Editing Is Not What Most People Think It Is.
Segun Iwasanmi@iwasanmisegun212159
29 days ago
© Segun Iwasanmi
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A woman once sent me a chapter from the book she had been struggling with for months. She apologised before I even opened the file. Said her grammar wasn’t strong, that she knew plenty things were wrong, that I should not laugh. I read the chapter slowly, twice, and realised grammar was the least of her problems.
The story itself was fighting her. She knew what she wanted to say, but the words kept taking wrong turns. One paragraph would be about grief, the next would sound like a school note, then suddenly it felt like a sermon. You could feel the idea gasping for air.
That is what real editing looks like. It is not about commas and spelling tests. It is about sitting with the story long enough to ask, “Is this actually what you mean?” Most writers think editing comes after writing, but editing is often the moment the book finally understands itself.
Many unfinished books are not abandoned because the writer is lazy. They are abandoned because the writer is tired of explaining themselves to their own pages. When the writing keeps missing the point, motivation quietly leaves.
What usually changes everything is clarity. Once a story begins to speak plainly, the writer stops arguing with it. The work becomes lighter. The pages start to move. You begin to recognise your own voice again, not the one trying to sound impressive.
Sometimes, all a book needs is another pair of eyes that can see what you are reaching for, even when your sentences are not there yet. That moment, when confusion clears and the story finally settles, is hard to forget. And if you have ever felt your book is almost there but not quite, you already know the feeling I’m talking about.
You want to understand how to recognize your own voice? Just stick around here, you'll find it soon.
© Segun Iwasanmi | ™The Man With The Story.
Book Writer | Screen and Scriptwriter | Creative Fiction writer | Book Editor.
I help people turn rough ideas into bold stories that work
