EDITORS UNEDITED: Louise Walters

Louise has worked with us at Jericho Writers for 5 years, working across a vast array of genres including literary and historical fiction. As well as being an editor extraordinaire, she runs her own independent press. Louise will give you the perspective of an editor and publisher all in one. Here’s what she told us:  

Q: So that we can learn a bit about you, tell us about one writing-related thing you’re proud of, and one non-writing related thing you’re proud of.  

I’m proud that my first novel Mrs Sinclair’s Suitcase was published in fifteen languages. I’ve got most of the different editions in my book cabinet and they take up an entire shelf. It’s a very encouraging sight when I find myself doubting my writing ability!  

I’m a mum to five amazing children. I’ll always be proud of them and their achievements, big and small.  

Q: What brought you to the world of writing? What keeps you writing?  

I’ve always been a reader and I think I’ve always wanted to write. My great aunt was a writer of children’s books, and there are several visual artists in my family. Creativity is in the blood. I can’t not write, really, although in recent years I’ve been focusing on publishing other writers at my indie press.  

Q: Tell me about what you’re currently working on.  

I recently finished a novella, and I’m now working on a full-length novel, which I plan as the first in a series. A saga, really, about an “ordinary” family. It’s fun exploring this big, troubled, happy, sad, confused, confusing family and getting to know them all.  

Q: You’ve just received a new manuscript to critique: what’s the first thing you do? Walk us through your editing process.  

I get about a dozen sheets of scrap paper and staple them together and write the name of the project across the top, then add headings on each sheet such as Structure, Characterisation, Punctuation. I then start reading the MS, on screen, using track changes. I add comments and make a few corrections as I read through on screen, as well as make notes on my scrap paper under the various headings. It takes about three or four working days to read and make notes, depending on the word count of the project. It then takes a day or two to write up my report. I then check that over, check all my comments on the MS, then send it all over to Jericho Writers for them to check too and weed out my typos! (There are always typos…!) Sometimes, usually for longer projects, I will write my report as I go, rather than saving it all up to write once I’ve finished reading. It can be easier to get lost in a longer project.  

I can usually gauge where somebody is with their writing from the very first page. Strengths and weaknesses are almost always immediately apparent. I adjust my focus in my reports  according to the writer’s abilities. Some reports have to focus on the nuts and bolts… so I’ll talk a lot about structure, protagonists, goals. Other writers have got a good grip on the nuts and bolts, so I can pitch my report at a different level, getting more into the finer detail.  

Q: How do you manage being on the other side of the editorial process – when your own writing is being edited? What should an author who is receiving critique for the first-time be aware of? 

It can be terrifying! At the same time it’s reassuring to have an experienced editor to help me understand what is working and what isn’t. Every project has its own strengths and weaknesses. Writers never stop learning the craft.  

If you have never had a critique or an edit before, it can be quite a shock. The simple truth is most of us think, and of course hope, that our writing is better than it is. And we can become very blind to the weaknesses. Be prepared for lots of “red pen” action… deletions, additions, and those track-changes comments in the boxes on the right! Your work will be “picked apart”… but that is what editing is all about.  

Try not to be defensive. You will almost certainly feel it, but don’t rush to respond. Often those feelings of anger and disappointment will fade as you read and re-read the report, and look again at the comments and corrections. Let these new ideas percolate. You don’t have to agree with everything an editor suggests, but you do need to understand why the editor has made that suggestion. You can then come up with your own way of fixing an issue if the editor’s suggestion doesn’t feel quite right.  

The least helpful reaction is to fire off an angry or defensive e-mail to the editor. It’s also not helpful to send a “What I was trying to do…” type of e-mail. It doesn’t matter what you were trying to do, really. What matters is what is on the page and often it isn’t quite what we hoped. So you do need to learn to look at your own work as an objective editor. It is hard to do, but it is that which will help to elevate your work and turn you into a professional writer.  

Q: What writing do you get most excited about working as an editor on? What really makes you intrigued by a submission?  

When I’ve read the first page and know that the writer knows what they are doing. It won’t be perfect, but there will be something in the writing that I can trust. Basically it’s exactly the same as picking up a book in a bookshop and checking out the writing. We tend to know straight away if it’s for us. Reading as an editor is a little different… I don’t have to necessarily like the book I’m working on, but it is always great when I find a page of prose that has promise. Genre is not important. I can work in any genre. But a good opening page is always an exciting thing to behold.   

Q: What do you read for pleasure? Is this different to the writing you enjoy working on?  

Mostly literary fiction, and some “upmarket women’s fiction”… whatever that really means. I like strong characterisation – don’t we all? – and I like emotionally intelligent writing, regardless of genre. This goes for my reading-for-pleasure and the projects I work on editorially.  

Q: Finally, if you could only give one piece of advice to all aspiring authors, what would it be?  

Write drunk, edit sober! In other words go wild with that first draft, get it down, no matter what… and feel good about that achievement. But then accept that the real work is to come. Good stories rarely tumble out in one perfect piece. Editing is what turns a messy first draft into a great story. Make sure you edit lots yourself before seeking a manuscript report. Reports are much more helpful to the writer if the nuts and bolts are already taken care of. This requires honesty and objectivity in you when you read over and then edit your work. Once you feel that you don’t know how to improve it any more, that may be the time to let an editor loose on it.  

Is your manuscript ready for a professional critique? Louise is one of 70+ Jericho Writers editors, so we’ll always find your perfect match.    

Head over to our editing hub to see the services that we have on offer. Not sure which service to opt for? Drop an email to info@jerichowriters.com and we’ll be happy to discuss which service would be right for you and your manuscript.

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