The Path to Perfection

Posted on 09/06/2024 Evan Swensen

In the quiet corners of her office, Susan Davis embarks on her path to perfection—a meticulous dance with her manuscript, one balancing creativity with precision. The editing process is not just about finding errors; it’s an intimate journey through her words, a labor of love that demands her full attention. The glow of her computer screen illuminates the room, casting long shadows that flicker with each click of her mouse.

Susan begins with the basics. Her editing tools—Microsoft Word and Grammarly—are reliable companions, catching simple mistakes her eyes have overlooked. Yet, Susan knows their limitations. These tools, while helpful, lack the nuance of human touch, often suggesting changes that feel mechanical, devoid of the artistry she strives to maintain.

Her process is far from linear. Each paragraph and sentence is scrutinized for clarity and rhythm. As she progresses, Susan makes notes and jot down ideas for plot adjustments or character developments. She knows that even the slightest change can ripple through her story, requiring her to revisit earlier chapters to maintain consistency. She embraces a painstaking task with a sense of duty to her craft.

The next phase involves her trusted beta reader, a former Navy submariner who brings a unique perspective to her stories, especially those featuring Marine characters. His feedback is invaluable for accuracy in lingo and traditions and for keeping her characters true to themselves. “Rick would never say that,” he might point out, challenging Susan to dive deeper into her character’s psyche. His insights often lead to more revisions and late nights spent rewriting dialogue or scenes.

After incorporating her beta reader’s suggestions, Susan turns to the “Read Aloud” function in Word. The computerized voice may lack emotion, but it forces her to listen closely to catch the awkward phrasing or the misplaced comma. It’s a methodical process, and Susan repeats it multiple times, each passing through the manuscript revealing new tweaks and adjustments.

When she feels the manuscript is nearing completion, she sends it off to her editor—a trusted collaborator who knows Susan’s style almost as well as Susan herself. Their relationship is a dance filled with respectful disagreements and lively debates. Her editor’s critique often centers around Susan’s penchant for poetic language, suggesting that she trim the excess and streamline the prose. Susan considers each note carefully, weighing the advice against her vision for the story.

Once the manuscript returns from the editor, it goes back through the “Read Aloud” process. Then, it’s off to a second beta reader, a former law school classmate whose keen eye for detail catches the slightest inconsistencies in punctuation and grammar. Her insistence on correctly using “all right” instead of “alright” might seem pedantic to some, but Susan appreciates the precision.

After a final round of revisions, the manuscript returns to the editor for formatting. Finally, the book is ready for print after what feels like an eternity.

Yet, even when the book appears on Kindle, Susan isn’t done. She reads it again, searching for any last-minute mistakes, her commitment to perfection unwavering. The process is exhausting, no doubt, but it is a necessary labor for Susan. Each pass through the manuscript and careful edit is a testament to her dedication as a writer and her relentless pursuit of a story well-told.

Susan Davis’s editing process reminds all writers that perfection is not a destination but a journey. It’s about embracing the details, trusting the process, and never settling for less than the best. For Susan and all writers who share her passion, the real magic happens not in the writing but in the rewriting.

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