Surprising Editorials

Something odd is happening.

I’m actually…

… really excited by doing edits for Forget Me Not.

Traditionally, writers aren’t big fans of doing editorials.  ‘What do you mean it needs changing?‘ is the punchline of many an old writery joke.  I don’t mind editorials that much, not least as my current editor is the absolute queen of a) telling me that I’m wonderful before every note and b) constructively giving feedback.  This last part is not to be undervalued.  I’ve had editorial notes in the past which boil down to this:

‘Dear Cat, I read your latest book, and it’s brilliant, but there’s just something… something about the way it tells the story… there’s just… I’m not sure what it is, but it’s clearly not working… so I think you should have a look at that.’

Cue: screams of rage and tears of frustration.  It’s as bad as directors and lighting.  (‘So yeah, Cat, there’s something… with the lighting… so I’m not sure if… maybe you could fix it?’)

But!  With Forget Me Not I kinda know it needs editing.  I knew it was a bit overweight when I wrote it (it’s long and I hate long books) and it was distinctly overweight when I sat down to edit it the first time, but alas, I was still word-crazy on the first edit and found it impossible to really clearly see what needed to die and what should live in all the text.  Thankfully!  My awesome editor has now spent several months churning through the pages and has come back, blessed be, with an entire draft highlighted with the word ‘cut?’ on many, many paragraphs and chapters, and I am relieved.  I am relieved ‘cos I feel that she’s right, but didn’t have the stamina to find and kill stuff all on my lonesome.  She’s also right when she talks about other problems that need zapping in the book – saggy bits of writing, saggy bits of plotting – and sure, I kinda knew it before, but having someone else put it into clear, clarified thoughts is a godsend.

And so yes, I’m kinda excited by editing, for the first time in a while.  Mostly, I think, ‘cos I have this sneaky feeling that it’ll be a much, much better book when we’re done.