Hope is the thing . . .

In my last post, I talked about the vulnerability and courage it takes to put a manuscript into others’ hands to read and critique. You know going into this writing life that a thick skin is necessary because there will be lots of rejections and little positive feedback. These days you’re lucky if you get an emailed response. I decided to hire an independent editor to help me finish my second book. It’s a good story idea. I’ve fleshed out some good scenes, but I know it needs work. As a new writer, I don’t always know what that is or how to actually put into place what I’ve learned reading craft books or attending workshops. I needed someone to teach me the ropes, as they say. I had no idea that it would be such an enormous and gut-wrenching task.

I began thinking that I am a writer in need of an editor, and surely, editors want to take on clients. They want my money. This is their livelihood. Right? Oh, hold on there, not so fast! Independent editors are busy people. Everybody wants one it seems. While there are lots of them out there in the writing world, even someone like me who doesn’t have a deadline or schedule to keep, I could be waiting many months for an opening. I had no idea. How do I find a good one? How much do they charge? Can I afford that? How do I know if they know what they’re doing? Do they know the genre of romance and my sub-genre of seasoned romance? Will their suggestions change my story or lose my voice? Are they easy to work with? Are they positive and kind even when giving tough feedback? There are so many questions, and I wasn’t sure how to go about this.

I found three editors to interview. Two I heard speak at RWA last summer. I liked what they had to say, got their contact information and reached out. The third person was recommended by a member of my local writing group. These are good ways to find a reliable and qualified editor. You also need to know which kind of editor you’re looking for. Developmental edits focus on the big picture—story structure, character arc, pacing, etc. Line edits, done line by line, focus on word choice and meaning. Copy edits look for grammatical errors. Proofreading is the final step looking for typos and misspellings. Some editors do everything; some only focus on one or two types. There are various reasons why, but remember that just as you miss things even though you’ve looked at your manuscript a thousand times, editors can become too familiar as well. Another set of eyes can be helpful. At this point, I wanted a developmental editor.

Sample edits are a good way to see how the process works, how the editor works, and if you are a good fit together. Some sample edits are free, and some require payment. I highly recommend getting a sample edit even if you have to pay. There are two reasons for this. First, if you are new to the process of editing and working with an editor, as I am, you want a trial of what that process looks and feels like. I use the verb feels intentionally. You will have lots of feelings digesting the feedback you get. Some of that will be good, and some not so much. You’ll be thrilled and excited by what they have to say and changes they suggest. You may also be devastated. Second, you want someone who you connect with, who believes in the manuscript and you as a writer, who understands the genre you’re working in, and who gets you both as a person and a writer. Sample edits allow you to get a feel for the process and the person you’ll be working with. Even if you don’t choose that editor and you’ve paid for the sample edit, it’s money well spent, in my opinion. Imagine committing to hiring someone only to find out your style doesn’t mesh with theirs or they aren’t the quality you're expecting or they are giving a copy or line edit instead of a developmental edit. It pays to be informed.

Remember, it takes guts to put this work into someone else’s hands. I had no idea what to expect from these editors or from the editing process. Trepidatious though I was, I set out determined to get myself an editor. I can tell you unequivocally that this process was both the best of the best and the worst of the worst.

Only one of the editors offered a free sample edit, which I immediately took advantage of. Some of the feedback was right on point, but they also wanted me to rewrite the entire manuscript in third person, present tense. I’d never seen such a thing. I looked at the books in my own personal library. Nope. I queried on my local writing group’s Facebook page. No one had heard of this. At first. Then someone replied that this is a new trend in writing YA and New Adult fiction that comes out of fan fiction. Not what I write. A couple writers were mentioned who use this style so I went to Amazon, read some of the sample pages, and discovered that this was not for me. It felt stilted and awkward. Maybe younger readers are used to this and enjoy that style. Not me. It helps that I know myself now as both a reader and a writer. This also doesn't fit my genre of seasoned romance. This editor is definitely aware of the trends in publishing, but not so much for my particular niche. She was very nice and easygoing, but not for me. Without the sample edit I would not have known this.

The next editor asked me to send fifty pages. Then, they asked to have a phone conversation with me about the work. I was informed in the nicest and most polite way (and I do mean that literally, not sarcastically) that I couldn’t tell a story, I didn’t have a voice, and I should move on because no publishing house would ever take this story. A sample edit wasn’t necessary because there was no story to edit. I was devastated. That is not an exaggeration. My writing partner was livid. I questioned why I was spending my days doing this writing thing. I love writing every day and diving into craft. I love talking about plot and characters with my writing partners. It not only fills my days (and keeps me out of trouble😉), it fills my soul. I need to write and learn to craft these stories. I wanted to quit. I thought I should quit. I didn’t feel good enough. I stewed for a couple of weeks. This all happened just before Christmas, and the three of us were getting ready for a much needed break. I’d think on it. First of all, let me say that I should not be left by myself all day every day as a retired person. I get into stuff. You know—cookies, candy, baking, shopping, cleaning, shopping, cookies, candy. I cannot be left on my own. Havoc will ensue. I was bored. I was irritated. I was lonely without my writing peeps. Mostly, I was sad that I’d been told I wasn’t good enough at this thing I’ve longed to do since childhood.

But then, my very wise and astute husband said, “Do you like it?” Why yes. Yes, I do. Very much. And just asking me that question allowed me to see that it didn’t matter what that second editor had said. They were not the editor for me. I did, too, know how to tell a story. This story is good and worth telling. I never said it didn’t need work, and as a new writer I had no idea what to do next. I’m willing, eager even, to learn. That’s why I was hiring an editor. I needed someone to teach me and show me what was missing.

Which brings me to the last editor. Editor number three did not offer a free sample edit. They did offer a free thirty-minute consultation so we could talk. They could explain the process, and I could ask questions. They were very positive and talked about the emotions of the story and what they liked about it. They also offered some suggestions about how to improve and deepen the characters, their connection to each other, and their connection to the reader. Exactly what I was looking for. It was an easy and natural conversation that left me feeling like they could be the one for me. I asked for a sample edit. I had to wait a little bit, but in the end it was worth it. Not only did it give me insight into the process, but I could also judge what it would be like to work with this person. Were they really as positive in the sample edit as they were in the conversation? Turns out, yeppers! Yay!

Every part of this writing stuff is hard. It requires tenacity, patience, perseverance, courage, and a thick skin. It’s time-consuming and doesn’t always run on your schedule. But if you love doing something, then that work and effort are worth it. I don’t think I have unrealistic expectations. I know that a publisher may never pick this story up. I may become an independent, self-published author. Maybe lots of people will buy it or maybe no one will. But I know without a doubt that I have an avocation I enjoy (and keeps me out of trouble.) Becoming a USA Today Bestselling Author might not be in my future, but I am an author. I also know that, even though those things might be true, I have something I will not let anyone crush again. I have hope—that “thing with feathers that perches in the soul.”

“Hope” is the thing with feathers -

That perches in the soul -

And sings the tune without the words -

And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -

And sore must be the storm -

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm -

I’ve heard it in the chillest land -

And on the strangest Sea -

Yet - never - in Extremity,

It asked a crumb - of me.

-Emily Dickinson