Editing: A Recipe for Great Writing
Writing is a lot like cooking. Many of us have that recipe we can pull out for potlucks. Whether we make a half batch or triple the servings, it comes out delicious. Experienced writers have strong outlines and good formulas that can be tweaked for an assortment of occasions. However, when we are trying new things, we need to employ good taste testers who can advise us on how to improve our creations.
In the writing world, everyone talks about the need for editors, but seldom do they explain what a thoughtful editor can really do for a piece of writing. A good editor is like a great chef; they know how to fine-tune recipes to adjust the flavor. With writing, as with cooking a new dish, it takes some time to get the measurements and seasonings just right, so we need friends with refined taste to try what we make, give us honest feedback, and suggest improvements.
There are two major categories of editing—comments on what is said as well as how we say it. On the macro level, we have big-picture ideas; in cooking, this is similar to getting the ingredients right. On the micro level, we have spelling and grammar concerns, which is much like adjusting the spices.
Most writers understand the necessity for small editing corrections since that was hammered home in language arts classes in high school. We know how confusing spelling errors and missing commas can be. At their worst, these details can change the meaning of a phrase as well as slow readers down or make them lose interest in a piece of writing. Fortunately, these days many grammatical concerns can be fixed with apps or computer programs. However, we still need an editor even when we can write perfectly formed sentences free of grammatical errors.
We need big-picture editors. Since good ideas are fundamental to great writing, we call this kind of editing developmental editing. It should be the first step in the revision process to ensure that the right components are on the page. Nonfiction writing needs someone to review logic, check facts, highlight redundancies, and reorganize material. Storytelling needs someone to harmonize details, track plot, streamline flow, and improve pacing. The best editors will also tell us when something is missing. They look for what the reader expects to see and needs to know in order to understand our writing.
Unfortunately, many writers and editors skip the developmental editing phase of a project. This is because we see all of the beautiful words in well-crafted sentences, and we think we are done. We also paper over it because it necessitates serious conversations about the gap between what the writing is currently doing and what you as the author want it to do. In addition, it makes us consider the future of the piece by imagining intended audiences and publication places. Without addressing these big-picture concerns, many good pieces of writing stay in a folder on the computer. That is why we all need a good editor who can help us see potential as well as clean up points of contention.
In the last few weeks, I have had two different writing friends help me edit two different pieces of writing. This is how they helped me as developmental editors.
Reorganizing an article:
For the last year, I have been working on a book project, A Hundred Thousand Hopes, with two other editors and 24 additional writers. We are preparing to publish the book this summer, so we are writing articles that can be shared to advertise the book. I thought writing these would be straightforward, but after a few weeks of fighting with one piece, I finally asked my friend Brendon for his candid advice. In thirty minutes, he revitalized the thousand-word article by creating a completely different outline. The reorganized material was all my same words, but the rearrangement of the paragraphs created interest where it had been stagnant before.
Underdeveloped material:
This last week, I was working on a blog article for Story Spring. I knew that I had written a powerful journal entry, but I was on the fence about publishing it. I felt like something wasn’t quite right. This time, I sent it to Nancy, a fellow Inspiration to Write participant, who is an excellent editor. She replied with a thoughtful commentary on what was not sitting properly with her. Together, we concluded that the article was missing something and that it was not yet ready for publication. After further reflection, I realized that I was trying to braid three different ideas together, but two of them were underdeveloped, so my braid was lopsided. With more thought and effort, the article will be much better.
Good developmental editing can make a world of difference. It can rescue pieces of writing that have potential but are not quite ready for publication. It can also push us to think more deeply and further develop our ideas before rushing to print. Writers need good editors to help their work reach the next level just like we need an experienced chef to taste test our dishes and recommend improvements.
One caveat: not all good editors or experienced writers will be the right editor for you. Choose the people you work with wisely. Pick someone you respect and who you can communicate with honestly and effectively. I recommend working with an editor who you feel has your best interests at heart. They should help you maintain your individual voice while improving your writing style. No one wants a chef who kicks you out of your own kitchen!
As an author, what experiences have you had with editors?
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