Editing for Art & Enjoyment
Thoughts on editing
I think editing is about learning and growing and finding what sounds most true or compelling. Depending on what is offered or available in a particular poem or story, I ask myself (or am curious to learn) if I am being spoken to, spoken over, am I being told how to read something beautiful or mysterious, do I want more? More explained?
I love when you start to read (or watch!) something, anything, and there is a moment where a word or an image or phrase says to the reader (and editor!) step this way. The way you feel if your friends or family can tell a good story. Is there a path in the forest and is it introduced or pointed out with a flourish or a mushroom? (Mushroom meaning in a quieter way.)
What is unfolding/what’s next is an adventure, editing is finding a different world and admiring the skill, passion, handwork, bravery, etc., of the human who took you there. And I think this is why I like running workshops, because it’s important to look for what speaks to you before you look for what you would do or how you would fix something—it’s nice to spend a minute with what’s on the page, mindfulness in letters, and go from there.
City Hall photograph 2022 by Marlys West
Two years ago I participated in a wonderful art collaborative called, Telephone, and I look forward to that now and for the future. I highly recommend you take a look at their most recent work. Here’s my page on that site and the connections and collaborations (and readings) really do represent an incredible number of very thoughtful humans.
