Everyone Needs An Editor
It's time to share what goes bump in my day-light
And night.
But first...
As a writer, there comes a time
when editing is the weapon of choice
not purple penning more words.
Editing is not my strong suit
As I tend to add more.
Yet, even as I type those words,
I know they are a lie.
I am a solid editor, not awesome, but solid.
Why?
Because I’ve practiced.
I’ve chopped wood, carried water – as my coach likes to say.
I’ve done it over and over
And yep, over again.
So, I am damn good at editing.
Whether you’re writing a book
or simply creating and living your most delicious life
a good edit is like a deep spring cleaning,
a Marie Kondo-ing of your inner
or outer
or digital
self.
So, why that natural inclination to put myself down
for shaking the cobwebs from my very soul?
To talk about my perceived lack...
Instead of my skills..?
I went straight to not being enough in my own eyes
because of one thing – fear.
See, the words I am about to edit have been written by me,
like so many words these last nearly thirty years…
But the difference?
These words will be released as me.
My name, front and center, on the cover.
For most, that would be a moment to celebrate, would it not?
I mean, who doesn’t want to write and publish a book.
See their name in lights…
I have people asking me all the time,
“OMG, Jill, can you help me write a book?”
And wanting to work with me
To do just that.
From famous peeps
For whom I’m their ghost(writer).
To clients who hire me to support their most delicious dream of learning how to purple pen their own words as they please.
Yet, for me, still I cringe at that thought.
Me,
center stage?
I think not.
So, it’s time to talk about it.
To bring it into the light and stop hiding-in-plain sight.
A skill I know I have perfected
Along with my word-chops
And editing-flops.
There I want to go again, downplaying all that I am.
Making you laugh
Taking the heat off what frightens me.
All those eyes
Off little old me.
I even thought about not speaking of this book.
A silent release,
In the dead of a cold, winter night.
No one need know… Right?
And then my coach, my editor,
Oh, she’ll so love being called that…
Determined to help me see that hiding-in-plain sight no longer serves me, held me accountable to stepping into my slice of sunlight.
So here I be,
At your mercy.
Face upturned into the tropical sunlight,
Sharing that today I begin a five-day marathon of editing me –
My words.
Words that will bare my name.
Words that will grace your shelf
(perhaps)
And introduce you to a new me.
One who is
Oh-so visible, brave,
JOYfully Bold
And no longer downplaying
All that she is
In her heart
And her soul.
And instead allowing all the pages of she
To be read oh-so-deliciously.
Where do you put yourself down,
beat yourself up,
believe you are not good enough?
Food for spicy thought right there.
Comment and share below when you are ready to let that old-tired-ass way of being go.
And if you’re ready to journey with me as I release these words as me, join the waitlist and perhaps become a first-look reader of little-old-me.
enJOY your slice of sunlight, there’s enough for all.
Photo Credit:
