A Purposeful Advice Column: A Mixed Bunch of Editors

Purposeful Prose reached out to a writing community to ask if they had any questions for an editor. Here’s one of our submissions!

I have a friend who’s an editor, but she said that since she’s my friend, it’ll be harder for her to be objective. I followed her advice and got a sample from a different editor. The feedback I received on my writing didn’t feel constructive, though. It felt like the other editor was bashing my work and my skills, and it’s hard for me to know what to do next. Is this what I’m meant to expect? I asked my editor friend, and she said it isn’t, but I’d like some other opinions as well!

First of all, great job getting a sample from an editor before making the choice to hire them. It sounds like you’re taking the initiative it takes to hire the right editor for you. I’m sure that your editor friend also gave you some great advice in this regard. 

Without knowing what the sample looks like, specifically, I can’t give definitive advice on how to work with the feedback you were given. That said, I can give you some advice on how to move forward. 

It sounds to me as if you’re saying the editor’s approach to feedback didn’t meet your needs, so I’m sure you already know that this isn’t the editor for you. What you can do, however, is turn this around. 

If you’re comfortable doing so, and only if you’re comfortable, reach out to the editor you took a sample from. You might be able to get some rationale or be able to discuss your writing in a way that fits your needs. While I can’t guarantee an ideal outcome, if you were upset with an edit I gave, I’d want to discuss it with you and learn how I can align with your needs. 

As for what an editor’s feedback should look like, there are several great approaches, and none of them involve bashing a writer’s skills or their project. I like to deliver my feedback in the form of a question where possible. I might say something like:

“Can you tell me what you mean by this?” or “Could you tell me more about this part? What do you want your readers to take away from this description?”

This is part of my way of acknowledging the writer as the expert of their piece and their goals for their work. I’m a collaborator who helps writers to achieve those goals, but I’m not the person who planned and produced their work. 

Another method that works well for editors is explaining what they noticed and their thought processes, then giving one or two recommendations on how to possibly revise.

“I’ve noticed that this paragraph gives a lot of vivid, immersive descriptions. The exchange that takes place in this setting appears to be pivotal, but I’ve noticed that you haven’t put as much weight on that. I’d like to work together to find a good balance and further reinforce the stakes of your story. I recommend something like…”

You’ll notice that I default to a team-centric style of editing, but I can adjust this approach. For example, I can provide more concise comments, create a deliverable for comments instead of putting them directly in the manuscript, or I can meet with the writer (virtually or in person) to discuss changes. 

So, to more succinctly answer your question, what you’ve received is not what you are meant to expect from an edit. You did not feel as though your edits were serving you and your work, so they’re not what you should expect from your editor.  

Another recommendation I have is to take a closer look at the comments that were given to you. Make a list of elements that this editor pointed out to you. 

A possible list might look like this:

• Descriptions

• Character development

• Sentence Structure

• Word choice
  

Give this list to another editor that you ask for a sample, and ask them for their opinion on how you carried out these elements. If you have a better idea of what you want to focus on, it will be easier for a more fitting editor to give you the tools you need. 

Once again, you’ve asked a great question, and kudos for getting samples from your editor! 

If you have a writing or editing-focused question, I would be more than happy to dedicate a post to you. Contact us for any questions you might have or to schedule a free consultation with yours truly!

All submissions will remain anonymous unless you explicitly request for me to include your name.