Editors are people, too

This week I’d like to introduce to you my lovely, talented and wonderful editor, Sarah Mason. We’re pictured here at a recent banquet at the ACFW Conference we attended in Indianapolis.

If someone had told me ten years ago that I’d not only be sharing a meal with my very own Tyndale editor but having so much fun, I might not have believed it. Not that Tyndale editors aren’t known to be fun — I’ve visited the office enough times to know they are. What I wouldn’t have believed is that I could’ve been so at ease.

Before a writer is published, editors make at least some of us writers nervous. Many aspiring writers are concerned about saying something wrong or making a bad impression, because it’ll surely brand us forever in the entire editorial world as someone an editor would never want to work with. It’s one of those sad, almost desperate times in life when those we want to know most make us simultaneously eager and apprehensive. We ascribe to them perhaps more power than they have or would want to have. Skewed opinions are bound to make some people nervous. People like me, anyway. On the shy, introverted side.

The truth is editors are real people who on the whole are most impressed by the written word. They’re avid readers who love the magic of a good story. If a writer happens to be charming, so much the better. But if a writer has no personality, or too much personality, my guess is they’ll put their business first and still be devoted to standing beside a talented author no matter what kind of impression they make. Common sense tells us we should just be who we are—even around editors.

I’m happy to say that during the banquet I completely forgot Sarah was my editor. We chatted like old friends and I genuinely hope we get to share more meals—banquet or otherwise—in the future!