By Holland Webb @WebbHollandLyle

Editing is a crucial component of the writing process. It’s a fun part of it too, right? Why wouldn’t it be an absolute blast for a professional to give me feedback on what I’ve so lovingly created? (Probably because I’d rather not hear about my shortcomings in pointed detail, thank you very much.)

When I’m at my best, I know my editors don’t hate me. They are helpful, kind people who are doing their job of guiding me in my growth as a communicator. But when the sickness is upon me, I am pretty sure those same editors are ogres bent on locking me in the dungeon of John Bunyan’s Doubting Castle with Giant Despair.

Editors don’t hate you. Neither are they there to fix your grammar faux pas and move on. Let’s dive into these and other myths about editors.

 Myth 1: My editor hates me.

If you have poured your best effort into creating a work you’re proud of, then it’s only natural to feel sad when an editor starts pulling it apart. Even though you know it’s their job, you automatically run through the stages of denial, anger, bargaining, and maybe even depression before accepting your editor’s work.

When you receive negative feedback from an editor, how should you respond?

1. Return to your reference point. For most of us, our reference point is ourselves, and that’s the problem. When we’re hurt, we feel disoriented because we have no external center of gravity. Your reference points should be scripture, facts, ideas, research, and a style guide. Go to the appropriate reference point for your work and look at what the editor says is wrong from that perspective.
2. Ask why the editor recommends certain changes. It’s much easier to accept feedback verbally than in writing. If you can sit down with your editor in person or via an online platform, do it. Walk through the major changes together.
3. Ask your editor for solutions. Maybe they can give you a fresh idea for fixing a problem in your work.

Caveat: A few editors get cruel enjoyment from undermining other people. If you suspect that’s the case, find yourself a new editor. You want direct — even painful — feedback, but you don’t have to take abuse.

Myth 2: Editing is just about fixing mistakes.

It’s easy to imagine an editor — a feather in her jaunty cap and a quill pen in her hand — sitting at her orderly desk nitpicking at your commas. That’s not reality. Editors help you polish and refine your material.

Specifically, developmental editors help you transform a rough manuscript into a book. Substantive editors look at the book from a global perspective. Copy editors eye each individual line, and proofreaders home in on each word.

Editing enhances your piece. It doesn’t just repair it.

Myth 3: Good writers don’t need editors.

Everyone makes mistakes, and mistakes make a difference.

Even the most-admired writers make errors in judgment regarding plot or concept. They overlook botched syntax, or they skip words without recognizing it. Editors can fix those problems. Moreover, the best editors help you improve your skills so that your writing gets tighter and smoother with each project.

Not only do good writers need editors, but good editors actually help create good writers.

Myth 4: Editing is a one-time process.

I used to believe that once I had written something, I would send it to an editor who would make a few adjustments and then publish it. I was wrong.

Editing is a multi-layered process that moves from refining your concept down to checking each jot and tittle of your language choices. That process requires several steps, and sometimes several different people, to fashion the high-quality piece you’re looking for.

By the time you submit your work for publication, — or press publish on your own website — several sets of eyes should have seen it and commented on it.

Myth 5: Editing is easy.

Editing takes focus. Your editor will read every single word you wrote, many of them more than once. After all, they need to focus deeply on your concepts, prose, and/or grammar if they’re going to make valuable recommendations.

Editors have to think first about helping you get better, of course, but they also need to keep your feelings in mind. They’re like moms in that way. If you’ve ever tried to fix a scraped knee with rubbing alcohol and a bandage, you’ll have empathy for an editor.

 “A good editor,” author Dene October says, “is someone who cares a little less about the author’s needs than the reader’s.”

They’re not mean, but they are tough. Most importantly, they’re often the only other person who is almost as invested in your work as you are. Pick a good editor, and enjoy the growth process.

Holland Webb is a full-time freelance writer and editor whose clients have included High Bridge Books & Media, Sweet Fish Media, Compose.ly, and RedVentures, and his articles have appeared in Focus on the Family, Influencive, Devozine, and Keys for Kids. With his friend Carlton Hughes, Holland co-authored Adventures in Fatherhood: A Devotional. Almost 20 years ago, Holland adopted two boys, both now grown, and he recently married for the first time at age 45.