"When you were finishing your first book," I began, "did you ever find yourself so sick of your own content that you couldn't possibly look at it again?"
He chuckled.
"I mean, regardless of content?" I included. "It could be the most brilliant, colorful words ever, but did you ever find yourself tired of looking at it. . . one more time?"
"Sure," he responded from across the table. "In fact, there were times when I didn't think I could look at something ever again. And then when I got the copyedits back, I would find myself wanting to completely rewrite an entire chapter. There's a balance."
Words from a Sage!
It seems there's something to this "balance" he mentioned. I have not always been the biggest supporter of multiple revisions and rewrites, and yet I have found that this is the one thing that really propels my craft. For instance, I often find a bit of my characters that needs fleshing out, or I will meet up with my old enemy, passive voice, and have to tear the whole thing apart. Still, each time I do, my writing grows.
Further encouraged to continue revising, one of my favorite writers on writing, Natalie Goldberg, suggests remaining loose in my attachment to my prose. She says that "we think our words are permanent and solid and stamp us forever."1 Goldberg encourages distance in our revision process, stating that time can afford the needed objectivity for thorough revisions. Consider the alternative, never breaking out of our first drafts. If this were the case, my beautiful prosthetic wings would still have feathers!
Now, here's something to think about: if you can work with a CE, and if you can get beyond your delicate writer's ego, you are open to limitless possibilities in your writing. Some item that they have highlighted and included a marginal comment might spark your imagination and take you in a new direction. Additionally, a shift in syntax, a suggested change in sentence structure, could really help to detail a faded scene or flat character. Let the distance of the reviser speak for itself. They are not committed to you words, at least not the way you are.
You may also find that you vehemently disagree with a suggestion. At this point, it might be important to ponder why you disagree. Look at the words again and consider the suggestion from a different perspective. Maybe even tell yourself that it was your idea. If it still doesn't fit well with you, it may not be a great change. After all, even CEs are human. But if there is a chance that it might enrich your story, embellish your writing, or strengthen your craft, put it in and give it a test drive. The worst that can happen is you take it back out again. The best that can happen is your readers will love you! But remember that you don't have to agree with each suggestion. You should also remember that you and your CE are on the same team.
Here's a sample of what I got back today. I had expressed the need to really tell the character's back story without being tedious. My character needs the proper motivation to do what it is that brings her to the climax, but some of it is so subtle, it almost feels dull. I know that the end justifies the means, but my reader wont know that until they've finished the peice. There is also the delicate balance of not giving away too much in the beginning, and yet giving just enough to keep the reader interested. It's like walking a tightrope while grinding coffee.
This is really why another perspective is so helpful, especially if they know the whole story. And I would strongly recommend your editor know they entire story. There is no need to save the suspense, especially at the expensive of their invaluable insight. Here's the except:
Here. the CE is making a suggestion that really enhances the story. If I give away too much too soon, then I run the risk of dampening the climax. Additionally, I might also run the risk of insulting the intelligence of my reader (and I expect my readers will be smart enough to get this without too much help; they will).
It might be important to note that this blog entry would have benefited greatly from the insight of a CE. But you should also know that I did a few revisions and this is not the first draft that you are seeing.
So, the long and short of it is to give yourself an opportunity to refine your writing along with the very helpful feedback of another set of eyes. Or even a few pairs of different eyes, though I think the actual copy editing should be reserved to one person. Then, get back to the keyboard, typewriter, papyrus and edit, revise, renew! Everyone wins.
Write now!
1 Goldberg, Natalie: Writing Down The Bones, Shambhala Publications, Inc., c. 1986
