Written by Joanna Harris
Last year someone asked me, “What is your best advice for new editors?” As I thought about the answer, I realized that one shift in my thinking had significantly changed my editing practice. This is the tip I now share with new editors all the time. But first, some background.
When I began editing in my twenties, I enjoyed the details of improving a manuscript—fixing mistakes, rewording awkward phrasing, or adjusting vocabulary to fit the intended audience. I thought I was pretty good at it. However, feedback from my clients (mostly family and friends at first) was mixed. Writers I admired and respected were appreciative and valued my work. New writers didn’t like my comments and told me I had changed their style. (I held my tongue to keep from explaining that using passive voice throughout is lazy writing, not style.) And then there were the people who basically patted me on the head, thanked me, and left their writing exactly as it was.
You’d think with this variety of responses I would have clued in earlier. But I didn’t. I still saw an editor’s job as fixing and improving the manuscript. And let’s face it, fixing manuscripts can be frustrating at times.
Does this person really not know what a period is?
How can the same word be misspelled three different ways in the same chapter?
Less is more!
One day as I struggled with the frustrations of the current manuscript, I realized I was having a bad attitude. And I didn’t want that. I started praying, and that’s when God showed me what I was missing—what’s on the other side of the manuscript. Or rather, who.
God opened my eyes to see that on the other side of every manuscript is a living, feeling, unique person. And my job is to serve that person.
This shift in thinking changed the way I communicate with my clients, the way I approach each manuscript, and the way I run my business.
1. I get to know my clients a bit.
I ask questions to try to understand their personality, heart, and goals.
Are they a bottom-line thinker?
Are they a new writer who wants to learn?
Are they grammar-clueless?
Do they want a book to use as a business card or a book they will enter in contests?
Based on who they are and what they need, I say and do different things. I may or may not explain repeated grammar mistakes, share resources to help them in their writing, or keep all my communication brief and to the point. If I don’t have some understanding of the person who wrote the manuscript, my work will be less effective. Knowing them helps me keep my own personal opinion, style, or bias out of my edits and focus on helping them achieve their goals for their writing.
2. I’m clear about my strengths.
One of my gifts is thoroughness. I’ve learned that some authors absolutely love this and others feel overwhelmed by it. I now explain up front to potential clients that if all they want me to do is fix the PUGS (punctuation, grammar, usage, and spelling), I can do that. But it’s my thoroughness that brings the most value. I’m not the right fit for some authors, and that’s okay. Different editors are skillful at different things—catching nearly every typo, wordsmithing, or keeping all the little details consistent. We all have our strengths, and serving authors well means matching our strengths to their needs.
3. I try to keep a servant heart.
Once God changed my perspective, I made a habit of praying for my clients. I pray for their writing and for how they’ll handle my edits. I pray for their message to reach the people God wants to reach. I pray I’ll communicate well and be a blessing to them. I also try to offer encouragement, especially for new writers. I look for elements I enjoyed or that were well done and commend the writer for those. And I remember that God is giving me a small part in their ministry and the lives their words will impact. I’m humbled and grateful for that gift!
Since God shifted my perspective, I’ve enjoyed editing and running my freelance business much more. So when new editors ask me for advice, this is what I say: Remember that on the other side of the manuscript is a living, feeling, unique person. Your job as a Christian editor is not to fix the manuscript. It is to serve the author well.
“Serve one another humbly in love” (Galatians 5:13 NIV).
What’s one shift you’ve made in your thinking or habits to better serve authors? I’d love to hear about it!
Joanna K. Harris grew up as a missionary kid with a love for stories, real and fiction. After Bible college, she served as a missionary for two years. During that time, she felt called to write. She has been writing and editing for the past twenty years. She’s a graduate of the Christian Writer’s Guild, has taught writing classes, coached writers, and authored more than a dozen books for children and adults. Joanna believes in the power of words and enjoys working with authors to develop books that impact lives. You can connect with her at gracepossible.com.