Even Editors need Editors!

Guess what? In November, I am privileged to have a short story included in a new anthology called Glimpses of Light. It will feature works of flash fiction, poetry and short stories by a myriad of authors, all with a significant theme relating to light.

It’s been fantastic to liaise with all my fellow authors as we hand over our work for this anthology. All proceeds from sales go to charity, so it has been a labour of love for all of us. Some of us (like me) have also volunteered our editing, typesetting and other talents to contribute to the anthology.

It’s been a great experience and has brought home to me afresh just how much every author needs an editor, no matter their level of experience or their skill. For example, even though I’m an editor myself, I knew from experience that I would still have changes to make to my manuscript. However, when I received the final suggestions back from another editor this week, I shook my head at some of the things I’d missed. Simple repetition, spelling and punctuation errors (naturally), and some occasions when I hadn’t explained things clearly enough. This is a common problem, especially when you’re writing something set in another world (my short story is a science fiction piece – surprise, surprise!) but even though I look out for things like that, it usually takes another pair of eyes to point out where I’ve stuffed up.

I know it surprises some people to learn that an editor needs another editor to check her work, or that experienced authors need the same thing. They do. We do. When you’re as close to your work as an author is, it is inevitable that you will miss some things which should be made more obvious to someone who can’t see the world in your head, even if it’s the same world in which we live. Professional editors are an essential element in a successful book, be it fiction or non-fiction.

Are you an author? Have you seen how much an editor has improved your work? Let us know in the comments section below.