Internal Editors

I just read a blog written by Brenda Whiteside at www.theromancestudio.blogspot.com .  She writes about authors working with or as editors. Rather than add a comment I thought I’d express my own thoughts on the subject from a different point of view.

I’ve worked as an editor for some eleven years now and as Brenda mentioned, it is a hard job. You really have to know all those little nuances of writing – the grammar, spelling, punctuation, and, something most people don’t think too much about ... sentence structure. Have you ever read a sentence where one word was in the wrong place and it changed the whole meaning of the sentence? It’s pretty much on the same premise as using commas but it can be a lot more hilarious.

Today, I’d like to introduce you to my internal editor, appropriately known as Eddie Books. Eddie knows I like to sprint, that the process keeps me focused when I write. Eddie also knows that by rights, he’s supposed to take a hike during those sprints but he rarely does. People in the know have always said, when you write, you should turn off the internal editor and let the words flow. You can go back later and edit your work.

Eddie rarely, if ever, takes a vacation. He doesn’t believe in doing something a few times if you can do it once or twice. Since he’s been around more years than I care to count (lots more than eleven) we’ve developed a tight relationship. When I write, he automatically steps in and corrects something before I get two words past it. It might be a misspelled word, or something left out. More often it’s a word or two that works better than what I’ve typed. It might take a little more time that way but in the long run it’s a job we’re both proud of. Actually, the process works so smoothly now, it really doesn’t take any time at all. Eddie can point out a problem and before you can say ‘sprint’ it’s fixed.

Internal editing as you go isn’t something everyone can do. It takes a solid knowledge of the English language (or whatever language you write in) learned over many years. It’s something that becomes a part of you and sometimes tends to take over. There are some changes in the language Eddie has to make adjustments for and others he refuses to acknowledge – with good reason. It comes down to a matter of knowing the difference and accepting or rejecting accordingly.

When it comes to editing other authors’ work, Eddie has the uncanny ability of being able to see through the author’s eyes and understand what they’re trying to say. Editors in general don’t always understand where the author is coming from. (I’ve had personal experience with that when my work has gone through the process.) It can be frustrating.

As smart as Eddie is he’s far from being the know-it-all internal editor we’d all love to have. He continues to grow, to evolve...and the only way he can do that is working with others. Every writer has, or should have, an Eddie. Work with him, watch him grow and see how much your writing improves.