Although I am the “new” editor, I have been working with the wonderful people at Medallion for two years come June. Consequently, I have worked on the books of most of our authors, in some capacity. I am still amazed at the depth of imagination and the degree of talent that I see every day.

Readers and book buyers are a unique group. Escapists, I think. And why not? I have been curling up with books for as long as I can remember and escaping into adventures, fantasies, mysteries, and of course, love stories. When I was an undergraduate, I sat in the front row of a crowded literature class as the professor scrolled down a list of important works and asked students to raise their hands when he named ones we had read. After class, he asked me if there was anything I hadn’t read. It never occurred to me that the students sitting behind me weren’t compulsive readers too. Needless to say, I didn’t sit in the front row the rest of the semester. Yes, I am a lover of the classics. Both old and new. And here lies the beauty: in the last two years I have read some truly “new classics” from our authors at Medallion.

I come from an academic background and much of my writing was scholarly and my early editing was done on the books of professors. Academic writing takes logic, a self-critical mind, and endless research. And It can’t compare to the wonderful world of fiction.

One important thing I did learn, however, is the possessiveness a writer feels for her creation. Our story is like our child; it’s extremely painful to listen to anyone saying it’s not perfect. Having it critiqued is a hard pill to swallow.

Knowing that, I approach editing with an attempt at kindness while I direct my attention to helping you make your book as perfect as it can be. Admittedly, my method comes from the perspective of a reader first. So on occasion, if I tell you something isn’t clear or I don’t know what this means, it is most likely what your reader would say, not just your editor.

And now I will get back to doing what I love to do most in the whole world. Reading.

Janet

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