21 thoughts on “Reader Friday: Your Inner Editor

  1. Is that DI Jack Webb?
    My inner editor is . . . I’m not sure. I think he’s part of my Guardienne, so I’m not that in touch with him. A lot of the time he doesn’t verbalize what he thinks, especially with other people’s writing. I’ll just get a vague feeling that something’s not right. He’s usually correct, but it takes some analytical thinking at all levels to ferret out the problem, sometimes.

    He was fussy about a friend’s flashforward into action prologue. It took me a day or two to realize the action was at the wrong level, more powerful than any other part of the novel–a shark attack in a book that’s not about sharks. Yes, it could easily be a metaphor, but I don’t see any thematic instances of the metaphor, so far. I hate to put a pin in her balloon. The sharks are her darlings.

    Got a call tonight from a producer friend. He may be making a short film based on one of my scripts. I’ll be acting in it, too. Woot❢

  2. That’s an interesting question, Jim. Mine is helpful with an edge. “You used the same adjective in two consecutive sentences. Dumbass.”

  3. My inner editor is like a nagging mother: “You changed the name of the school in chapter 21. Did you go back and do clean up in chapter 1? You promised the Patterson’s that you would give them those artifacts you brought back from the skin world, son. Did you keep your promise? Sonny, there’s a plot hole in chapter 16. Have you filled it yet.? We don’t want anybody to drive over it and ruin their tire. I know son, I’m always nagging you, but I want you to grow up to be a good citizen, a good writer. Now, eat your peas.”

  4. My inner editor is still learning leadership skills. They have a tendency to intrude when they should just let the employee work on the project & not micromanage. At times they try too hard to be a drill instructor.

    Sometimes the inner editor is very helpful, especially if they’ve had their chocolate for the day–it helps them provide clear and articulate advice that moves the project forward.

    And sometimes they send out communications before editing themselves for clarity—what they’re saying doesn’t make any sense.

  5. I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,
    And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.
    He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;
    And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.

    The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow—
    Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;
    For he sometimes shoots up taller like an india-rubber ball,
    And he sometimes gets so little that there’s none of him at all.

    He hasn’t got a notion of how children ought to play,
    And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way.
    He stays so close beside me, he’s a coward you can see;
    I’d think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!

    One morning, very early, before the sun was up,
    I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;
    But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head,
    Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.

  6. Hahahaha! Great video example, Jim.

    My inner editor is like Jack Webb…after six drinks. Still totally precise and disciplined but much kinder and gentler than The DI.

  7. I just asked my inner editor how she felt about her role. She said she thought she was doing a very good job — until she saw your video. “Now,” she said, “things are going to change.”

    Thanks a lot.

  8. My inner editor is a harried, scrambling-to-fix six things at once manager, and constantly realizing there’s another thing to improve.

    My inner critic, on the other hand, is a royal jerk, and usually needs to be gagged, tied to a metaphorical chair and placed in a metaphorical closet while my editor works to fix the manuscript.

Comments are closed.