Editing and matters of the heart: a quick post about a recent editing collaboration on Reedsy

When M’s editing request landed in my inbox - “kind editor needed to nudge love story into a literary direction” - my interest was piqued. (I loved that she used the word ‘nudge’ - it told me that she already had a shrewd understanding of the editor’s role in fiction; also that she knew how to wield a verb in a playful manner.) My instincts proved right, as after devouring the sample of her novel in under ten minutes — a poetic yet pacey coming-of-age story starting in Paris (I’m keeping it vague for confidentiality reasons) — I already knew I wanted to work with her. I was already dying to read more of the story (she has a talent for narrative which succeeded in hooking me in from the first 200 words).

I never take on an editorial project which does not give me butterflies, and reading M’s sample, there was some loud wing-fluttering aloft. I scrambled to put in an offer for a structural edit, my fingers flying over the keys, reminding myself of Kermit the frog playing the grand piano. I felt like I always do after offering on a book I love: like a teenager with a death-defying crush, hoping to heaven that it’s requited.

The work that takes place between an author and their editor is more than a paid contract: it is a creative relationship. If I am excited about the novel, it results in a better experience - for me, but most importantly for the author. Editing a time-intensive process which can last for months, and - like any creative work where feelings are involved - it can get emotional. It’s a huge leap of faith for an author to trust me with their novel. So I’m selective with the clients I take on. I take time to chew over their writing and reflect on whether I’m the right editor for it (am I an expert on the genre? does the story resonate with me? can I bring value to it, shepherding it towards publishing success?); I have pre-discussions with the author to hear more about their writing goals and make sure I’m aligned with their vision for the novel, that both our hearts are in the work, in the fun, challenging, chemistry-driven process of editing. Corny as that sounds, you will understand what I mean if you have a love of literature: it’s a matter of the heart.

Luckily, my feeling about M’s poetic bildungsroman was mutual. Less than a few hours after I sent my offer over, she accepted it. Excited emails were exchanged, a timeline was set, and a nail-biting two-month wait ensued before we finally got the chance to work with each other this summer.

I know testimonials like this can sound a bit trite and ‘spon-con’-y, but - genuinely - I don’t think this brilliant author and I would’ve found each other without Reedsy’s help in connecting us. Being able to collaborate, unhindered by the faff of contracts, admin, and chasing payments, is frankly a bit of a dream.

My work with M was inspiring and creatively fulfilling - everything an editor wants a project to be. Every day I opened up my laptop, I felt a buzz of anticipation to dive into her next chapter and engage with her prose (which had the rare knack, by the way, of combining pageturning addictiveness with language as delicate as French lace.) What made our collaboration work so well was how we just got each other — it was clear we shared an artistic sensibility, a way of looking at the world, shared cultural reference points, a similar sensitivity around language and life— that made the editing process an absolute dream. We had the same vision, sparked off each other’s ideas, co-edited seamlessly. I’m happy Reedsy brought us together around this spectacular and very special book, and grateful every day that I get to do a job that brings me butterflies.

If you’re an editor or publishing freelancer reading this, you can use this link to sign up to Reedsy and find similar collaborations: https://reedsy.com/p/sarah-de-souza