You Need to Let an Editor Destroy Your Precious Writing

Remember to wipe your tears away and say thank you

Ah, new parents!

They are adorable.

They go around carrying their lovely bundle of joy.

“Isn’t she beautiful?” they ask. One can only look at the still swollen baby sleeping amongst too many blankets and say, “Oh, yeah. Sure.”

Well, we writers are pretty much the same.

We pour blood, sweat, and tears (sometimes literally) on the page. Then, after the deed is done, we contemplate the magnificent piece of art we have created.

“Isn’t she beautiful?” we ask.

Sorry to break it to you, but: no, she isn’t.

There’s a reason they call it a first draft.

Now, if you are lucky, you’ll find people who will help you polish your work and really get it into top shape.

But, most likely, there will be no one around to tell you are messing up. The result will be that, what could have been a brilliant piece of literature, ends up being a so-so piece of…something.

As much of the people who write online, I don’t have the blessing of counting with someone by my side to keep me from screwing up. Still, I do my best: I use Grammarly (it does catch several mistakes), I reread my posts, let them “stew,” and then check them again.

Still, it’s not the same as having a fellow human being show you how it could be done better, especially when you find someone who knows what she is doing.

Recently, I have been fortunate enough to write in a publication called Unapologetically Real.

Run by Kerry Kerr McAvoy, PhD and Marilyn Regan, it’s a publication “focused on being honest, vulnerable and real.”

At the moment, I have posted a couple of pieces. I was kind of terrified when I submitted them.

Then the moment came when Kerry and Marilyn made their first editorial comments. Being a people pleaser, at first, I was very upset.

Oh, my! What have I done? This post is a piece of crap, and they know it!

Later, I was kind of angry:

How dare these gals to criticize my writing? What do they know?

Well, they know a lot. And, what’s more important, they were doing their job: making sure the reader got access to quality content.

We writers tend to be selfish. We are having so much fun with our words, that we tend to forget about the person who will read them. That’s when editors come to the rescue.

That’s right: editors are not out there to get you. They are there to serve the reader by providing her with a good experience.

This is not about you, the writer. And it sure isn’t about your ego or your crippling self-doubt.

This is all about the person who will (if you are lucky) read your post. Editors are helping you to better connect with your audience.

I plan to keep on submitting to other publications. I have already posted in FAANG, and will soon publish in Top 3. First draft is ready! Wish me luck!

I’m still terrified. But there’s one thing even scarier than being rejected: to remain a mediocre writer.

I’m grateful that these wonderful editors have helped me take a critical look at the words that come out of my mind. It was necessary. Although I must confess I feel a bit self-conscious: I don’t really think I deserve their advice.

I have to work on dealing with this self-doubt so I can serve my readers properly. In the end, isn’t that what we all are here for?