I had editing angst. Writing a book involves a lot of steps, some more complex than others. The one process I was dreading was turning the manuscript over to an editor and letting somebody else rip it apart.
I don’t mind somebody correctly, um, correcting my spelling or grammar. That’s all welcome. But having somebody reshape the flow of the book, question the assumptions, or challenge the ideas … that’s intimidating.
Nobody would ever define me as having thin skin. I’m a landlord, so I’ve heard it all. But writing is an artistic process and finding your voice takes time. I didn’t want anybody fooling around with the balance of insight, sarcasm, flippancy, spirituality and thoughtfulness. (Quick Note: Yes, I think the book contains all of those things. Or at least hope so.)
Last week the moment I was dreading arrived — the first comments from the editor.
With trepidation I opened the email …. and to my amazement it was full of kind words.
It began with, “First off, I just want to say, this is a rich book. It’s one I will be coming back to myself, more than once, to read and reread and think about. It’s an extremely timely message and I think you’ve done an excellent job with it.”
Wow … well then … maybe I do like the editing process!
I clicked open the attached doc and read through her suggested changes. Nothing major, and I agreed with virtually all of them. I was … relieved. Thankful even.
The release date gets closer and more realistic. Exciting to think about it!