Image credit: SGT Pablo Piedra/Flickr (CC 2.0)
We all have them: blind spots in our writing when it comes to saying what we really mean to say.
Something happens to our brains, and when we read our own writing, we see how we envision the scene in our heads—not how it actually reads to someone who isn’t the author.
As the author, you’re very close to your work, and you’re even closer to your own writing style. A second set of eyes can make all the difference in ferreting out quirks and mannerisms that can interrupt the flow of the manuscript.
Editors are Unfamiliar With Your Voice—In a Good Way
You know how jarring it is to hear yourself on your own voice mail, if you’re not used to the sound of your own voice? It’s because you never hear yourself from outside your own head—it’s your voice.
Your editor hasn’t been living inside your head for your entire life like you have; it’s much easier for an outsider to pick up on the fact that you’ve started four sentences in two paragraphs with “At that time” and point it out to you so you have an opportunity to change it.
Image credit: Jhayne/Flickr
For one of my recent editing projects, I noticed that the author had given handlebar mustaches to three different people, in three different contexts. The first instance was a strong visual characterization; the second—and especially third—began to be a little funny.
In another project, the word “veritably” occurred no less than four times in the entire book. Sure, lots of words repeated lots more than four times during the book—but none of them so memorable as “veritably,” which stands out more and more with each repeat until it’s practically highlighted on the page.
Editors can help remove these obstacles before they have a chance to do any damage.
The moral of the story?
As far as memorable words and phrases, there can be too much of a good thing. Even sweet facial hair.
