In Praise of the Editor

Roy A. Higgins wrote, “The difference between writers and editors is that writers are creative using one end of a pencil. Editors are more adept using the opposite end.”

Ah, yes, it’s that time again. Time for the editing process to begin on my latest addition to the “Cuhaj Book of the Month Club”. Best Dog Hikes Alabama has been put to bed, at least in my mind, and now it’s in the lap and hands of the editor.

Many writers hate the process, but for me, I actually don’t mind it. It’s a “#LEARNING” experience (even though I’m not on Twitter). At least for my outdoor recreation books it is.

Oh sure, there are some frustrating moments. I don’t know how many times I have to convince them that Mobile is the birthplace of Mardi Gras in America or that during a hurricane, more people are killed by flash flooding far inland away from the Gulf than on the Gulf itself where the storm landed. (I have an historian and an official with the National Weather Service on speed dial.) But for the most part these “observations” are few and far between and quickly ironed out.

For the hiking books, I work long and hard hiking all of the trails, taking the photos and captioning them, creating four different maps for each hike, researching the history, wildflowers, and wildlife for both the trail and the region, then put it all in a Word doc and ship it all out. I tend to get really wrapped up in it and, well, sometimes when you get that close to something, small details get overlooked.

That’s when I say a big thank you to my editors. They’re good! I don’t care how much I proof these manuscripts and maps, they always find something that I either glossed over reading through it too fast or that completely made sense to me at the time I proofread it at 3am two hours before I had to leave the house for my day job.

Son-of-a-gun, they always find something and (thankfully) catch it. That turn I said was to the left was actually to the right on the map or that photo isn’t of a mountain bluebird, it’s an eastern bluebird.

Yep, they’re good.  

Now when it comes to my historical non-fiction or short stories, that’s when I get a little cheesed. For example, not long ago I released a test eBook version of my short story collection, Living in a Banana Dream. After I saw that my readers (you) liked it (glaring mistakes and all - - sorry. BAD editor that time! :) I decided to get it professionally edited and send it to a publisher.

As you know, it’s a collection of humorous tales about growing up that are loosely based on faulty memories. It revolves around my gang of friends growing up in New Jersey that have adventures we can all relate to.

Well, the first thing the editor told me after reading a sample to see if they wanted to tackle it was that the slang used by the characters wasn’t realistic. What the…? I went into a tirade.

“That’s how we talked! It’s New Jersey! Have you ever BEEN to New Jersey?”

“No.”

“Do you KNOW the gang?”

“No.”

And on and on it went. “This character, Badger. Am I to believe that’s his real name? Sledding in an ice-storm? Really?”

How does that old joke go? How many editors does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Only one but they have to rewire the house first.

But even then, if you have a good relationship with your editor, listen closely to their critiques, and discuss with them what your intent was, it all comes out in the end for the better.

Now excuse me while I find a new editor for those short stories.