In all, we had a good turnout, seventeen attendees and almost all of them participated in our discussion. This week we talked about editing. The Florida Writers Association, our statewide sponsor, has lists of qualified and talented editors. These professionals are waiting for writers to call upon them and request their services. Take advantage of joining the association and availing yourself of their services. Our discussion delved into the merits of hiring an editor, and for the most part we agreed, a good editor is invaluable in the writing process.
This agreement came with some caveats, however:
1. Pick your editor carefully, your editor must be ready and qualified to do the type of editing you need. There are different types of editors, Copy Editors, Proof Editors, and Content Editors; there are also sub-types in each of these fields - too many to mention in this blog. Copy Editors are helpful with grammar, layout, and helping to ensure your writing falls within the parameters of proper language usage. They often do double duty as a Proof Editor when they proofread the piece while pointing out errors in spelling, use of double words, and those simple typos we all make. Finding the improper use of homophones, hear and here, flower and flour among others keep a writer from being embarrassed. Proof Reader/Editors are great assets and keep us from making silly errors. Now, Copy Editing is a different world altogether; when working with a Copy Editor it’s important to explain exactly what you’re trying to impart to your readers. Your ideas on paper may not be as easy to write as to speak and your Editor can help with this process but, they must understand what you’re trying to do. Choose your Copy Editor carefully, make sure you’re both on the same page with an understanding of your message.
2. Don't expect an editor to salvage poor work, make sure you've done your duty to have the piece as clean and free of errors as possible before submitting it to an editor. Giving an editor a rough draft is likely to cause them to reject the work, or it can end up costing you a lot more money
3. Editors are human, they make mistakes just like you do, they are not infallible. It’s your story, your work, the editor’s job is to make suggestions which might make your work better and more readable. If you disagree and cannot accept the editor’s suggestion, don’t make the change, it’s your choice! But, remember your editor may have a better handle on what is better for your work, consider the advice carefully before rejecting it.
4. Editors often work with publishers or agents and can be helpful in introducing you to writing professionals interested in your genre. If you find an editor you like and get along with, one you feel you can trust. Don’t be bashful, ask how the editor can help you in furthering your career.
The discussion was energetic and numerous POV’s presented. It’s always fun to hear what a group of writers has to say about almost any subject.
REMEMBER, THE VENICE BOOKFAIR IS MARCH 15-16
SUPPORT OUR LOCAL AUTHORS
Moving away from the discussion, we entered the reading portion of the evening. Eleven writers were willing to share their work with us, although a couple of them opted out as the evening progressed for various reasons, the most prevalent being the facilitator misread the note on the sign-in sheet. My faux pas.
We started out with Peter McNally reading Chapter Two of his work Rewired. Documenting his struggle to recover from multiple strokes, catastrophic seizures, and the aftermath of the devastating medical incidents takes a lot of courage and resolve. It’s been over sixteen years and Peter has regained much of his intellectual skills lost to brain damage. His memory still causes problems as he cannot always recall major events in his life. Challenges faced and hurdles overcame fill this chapter. Peter’s writing skills have come a long way in the months he’s attended our group. We can see a marked improvement in his personality and the way he faces his challenging life after near defeat; for sure, he can claim many victories in his fight.
Bill Elam brought us what he calls the final chapter of Part 1 in his story of an old man, unnamed throughout the story. Presenting another of those touched by the old man’s life, he portrays an airline pilot’s vision of the old yellow airplane well out over the Gulf of Mexico and at an altitude, it could not have achieved. We can’t wait, though we must, for this story to reach publication.
In his unique manner, Peter Frickel read a collection of nearly perfect sentences, each provoking thought and forming the basis for an enchanting story. Depicting an African field hand facing a hungry lion in a field. A question, death - what is it like? Is time a hunter, will any born into time survive? War, hunger, life, death, and noise comprise some of the things he touched on. Bird songs, their chirps, and twitters, what do they mean, are they communication as we know it? A volcanic eruption in Pompeii, how can all these things not trigger a writer’s desire to pen something from their heart.
Barbara Frickel’s work entitled Victory, done a few years ago at Myakka State Park, gave us a look at nature’s handiwork. With her words and rendering, the magic pencil depicted the beauty of a thistle. Her biblical reference to King David as being brave, talented, and handsome gave us a different view of the simple and often despised thistle. Victorious over its surroundings, it finds a way to grow in harsh conditions and still supplies a unique beauty with its colors and softness amid thorny covering. It is tough but beautiful.
Communist Cuba is the setting for Jeffrey Kutcher’s biography of Amauri, a youngster growing up in a Solar located in old Havana. The chapter took us inside the schoolroom where the teachers are required to teach the version of Cuban history authorized by the government. Amauri’s perception of the lessons and his opinions are formed. How does he feel about what he’s taught? We’ll have to wait and read on.
The “Reader’s Digest” version, as Doug Sahlin expressed it, for Yale Larson’s latest adventure led us up to an Extravaganza held at the Van Wetzel Performing Arts Center organized by Yale and his billionaire client in hopes of flushing out a suspected murder. The band, The Frog Prince is to be the featured act and its drummer is suspect number one. Will this work?
Linda Bond returned with the conclusion of her 50-Year-Old Wedding Cake story. On display at the anniversary party, the cake has survived 50 years in freezers with only minor damage. The decorations remain intact and a comparison of the cake to the marriage was fascinating as both suffered moves, traumatic issues, good and bad times, but each survived.
To close out the readings for the evening, Susan Haley read her poem, Shadow Warriors. Breaking from her penchant to write free-verse poetry, Susan wrote this in a rhyming pentameter. Written shortly after her husband’s passing, the poem was touching and poignant. I quietly wiped away the hint of a tear and saw more than one person rub their eyes.
Although we did not get to all our readers this week, we will hear from them at the next meeting. John Koehler and Don Westerfield will lead off the reading at our next meeting. Also, our next meeting, March 20th, will feature a presentation from our own Ed Ellis, a teacher and fellow writer whose credits include being a writing instructor at the Ringling School of Art and Design. Be sure to join us as Ed presents Abstraction, the blood in the veins of the writer.
Until we meet again, KEEP ON WRITING!
