EDITORS UNEDITED: Margaret Kirk

Margaret has been editing with Jericho for just over a year and is an excellent person to have on your side if crime writing and police procedurals are your thing. She’s also a whizz at short stories and is currently working on writing outside of her usual genre.

So, let’s hear from someone who knows that writing can be murder – and who knows the procedure to fix it:

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

I really do want to write the final book in my DI Lukas Mahler series. But I’m currently in the midst of writing what I call The New Thing, which is a step away from police procedurals and hopefully a bit more light-hearted in tone.

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

I read it straight through, then leave it for a few days to marinate in my brain. I will already have a good idea of what I want to focus on after that first reading, but I do need that thinking time to process everything fully. Even then, as I’m writing, I often find myself rethinking and focussing on certain areas.

The overall ‘feel’ to the manuscript is what matters to me in the end – and if I feel something really isn’t working, I’ll always try to give concrete suggestions as to what might be a better way to achieve the writer’s aims. And I always, always encourage people to get back to me if there’s anything further they want to know or need a little more detail about something I’ve covered in the report.

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? 

Look, it’s always a slightly unsettling experience, no matter what stage you’ve reached in your writing. What I always try to bear in mind is that I need a little time to read through the comments, put aside my initial reactions and then think about what’s been said.

Not everything will ring true, but even if I don’t agree with the solutions offered, the fact that someone has picked up on certain sections in my writing means I need to take another look at those sections and see why they’re causing that reaction.

I don’t have to agree with their proposed solutions, but I do need to accept that there’s some sort of issue I should take account of.

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

I like an exciting premise and I love characters that have something about them that makes them come alive for me. Great characters, plot and setting are a perfect combination for me!

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

Not really. I like crime, historical and alternative fiction and of course fantasy. I’ve just binged on a fantastic 12-book series by Benjamin Jacka , and I’m a huge fan of Jodi Taylor, Charles Stross’s Laundry series and of course Ben Aaronovitch.

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

Read. Honestly, it’s that simple. Read as much as you can, don’t confine yourself to a single genre, or indeed a single time period. Mix contemporary with period fiction – and if something really chimes with you, try to work out what it is about the writing that brought that book alive for you.

Is your manuscript ready for a professional critique? Margaret 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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