It hasn’t even been quite a week since my book was returned to me…FULL of edits. If you are looking for a way to be humbled, I can suggest writing a book you think is pretty fabulous and then passing it on for scrutiny by industry experts. Remember when a teacher would return a paper? You looked, kind of with one eye closed, at how much ink was scribbled in the margins to try and get a ballpark about what the grade might be. Let’s just say, my margins were marked up! The only difference between then and now is the mark-ups are actually only beneficial and do not hurt my GPA.
As I read through the line edits, the developmental edits, and the final bird’s eye overview from my editor, I felt muy overwhelmed. In a prior life, I was a college athlete. It was in that experience where I became fairly certain that the job of the coaching staff was oftentimes to make players pretty darn angry. This would usually elicit a heart-driven performance from the player just to show them up. Then the player would feel awesome about themselves and everybody would walk away happy. No permanent damage done and mutual respect solidified.
In this new sport, athletics of the mind, that I am diving into, it is very much the same. I received the edits, I read through them and felt frustrated, semi-offended, annoyed, angry, and confused all at the same time. So, like the disheartened athlete, I was ready to prove myself, basically only to myself, but still. I got up early, sipped my coffee with Cinnabon creamer, and started digging into my story bit by bit. You know what I hate to admit, my editor does know what she’s talking about and had great advice. It was just a matter of me pushing my pride aside to see that clearly. Sure, there are definitely some areas we do not see eye to eye on, but that is bound to be the case. Turns out, my “coach” got under my skin, I retaliated by improving my work, and now we are all good. No permanent damage is done and I admit my utmost respect for my editor.
There is still work to be done. I have a much clearer vision of where the story is headed at this point and just want to let you all know you should be excited!
*Side note: It would be funny if my editor read this post seeing as she has absolutely no idea about all of my thoughts and emotions on this matter. I bet she can assume them, though!
Abby, you will,do just fine just like your soccer! Look,forward to your finished product.
Sounds like your editor might have been a football coach in a past life!
I find the part you are going through very difficult and I sometimes step away from my writing for a few days, or even weeks. That usually helps me gain perspective. I wish you the best.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom…I’ll call it a perspective refresh!