by Lynn Blackburn @LynnHBlackburn
Lynn Huggins Blackburn believes in the power of stories, especially those that remind us that true love exists, a gift from the Truest Love. She’s passionate about CrossFit, coffee, and chocolate (don’t make her choose) and experimenting with recipes that feed both body and soul. She lives in South Carolina with her true love, Brian, and their three children. You can follow her real life happily ever after at http://www.lynnhugginsblackburn.com.
People tend to assume if
you’ve written a book that you are super creative in many other areas. The
reality is while you may be creative with words, that doesn’t mean you have one
ounce of skill with fabric, color, or that you have a clue how to pick out a
lamp.
I am one of those people.
A few years ago, I was
lucky enough to develop a friendship with a wonderful designer. Her name is
Lisa. I was terrified the first time Lisa came to my house. Embarrassed, even.
What if she felt like my house was beyond help? Thankfully, she likes a
challenge. She gets me. She shops at TJMaxx and Marshalls and is even more
careful about my budget than I am.
She’s particularly
talented at taking what I already have and re-arranging it in a way that makes
so much more sense than the way I had it. She then brings in a few additional
pieces, and asks if I like them. I can keep them or suggest we try something a
little different.
Between the two of us, we
wind up with a room that is still 100% mine, but it’s so much better than
anything I could have come up with on my own. It’s my stuff, with a few new
things I would have picked out if I’d had the sense to know how awesome they
were, all pulled together into a cohesive whole.
About a week after my
final edits had been approved for my first book, Covert Justice, I called
Lisa for an emergency intervention. I had tried to go it alone. I had an idea,
I went shopping, I started decorating. When I was done, my downstairs looked
like the epicenter of a Hobby Lobby explosion. Lisa fixed it in two hours.
As she left, and I relaxed
in a room that actually looked like the vision I’d had in my head, I couldn’t
help but notice the similarities to the editorial process.
I was so afraid to send my
manuscript to my editor. TERRIFIED. Embarrassed that she would read my words
and deem them hopeless. As it turned out my editor, Elizabeth, likes a
challenge and she gets me. When I read through my edits, rather than crying or
gasping in pain, I found myself laughing and chuckling at the remarks she made
in the sidebar.
She made suggestions for
re-arranging things, slowing down the romance, and adding in more conflict.
When it was all said and done, the book we wound up with is still 100% mine,
but it is so much better than anything I could have come up with on my own.
No matter how many books I
write, I will always need an editor. Someone to take a look with fresh eyes,
make suggestions, and help me turn my vision into reality.
So let’s talk about this.
Are you afraid of editors? Want to brag on yours?
Don’t forget to join the
conversation!
TWEETABLES
Love this because it is so true. Fresh eyes, fresh ideas. I'm a good decorator but because I was taught by my mom and then by Pinterest! Great post.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Julie! I love Pinterest, but I still get in trouble when I try to make something I saw on Pinterest! :-)
DeleteIt helps that I absolutely loved your story right from the first page--even though I ended up making you change that page. ;-) Believe me, as an editor, I worry about the editing process, too. I'm always afraid authors will hate me for requesting changes, or that they'll tell me I was totally off the mark in the tweaks that I made directly. That's why it's such a delight working with authors like you who appreciate the editing process, and come to it with such a terrific attitude!
ReplyDelete-Elizabeth
Hey everybody, this is MY editor! :-) Elizabeth - You made the process soooo much less painful than I expected it to be (even though you did make me cut the entire first chapter, and rewrite the suspense plot!) By the time it was over, I was actually looking forward to your edits because I knew they were going to make the story so much better. Thank you for being so awesome!
DeleteEditors are such an important part of a writer's success. They make our words look more beautiful, be felt more deeply, and communicate richly, if we are only willing to roll up our sleeves and apply their wisdom.
ReplyDeleteMichelle - you are so right. Incorporating edits is hard work, but so worth it!
DeleteLynn, I LOVE this post and the analogy between decorating and the editing process. (I might have to borrow it ... with your permission.) :) Just as writers are a little paranoid to send their work to an editor, editors are sometimes just as worried about the writer's response to the edits. That's why it's important for author and editor to develop a relationship and work together to make the end product the best it can be. I love being an editor and have had the privilege of working with some wonderful authors who have become dear friends. As you said, when you "get" someone, it makes the process easier and a lot more fun. Thanks for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteAndrea - I'm glad you liked the analogy. Feel free to use it anytime. And thanks for the reminder that editors get nervous about the process, too. :-)
ReplyDeleteThis is so true! I had never really thought of my writing in the same way as decorating, but you are 100% right! I can't decorate past hanging a few pictures, and even then I end up moving things around several times until I finally give up. I'm so glad I have an amazing editor who can pluck out the vision from my mess of words and find what's important in the story and make that shine without all the holes in the walls. :)
ReplyDeleteHey Tammy!! So fun to see a sister Killer Voice here! I am the WORST at hanging pictures. If you look behind any picture I hung without Lisa's approval, you'll find a series of holes...it's pretty bad. :-)
ReplyDeleteWe are both blessed with awesome Love Inspired Suspense editors!
This was excellent!!! And about hanging pictures, mine are all crooked! I agree1oo% with Tammy that a skilled editor can help you in the "decorating" process! Elizabeth was phenomenal helping me to bring my story to life.
ReplyDeleteI have loved working with my editor! Like working with a decorator, you must find someone who likes your style and can interpret your vision, or you'll end up with zebra stripes when you wanted princess pink. The same is true with editors - if they love your story and genre, they can help you move from plain color to Technicolor, with added oomph. Hope you like my technical term there, oomph.
ReplyDelete