Funny Thing About Working with an Editor

Maybe you don’t know this about me yet, but I’m a big procrastinator. I mean BIG.

So when I ship my book/story/article off to an editor, I’m like whew.

I’m not fretting about what they’ll say, worrying if it’s good enough, or how to make it better, I’m just done.  Like, it’s not my problem anymore. (It is though, but not at that very moment.)

I felt the same way when I first handed my book in. Overwhelmingly relieved, like a weight had been taken off my gut. (My husband said I was way nicer. “You’ve been stressed for, like a year,” were his exact words.) Sure, there were still things to do – a whole chapter was missing! – but I wasn’t doing any of it, since it was out of my inbox.

I guess it’s a way of avoiding difficult feelings or something…I’d ask my therapist but I don’t’ have one.

I admit, when I saw the email from my editor a month later, I had a moment of panic. Less of will she like it and more of I guess it’s my turn again.

Thankfully, her note was bordering on ecstatic on how great my book was.

And that’s why the editing process was pretty smooth.

See, knowing that she loved my book made all her asks tinged with a rainbow. Sure I’ll change this since you love my book.

What’s the funny thing, you ask? Ah. As I write this, my final copy edit is due. I think it’s my second pass, and I’ve procrastinated till the absolute final deadline so…I best be off.

One more time cuz it’s funny.

Author: Amy Klein

Amy Klein is the author of "The Trying Game: Get Through Fertility Treatment and Get Pregnant Without Losing Your Mind," (Ballantine, 2020) based on her New York Times "Fertility Diary" column. Her writing on health, science, reproduction and essays has also appeared in Slate, Salon, The Washington Post, Aeon and more.