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Paul Buckingham

Stepping Into the Arena

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We’ve all as editors had the odd grumble over something an author has written. Maybe a string of noun clusters has pushed us to the limit of our patience, or we’ve broken down over a text awash with comma splices.

It’s easy to criticize when we’re on the sidelines, though. Our problems are not the author’s problems. The author creates from nothing, brings into being. We fix.

I’m reminded of a little section of speech by Theodore Roosevelt, a passage often called “The Man in the Arena.” It is but a snippet from a long address Roosevelt gave at the Sorbonne in 1910, yet the few lines in that passage convey a striking sentiment (if you can see past the male-centred language of a century ago):

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; … who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

But easy, now! Far from wishing to vilify the profession I love, I hope to make the opposite point: that editors occupy a gallant place in the sphere of communication. We don’t have to be like the critic that Roosevelt dismisses in the first line, because we have a choice. We may choose to step into the arena, alongside the writer.

What does that mean in practice? It means remembering that we’re there to support someone while they face a very difficult task — standing with them, not apart from them. It means suppressing the knee-jerk reaction “What on earth have you done?!” and saying instead, “I’m here for you.”

What role do you feel editors play in relation to authors? Do you see yourself in a supporting role, or is the author-editor relationship more complex than that?

~~~

Previous post from Paul Buckingham: Ours Is Not to Reason Why — Or Is It?

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13 Comments on “Stepping Into the Arena”

  • Hi Paul, Thank you for this thoughtful piece. In my experience, it depends. With some, perhaps most, of my authors who are Masters or PhD students submitting theses or dissertations, I am definitely IN the arena. For others, not so much. I think that an–what’s the best word?–effective editor needs to be flexible while maintaining healthy boundaries. My mantra is “I’m not your mother!” (I say that quietly to myself).

    • Paul Buckingham

      says:

      Thanks for your excellent point about boundaries, Virginia. I’m sure your authors really appreciate the approach you adopt! For me, being in or out of the “arena” is more about attitude than level of involvement, but I take your point nonetheless.

  • As an editor who is also an author, I am very cognisant that my role is to free the author’s voice, not to rewrite the text in mine. Having a good ear for tone and style is key. If you really listen while you read, you notice when the writing is confident and can use those moments to help you nudge the rest into the same “arena”. Taking this approach also makes authors happy because when you first communicate with them, you can start out by praising what is authentic and original in their work and explain that you are just trying to bring all their writing to that level.

    • Anita Jenkins

      says:

      Well said. The document belongs to the author. Even if they are not great writers, their voice has to stay.

    • Paul Buckingham

      says:

      Yes, giving genuine praise is a great way to step into the arena with your author, Susan. Thanks for the remark.

  • Anita Jenkins

    says:

    Good piece, Paul. Thanks for writing this.

    • Paul Buckingham

      says:

      Glad you enjoyed it, Anita. It’s a subject dear to my heart!

  • Rosemary Shipton

    says:

    My approach to editing is very simple: you do whatever you need to do to make the manuscript as good as it can be. That covers the full range – from copy editing to a complete reorganization and rewrite.

    • Paul Buckingham

      says:

      Thanks, Rosemary. I think you’re absolutely right.

      • Anita Jenkins

        says:

        Rosemary is always right. :=)

  • Anita Jenkins

    says:

    Rosemary is always right. 🙂

  • Agree wholeheartedly with your post, Paul.

    The metaphor I use when talking to my editing students at Ryerson is to think of themselves not as mechanics come to fix something broken or as superheroes come to save the day, but rather as midwives helping to bring a new being into the world. Do whatever you can to ensure the author’s “baby” is healthy and happy.

    • Paul Buckingham

      says:

      A lovely way of thinking about it, Elizabeth. That analogy will certainly put your Ryerson students on the right track!

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