Editing

I've written about self-editing before, but the other part of the process is having someone else look at what you've done and give you their opinion. An editor can serve many roles -- muse, plot doctor, grammar expert, support system, fact checker, and sounding board. The writer holds primary authority and responsibility over what the final version of the story looks like, but an editor can help and offer a fair and honest and unemotional assessment of what's going on. When I'm looking for someone to edit a story of mine, here's what I look for:

• Someone with a good command of the English language, and not just in terms of vocabulary and understanding, but also for grammar. Ideally, the editor should be able to point out the misplaced commas or the misuse of words. So many times I've read stories where I look a the words used and think, "Oh, the writer didn't mean *that*." Ex. 'Disinterested' and 'uninterested' are not the same thing and most people mean the latter, rathern the former which means 'neutral'. Also, the editor should be able to differentiate between affect/effect, their/they're/there, your/you're, its/it's -- you get the picture.
  
  By no means, if you find the grammar/language editor of your dreams, does this exempt the writer from knowing the rules. Using language and grammar improperly is not an option for anyone who takes writing seriously. Learn the rules, and then find someone who can help you make sure you're enforcing them.
  
  
• An editor shouldn't be solely critical or positive. If they lean too far to either direction, it's time to take another look at whether they're actually helping or not. If the feedback is consistently negative, without giving reasons *why* or *how* to fix them, then this may not be the best editor-writing relationship. If the feedback is consistently positive, pointing out just the things you do well and nothing else, then again, it may not be a good relationship. Editors should be able to point out the good and the bad both. They should be able to hone in on your weaknesses and help you emphasize your strengths. Carping on the weaknesses only can undermine confidence, while emphasizing strengths can lead to overconfidence.
  
  
• Based on the above, if someone tells you something your editor has never mentioned before, or anyone else for that matter, it might be worthwhile to listen. I've heard many times people saying, "Oh, that can't be right. No one has ever given me *that* criticism." While criticism stings, take a step back and look at it dispassionately. Some people criticise for the joy of criticising; it's your job as the writer to be able to tell the difference. If someone says, "Okay, this story is a little too wordy and by the way, I don't understand what this means," examine the story in that context. Maybe they're right, maybe they're not; either way, just because no one has ever said something before doesn't mean it's untrue.
  
  
• I define constructive criticism as "Here's what I like/dislike about your story and this is why and here's how you can fix it." It's not easy to get constructive crit, no matter how politely worded, but it's a necessary step in putting out a quality final project. Ideally, an editor will be able to tell you how to fix the weaknesses. If not, then it's up to you to come up with a solution. Editors are there to help, but it's up to the author to actually come up a solution that works for them. Which leads me to my final point.
  
  
• Having an editor, by the way, does not exempt the author from self-editing or even critically considering what an editor has said. Anything an editor says is merely a suggestion or an opinion -- not a hard and fast "you must do this or ELSE" type statement (at least, they should very rarely be worded that way, unless it means the difference between getting published or not -- in which case, the final decision about what to do still lies with the writer). The editor isn't always omnipotent and all-knowing, but if they are competent, they also won't be off-base most of the time. It's important to evaluate all statements made, and learn to tell the difference between pettiness and things that will genuinely help. In the end, it's up to the author to decide whether to implement what an editor says.