organization of information. A structural editor might ask you to change around the order of your ideas, add information, or delete superfluous writing that takes away from the clarity of the text.
As a writer, you can apply your own structural edits before handing your project over to an agent or editor. Map out your book, chapter by chapter. Ask yourself if it flows in a way that makes sense and serves your overall purpose. Think: are your chapters roughly the same length? Are there plot holes that need to be addressed or passages that you could tighten up? Are there any parts of the book where even you feel confused or just vaguely uncomfortable, although you’re not sure why? Sit with it and see if you can name the problem. Then, workshop a solution.
Something that can be helpful at this early stage of editing is to come back to the question: Why am I writing this book? Or, phrased differently: What am I trying to say? Take an honest look at whether or not you accomplished that goal. If you didn’t quite land it, what do you need to change to get your book back in line with your purpose?
2. Narrow the lens
The next stage of editing is called stylistic editing. Whereas structural editing looks at the project as a whole, stylistic editing goes line to line, zeroing in on the rhythm of the text, the sentence structure, the wording, and the tone.
I often integrate stylistic editing into my writing sessions, beginning my time by reading over what I wrote the previous day. By doing this, I often catch awkward phrasing or needless repetition that I missed when I was in the throes of creativity. Then, while I’m writing I frequently pause to reread what I’ve written, adjusting sentence structure so that I feel comfortable with the rhythm of the text as I go along. Not everyone writes like this. Some people feel it is better to sit down and spit the manuscript out in all its messy glory, saving the editing for a later time. I don’t personally believe there is a “right” way to write. I enjoy the process more if I’m doing some of the editing as I go because it allows me to feel really good and excited about my work.
It is important to note that when it comes to stylistic editing, it is absolutely essential to step away from the text for a time. This could mean taking a day, a week, a month… As much time as you are able to give yourself. The magic happens when you come back to your work and suddenly you are taking it in as a reader, not the writer. Now, you are able to spot issues in the text that weren’t even on your radar during the first pass when the ideas were still fresh in your head and heart.
3. Know your grammar
The third and fourth stages of editing are copy editing and proofreading, respectively. Generally speaking, these stages zoom in on spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
This is pretty straightforward stuff, but as writers we shouldn’t assume that we can hand over a manuscript full of mistakes to an agent or editor. Our work should be as polished as possible. I once read an agent’s advice to writers, telling them that they should be so confident in their work that they would rather give up their firstborn child than change the placement of a single comma. His statement was perhaps a slight exaggeration, but it has stuck with me all this time.
A clean manuscript is not only a reflection of professionalism, but also of passion and dedication to the craft. Of course, it’s okay to make mistakes. You will never produce a perfect manuscript on your own; however, you should try to get it as close to perfect as possible. This will allow your soul to be adequately crushed when an editor sends back your manuscript full of red marks to address before publication. (That’s a joke—sort of.)
4. Recognize that publishing is a collaboration
While writing is typically a solo venture that necessitates a significant investment of alone time, publishing, at its best and most effective, is collaborative. No matter how fabulous a writer you are, it is vital to have other people critique your work. The fact is, once your book is released into the world, it will be critiqued by the public. In this way, editors are not only there to fix your grammar mistakes; they are there to be a bridge between you and your readers. A passage that you think is absolute dynamite may not be landing the way you intended it to. A scene that is crystal clear to you because you’ve envisioned it a hundred times may not make much sense to a reader who is seeing it on the page for the first time. Editors are there to help you draw your story out, to guide you to hone your voice and clarify your message. They equip you to communicate with honesty—and that really is the best gift you can give your readers. The good ones—the ones that were meant to read your work—will thank you for it.
If you are interested in reading further about the different branches of editing, I recommend checking out the professional editorial standards from Editors Canada (it breaks down the four different types in more detail): https://editors.ca/publications/professional-editorial-standards/
I also LOVE Daphne Gray-Grant’s thoughts on how to deal with tough edits, as published on Jane Friedman’s amazing blog: https://janefriedman.com/how-to-survive-editing/