“I just don’t realize how big I am.”

Well, I’ve gone and done it—disrupted Nyssa’s world. I brought home a puppy, and am expecting another one to arrive any day now. She was integral to raising Dash in our family and I believe she will be with these two as well. If there is one thing I have to keep a close eye on though, it is how rough Nyssa can be with puppies.

She is genuinely trying to play, she just doesn’t realize that one swipe of her big foot is enough to send them tumbling and me cringing.

It just means that for quite a while we have policed outdoor sessions when the puppy zoomies start. When I express my displeasure to her, she looks at me like “But, I am just playing!” Gentle is in her nature, but not in her physical repertoire so much. She doesn’t realize how big she is.

In editing or critiquing, this is a concept we must always be cognizant of. It is easy to grasp, but not as easy to apply to the language of our commentary. It is truly one of the most challenging parts of editing—how to convey our concerns, questions, critiques in a manner that is able to be understood by the author, but that does not offend or put them off.

In other words, being gentle with our authors.

I approach this facet of editing from the angle of “How would I receive this if I were the author?” Of course, I do want to make sure they understand my points, and that my suggestions are designed to improve and enhance. The language used to present them is the most important part of the exchange.

I spend much time composing comments and editorial letters that do not discourage; turning the shortcomings of a piece into opportunities to challenge their creativity, to draw out the threads from the depth of the story in the author’s head, and to construct scenes from an alternate POV to strengthen them (to name a few specifics).

Just because I’m being paid to offer my professional observations does not mean they should be presented devoid of empathy, in a manner that provokes strong emotions.

In no way am I saying that editors in general don’t do this. I know that they do. But watching Nyssa play with a much smaller, floppy puppy is a reminder that the objective can always be attained in a much gentler manner, and it should be.

Authors are as full of the “soft bones” of their stories as little Cedar the Aussie puppy is here. We want to make them feel safe in our zone of interaction, and then watch the collaboration take shape.

Have a great week! Woof woof roooooo! 🐕‍🦺~

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