In which a work experience student comes and edits with me for a week

I'm really happy to have a young work experience student with me this week. She wants to be an editor, she tells me, and honestly, why wouldn't you? So I said to her, 'yes, you can come work with me for a week, and I'll try not to bore you' and here she is, in a blurry selfie I took. (I didn't really think that one through too well, actually. She's the fifteen year old: I'm sure she knows how to take a better selfie than me. But whatevs.)

Anyway, as well as piling papers on her desk for her to go through, I asked her to write something for me. "What shall I write?" she asked. "Think about what you want to learn this week. Or maybe what you think editing is for?" I told her, and she came up with this little piece of gorgeousness.

"When I think editing, I think of lots of reading, lots of writing and cups of tea. Unhealthy amounts of tea. In my mind an editor would have an over dramatic supply of stationary, from notebooks and pens to sticky notes. A computer of some sort would have to be accessible and a calming quiet space to let thoughts run wild. I like the idea of reading other peoples’ work, other peoples’ creations. 

They are artworks of sorts no matter how crazy or terrible they. The paintbrush is the author’s thoughts and the paper is the foundation, the author’s world. It is there for the thoughts to run wild and to collect themselves. When the author is finished the editor and publisher are there to not finish it but complete it. They are the glass and the frame. The frame covers up the artworks rough edges, the mistakes. They make the artwork shine through to the world. 
In the end the audience sees the frame but pays little attention to it, they want to see the artwork, the picture.

This all links, it’s simple, a picture is worth a thousand words and a thousand words are worth a picture. 

I would like to be an editor. I find the idea of entering another’s world and helping it grow fascinating. Plus, it would be a mind workout and involve lots and lots of reading. I know I am wonderful at the reading part; it drives my parents insane. 

When I came this morning I was very nervous. I didn’t know what Cecily was going to get me to do, if I was going to be able to do it and extremely nervous that I would fall asleep like that other work experience girl. But now that I am here and have been working for a couple of hours I am enjoying myself immensely. I would honestly much rather edit every day then have to go to school. 

By the end of this week I would like to have a stronger idea of what editing is all about and have a more definite view on if I would like to pursue editing in the future. I believe this week will be a challenge but one I can work hard at to fulfil my work experience goals."

~ T

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord. Colossians 3:23