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For many writers I work with, this step becomes a blurred line . Why you ask? Because content editing often involves major changes to the structure and content of a book. Content editing has may different names depending on the application, in which it is used. Most find the term related to technical manuals. However, in our work, content editing becomes the first step. Why, you ask again understanding I didn’t really answer your first question? I’ll get to that, but first let me tell you a little about content editing and then I will tell you why it often becomes a blurred line between content edits and collaboration.

Let me set the stage. Allison, Wendy and I worked on the sequel to The Trouble in Nunya . We call it The Rescue of Rhonda . Book 2 in the Cheyenne Dances in Moonbeams series. We hashed out the story, the plot-line and the subplots. We went back and forth on characters and speech patterns and descriptions and actions until we produced chapter after chapter. Argued and fussed until we had a first draft . Let me repeat that – we had a first draft! Now, first drafts are often like precious babies. Most of us love babies. Bright happy newborns with smiles all over their faces. Until I show up. I am the baby killer .  See, this is where I go from collaborator to editor . Collaborators write, editors kill. And guide. And suggest. And argue until a first draft becomes a polished cohesive story with a tempo and a story that flows from beginning to end until the reader doesn’t want to put it down. When I am involved in a project from the beginning and add actual text, I am collaborating . When I get a first draft and make changes – I am editing . Which leads me to the first stop on the editing process here at The Pyrateheart Press.

Content Edits . This is where I kill babies. This is where I write up chapters in red ink and send it back to the authors for correction. This is where I highlight in red those paragraphs, I think can be removed. Remember, if it doesn’t add to the story or the overall plots then it is unnecessary. In The Rescue of Rhonda I am on Chapter 6 and I found I needed to shorten the chapters, remove large portions of the subplot and rearrange several chapters. I took out several of some of the better pieces of writing because they didn’t allow the story to flow. Cut and pasted and rearranged and reworked the content until it flowed from one word to the next. From one sentence to the next and one paragraph until it flowed from one chapter to the next without causing the reader to pause. Now this is an unhappy process for authors. For authors each line is precious. Each piece of dialogue means something to them. Each letter and word can’t possibly be removed according to authors. To editors? Well we can rip and tear, literally cut out paragraphs and paste them together. Which is where the term “cut and paste” originated. People would literally cut up manuscripts and glue them back together. There is no manual on content editing. It is a process. A process which differs depending on the application. Someone performing content editing on a technical manual won’t use the same techniques on a science fiction piece of fiction. The person who performed the content edit on Book 1 won’t use the same process on Book 2. Each time is unique . Each use of content editing depends on the manuscript delivered to the editor.

Which is where another question occurs. Can I go from editor to collaborator? In a heartbeat. If an author turns over a manuscript at first draft and wants me to perform the corrections, then I become a collaborator . Why? Because I will be adding text and actually performing some of the writing myself. Physically and artistically writing. Putting my own spin on the plot and characters. Well, if I am writing then I am collaborating. If I am cutting and pasting and changing structure and highlighting the word that a hundred and one times or highlighting a dozen adverbs, then I am an editor . Simple, right? I have never claimed collaboration status on any book that an author didn’t agree to. Though, they often hated my red lines on their babies. In the end, the book we crafted together was approved by all concerned. Especially the author.

What does a content editor look for? What do I look for? Well, submit a book and find out! However, be prepared, it can and will be brutal to the ego. I promise you on that. By the way, how many times did I use the word THAT in this blog post? How many times could something different be used or the word eliminated entirely? See, now you share my thoughts.

I’m Ross, Editor at The Pyrateheart Press and I’m out.