27 Jun So What Do You Do, Anyway? The Writer-Editor Relationship Explained

How your word-nerd editor will help you create your best work

Written by Jessica Stewart and Daniela Cavalletti

We’re here to let you in on a secret ­– us editors, we sometimes like to think of ourselves as your (geeky) superheroes: we’re here to save you!

It may not be your lives we’re guarding, but we will fix your message, salvage your pride, and sometimes even keep you from losing a truckload of money.

Writing is Hard. No Doubt About That.

The business of getting words down in a meaningful order, to impart a message – and with precision and beauty to boot – is a tough gig. Any piece of writing intended for some longevity (that is: more than a shopping list), is going to benefit from fresh eyes, some detached rigour and a passion for finicky wordsmithery.

So who steps up here? Your editor, imaginary cape flapping in the wind.

The Secret Life of Editors … Who Are We?

We are your first reader (yes, it should be us; not your mum, nor your best friend). To borrow from Wonder Woman: “It is our sacred duty to defend the [words] and it is what [we are] going to do”.

The relationship between editors and writers can make or break a piece of writing, but its importance is not always understood, and all too often ignored, to the detriment of the writer and  reader. The editor’s behind-the-scenes role is somewhat akin to the foundations of a building: invisible, but crucial to its construction.

So what then makes for a strong, professional writer-editor relationship, one that will skilfully navigate this tricky terrain?

In the Words of Aretha Franklin: Respect

Respect is at the core of any partnership, because with it comes trust.

A good editor who trusts and respects their writer’s knowledge on a subject matter will become a gentle guiding hand, a protector of the author’s voice and message, and partner with the best intentions for both the writer and the written piece. An unskilled editor, in contrast, runs the risk of becoming disrespectful to the original writing, and interfering, micro-managing, and smothering.

Equally, an author who trusts and respects their editor will never experience editorial feedback as an attack or a misinterpretation, nor jump straight to defence (and lose an opportunity to create their best work in the writer-editor partnership).

Editors worth their salt and respect will be able to justify every revision, and every query. There is no place in a flourishing writer-editor relationship for gratuitous changes and mistrust. We have confidence in each other’s craft.

Respect for each other’s roles will create the magic – writers do the major bits, us editors, we’ll look after the minutiae.

The Case of the Missing Comma

You may have heard about the case of the $13 million comma. In the US state of Maine, a judge ordered drivers to be paid this massive sum for four years of overtime – all because of a missing Oxford comma. The case hinged on whether ‘distribution’ was a separate activity drivers performed, making it eligible to be counted towards overtime, or part of ‘packing for shipment or distribution’ and not eligible. The missing comma, in this case, would have separated ‘packing for shipment’ and ‘distribution’ into distinct activities, both exempt from overtime. Alas …  no comma, huge bill.

Ouch!

A good editor will be there to support the work through to the finish. Whether it’s a novel, a journal article, or copy for a newspaper, editors are there in the background working with writers to produce their masterpiece.

Sloppy grammar does distort intention and, even for the most forgiving reader, is a poor look. We do realise that getting those commas in the right places isn’t going to be top of the list in any writer’s creative process. But potentially being, say, $13 million out of pocket is a good incentive to get those pesky commas straightened out, wouldn’t you say?

A Marriage Made in Heaven

A good editor will be there to support you and your work from start to finish. Whether it’s a book, a tender, blog posts, website content, or an article for a newspaper: editors are there in the background working with writers to produce their masterpiece.

In the writer-editor relationship, knowing that the other party is going to be open and listening, receptive and positive is crucial. Yes, it’s like a marriage!

To the Rescue!

So trust your editor to go over your words with a fine-tooth comb: carefully separating out what you want to say, what you mean to say – and what you might have said by accident!

We’d love to work with you. Get in touch to set up a time and discuss your editorial needs.