I feared the edit process and was not feeling great about having someone challenge the way I had written my book – and after all it was MY book! So I came to the process not truly a willing participant – in my heart. Yet I knew from my head – the logic – that it was vital. I did not want to hand over the chapters when I did – I really wanted to do one more edit myself and hand over something I felt was ‘polished’ and as perfect as I could get it. Our publisher said NO – it is time to let it go. So let it go I did – very reluctantly!
Working with my editor has been the most amazing experience – it has exceeded my expectations and allowed an exponential development of the book. It all began when she came along to a meeting of the entire team who would be responsible for getting this book published and into print. There were many of us sitting around the table and at the start I had to do quite a bit of talking to share my idea and share my history.
As we went around the table introducing ourselves sometime later – the editor struck an immediate chord with me – when she said I was not at all what she had expected. She said my written word (as she had read the first 5 chapters of the book) did not match with me as a person in the flesh. My energy, my exuberance, my humour and my passion was missing in the written word. Instead I had produced a stuffy business speak book.
She said her job was to help me find my voice in the book. I was shocked that my writing did not match with the real me – and I was grateful that I had a person who was going to help me do this – if I let her.
So began the challenging conversations. And we did this all through electronic media – so I learned firsthand that you do not always have to be face to face to have real conversations. In fact we got rather ‘intense’ electronically.
My editor helped me to see that I did not need to fill my book with quotes from very important people. I WAS good enough to write this book and share MY words and stop referring to the words of others. In fact we ditched a whole chapter that was me referring to other very important writers to show that I had the knowledge and was worthy of being read.
It was fascinating – she never said that to me – she just helped me discover it for myself!!!”
If you’re interested learn more about the book, check it out.
