Editors With A Blow Torch
Publishers edit books because there are some devious errors that sneaked past your own editing. Some authors edit on their computers. I still believe in printing manuscripts, in order to catch those errors red-handed.
Editors should polish the manuscript to make it bright and shiny for the printing process, not to change the author’s intention, which is enshrined in the language. For example, a wise grandmother who sprinkles water around the house every morning to ward off evil spirits, should not be force-fed dialogue, common to sitcom grandmothers who change hair colour every week as they prepare for the dating game.
This is a possibility because of the incestuous relationship between books and visual media like movies and television. I have stopped reading in the past because some books sounded like something I’ve seen on the big screen.
Editors should edit definitely, because authors might be great storytellers but lack nuances of the language, English in this case. I’m the perfect example. I’ve given up on prepositions. His son is in school. His son is at school. I was on the bus when it happened. I was in the bus when it happened. I don’t know.
Editors however, must also understand that there are certain things that are not a train smash. Certain lines might not compromise the story or the quality of the book, for example. Russia calls itself the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.). Which of the lines below are correct?
I’m citing this because it is something I ask myself sometimes, during my reading walks. There is also the matter of class. There is the Prince Charles English. There is the David Bowie English.
What language is the character using? Editors should be aware of that, and not change Bowie to Charles, or vice versa. We won’t even look at American English vs British English, because much has been written about that.
Then comes the great African American oratory tradition of repeating things for emphasis. This is the norm in black churches in the Carribean, U.S., U.K., South America and Africa. Editors must not tamper with that if the character demands it. When in doubt, they should ask authors.
Editors should take that into consideration when cleaning up manuscripts. See right here. Cleaning is cleaning so there is no need for us to say cleaning up, but we do. It has a nice ring to it. My English teacher called it tautology, repeating what has been said.
Editors should edit and not alter the DNA of characters.
Editors should polish the manuscript to make it bright and shiny for the printing process, not to change the author’s intention, which is enshrined in the language. For example, a wise grandmother who sprinkles water around the house every morning to ward off evil spirits, should not be force-fed dialogue, common to sitcom grandmothers who change hair colour every week as they prepare for the dating game.
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Photo: Nonqaba waka Msimang.
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Editors should edit definitely, because authors might be great storytellers but lack nuances of the language, English in this case. I’m the perfect example. I’ve given up on prepositions. His son is in school. His son is at school. I was on the bus when it happened. I was in the bus when it happened. I don’t know.
Editors however, must also understand that there are certain things that are not a train smash. Certain lines might not compromise the story or the quality of the book, for example. Russia calls itself the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.). Which of the lines below are correct?
l In the U.S. many people still call the Soviet Union, Russia.
l Many people still call the Soviet Union, Russia, in the U.S.
I’m citing this because it is something I ask myself sometimes, during my reading walks. There is also the matter of class. There is the Prince Charles English. There is the David Bowie English.
What language is the character using? Editors should be aware of that, and not change Bowie to Charles, or vice versa. We won’t even look at American English vs British English, because much has been written about that.
Then comes the great African American oratory tradition of repeating things for emphasis. This is the norm in black churches in the Carribean, U.S., U.K., South America and Africa. Editors must not tamper with that if the character demands it. When in doubt, they should ask authors.
Editors should take that into consideration when cleaning up manuscripts. See right here. Cleaning is cleaning so there is no need for us to say cleaning up, but we do. It has a nice ring to it. My English teacher called it tautology, repeating what has been said.
Editors should edit and not alter the DNA of characters.
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