I’ve recently been doing the edits on the first book in the Merryshields series, and it has been such a new and interesting process, and unlike anything I’ve done before. The first time I had this book edited, in the spring of 2021, I used a different company where I was matched with an appropriate editor – in this case, it was a specialist in children’s literature who was also an author of children’s books. So far, so good, I thought. I looked up her work but resisted buying any of her books on the grounds that I might love them, and then be gutted if she didn’t like mine.
Good move by me.
The edits I got back were thorough, detailed and professional. It was undoubtedly extremely useful; she’d picked up things I hadn’t thought of, made suggestions that made sense and marked places that needed tightening up or clarifying. I cannot fault her professionalism. But…
The work did not come from a place of joy and love for the book.
If this sounds a bit woo-woo and arty-farty, well… that’s the way it is. I made several important realisations this spring and not all of them were to do with the words on the page. I realised:
- how very, very important it is to find an editor who feels some love, passion, excitement for your work.
- that this applies to all the professionals you will work with over the course of your career.
- that this was a lucky realisation to have right at the start!
- that some people won’t like your book. I mean, I knew this intellectually, and I still have those bad reviews to come, but a cold critique didn’t damage me.
- that the book is always better for an edit, and it will be so much better for an edit full of love.
- that finding a professional to work with who is on your wavelength about your work is an utter joy, and something to count among your blessings.
My advice for writers at this stage in their writing would be to use a reputable company to find an editing – or any other – service. I used Reedsy (no affiliation) but there are plenty of other companies out there who have vetted professionals whose reviews you can read. The beauty of Reedsy for me was that I was able to give a sample of my work to five professionals and see their responses to my work before I agreed to a professional contract. That’s how I found the person who was the best fit. (This is the process I also used for finding an editor for my time-travel book too.)
The cynic in me (and my husband – my counter-balance!) says that of course people will say they like my story – they want the work and want to be paid! And to a certain extent this is true. All professionals are working for money, and the best way for them to find work is to be enthusiastic about what is offered to them. But people want to do work that they like. It is also very clear that some people ‘get’ you, your writing and your story, and if you can find someone who does it’s a win-win for everyone. I don’t mind if my editor doesn’t really love my story as much as she says she does. (Pretty sure she does, though.) The fact that she completely ‘gets’ it – she understands who the characters are, and what’s important to me about the plot, she asks questions that show me we are generally on the same wavelength – these are the things that make this working relationship a pleasure and not a chore.
And that is something to be very grateful for.
