I’m not one to blow my own trumpet but lately I’ve had some lovely feedback from some of my editorial clients. (Don’t worry, I’m not going to bore you with a long list of testimonials; that’s not why I’ve mentioned this.) I confess that I took a few moments to bathe in the warm happy glow that suffused my being. Once I’d recovered from my self-indulgent gosh-someone-likes-me interlude, I realised I rather enjoy being an editor. So? you may well ask. Well, the funny thing is, I didn’t think I would.
I only began doing some freelance editing as a means to earn a bit of income while I tried to get someone to publish my book/s. (Still waiting to hear from the publisher who has my latest manuscript!) The first job I did was for a friend of a friend, and I began it a little begrudgingly. It took so much time away from my own writing and I didn’t want to be an editor; I was a writer. Right? But, it was very satisfying to see the end result, the customer was happy and the little bit of money helped at Christmas time. Then I got a second one and I told myself: It doesn’t hurt to do this occasionally… Then there was a third, a fourth…
Even though this might sound weird, when I’m editing a manuscript I feel as if I’m the midwife who is helping bring it into the world… or the grandmother, or something equally soppy. I was present at the birth of my first grandchild. I stayed with my daughter throughout that long night, not even taking a toilet break. (A miracle!) But when little Halle finally made her grand entrance it was all worth it. I fell instantly in love with her and even though I hadn’t physically brought her into the world, my feet and back ached just as much as it did when I gave birth to her mother! In some ways, editing another writer’s book is a similar process, except that I take plenty of toilet breaks!.
It’s such a privilege to have input into someone else’s work. I feel so proud when I finally see their book in print. I think to myself (just a tad smugly): I had a hand in that. Don’t get me wrong; I’m still a-hopin’ and a-prayin’ that one of my ‘babies’ finally makes it out into the world. However, in the meanwhile I’m enjoying all the other ‘writerly’ things I’m doing. How blessed am I?