Hello everyone!
I’ve previously mentioned my writing on this blog and my current beginnings of editing at Polyphony Lit, and I wanted to dedicate another post to it. Polyphony Lit is a literary magazine run almost completely by teens, featuring writing by teens; anyone in the age range can submit for free, and anyone can apply to be in the lowest rank of editing staff if they pass a trial assignment. I fell in love with the publication after I read one of their issues and as soon as I could, I began editing pieces. I’ve edited 8 pieces so far; if you want to know more about the experience, keep reading!
- You actually don’t want to point out all the spelling and grammar mistakes – This is a mistake I made at first, but it was quickly corrected in the feedback from my trial assignment. It’s definitely worth mentioning that a piece needs more proofreading, but it doesn’t help the writer to pick out all the little comma errors in a poem. Sometimes grammar rules are broken on purpose, but even if they aren’t, when it comes to creative writing, grammar isn’t always the most important thing.
- Sometimes, you just won’t know what to say or where to start – This doesn’t just happen with really good pieces- it can happen with any piece. When you’re still reading and processing, it’s hard to articulate your specific feelings about the elements of a piece and what you would change. I suggest reading things at least twice and then starting with the more general feelings about the piece before getting into more specifics.
- It can be difficult to find that polite, balanced tone – You have to be kind; you are editing someone’s personal craft that they are probably very proud of. Sometimes you may forget to be gentle, but it’s important to censor yourself a bit in this way and remember there’s a human behind the screen.
- You don’t have that much power – I don’t mean this in a rude way; I know when you hear the word “editor” I think of an editor-in-chief of a newspaper or something, but it’s not always like that. I’m one out of hundreds of editors at Polyphony, and I definitely don’t have that much power. My feedback still needs to be edited carefully and well-written, but it’s not going to sway whether a piece ultimately gets published or not.
- A lot of amazing pieces are right in front of your eyes, at your fingertips – You are given the opportunity to read tons of wonderful works, some that the public may never end up seeing. Appreciate that, and learn from these writers. If you’re an editor, you’re probably a writer as well, and there’s always something to learn.
I hope you enjoyed learning more about the editing process of a publication; I am by no means an expert editor, but I’m trying my best to learn by taking in the words of others and reading lots of online material. Editing papers for classmates and friends was always one of my favorite tasks in English class, so this is a natural fit. I think it will also improve my writing skills, which will in turn improve the quality of this blog. As always, I’m here to answer questions or take requests for future posts- keep an eye out for new content!
-Brooke
adventures of a typical high school student 