When I first started editing others’ work, I thought it would help me develop a more fine-tuned awareness of what makes good writing. What I didn’t consider was that it would also show me things about the process of spiritual growth.
(And don’t worry: while these thoughts are drawn from my experience as an editor, you don’t need to be one to get something out of this post. I’ll be explaining terms to make this as accessible as possible for everyone.)
little by little
“For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.”
— Isaiah 28:10 (ESV)
To illustrate our first principle, I’ll give a rundown of the different kinds of editing. While the terms used to describe them vary, these are the main categories.
First, there’s developmental editing. The purpose of this type of editing is to catch any big-picture elements that need to be changed, including plot, structure, and characters.
Next comes line editing, which (as the name suggests) involves working through the manuscript line by line and making suggestions to improve clarity, consistency, and sentence flow. The purpose of this edit isn’t necessarily to clear out grammatical errors (though those kinds of corrections may be involved), but to smooth out the text until every line sings.
Then there’s copyediting, which takes things to a more technical level. This is when items like incorrect punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and spacing are fixed.
Finally, there’s proofreading, which is basically a finer type of copyediting that catches any mistakes the copyeditor may have missed (like typos and layout issues).
How does all of this relate to spiritual growth? Just as editing happens in rounds, beginning with big things and moving to smaller things, so spiritual growth unfolds in stages. The Holy Spirit will most likely convict us about greater sins before pointing out smaller errors. First we must be convicted of the greatest sin of all: rejecting God. Once we have accepted Christ for salvation, the Holy Spirit can set to work changing faulty parts of our character and getting rid of inconsistencies. Once we’re making progress in the bigger areas, He starts bringing smaller things to our attention.
knowledge and insight
The better you know someone, the easier it is to edit for them. Most of the writers I edit for I’m only acquainted with, and I have to keep that in mind while editing. Since I don’t know them well, it’s possible I could be interpreting them wrong.
Then there are a couple of writers whom I know well. Editing their work is a much different experience, because not only am I familiar with their style, but I also have a much better idea of where they’re coming from and what they’re heading toward. And since these writers know me, it’s easier for them to accept my feedback, because they know I’m coming from a standpoint of wanting to help their work become the best it can be. It’s easier for them to trust that my corrections aren’t intended as criticisms. (That applies to everyone I edit for, of course, but others might not be as confident of that.)
Thinking of the Holy Spirit as a divine editor of sorts, it’s not hard to see parallels. He knows us better than we know ourselves, so He’s able to see things in us we would never have noticed apart from His help. He knows the deepest motives of our hearts, even the ones we hide in the shadows, and He gently brings them to light (Romans 8:26–27).
One point of departure in the analogy is this: while an editor is fallible, the Holy Spirit is not, so His nudges must always be heeded and acted upon. When He calls on us to change, it’s not merely a matter of personal preference: He is calling us to become who we are intended to be.
all in the attitude
Up to this point, I’ve been focusing on the role editors play in the process of revising one’s writing. But for our final point, I’d like to show how writers have their part too—an important one, I might add. From an editor’s perspective, I can tell you that the attitude of the writer you’re editing for has a major impact on the process. If a writer rejects all of my suggestions without even asking why I made them, their writing isn’t going to improve, and chances are I might feel a bit irritated. If a writer expects me to give a detailed explanation for every little suggestion I make, I’ll quickly get the idea that they don’t trust me and don’t think I’m trying to help them.
But if a writer graciously accepts my suggestions and shows a genuine desire to grow, I’m more than happy to explain the reasoning behind my edits so that they can tuck those tips in their toolbox and keep them in mind for the future. The goal is for them to learn to recognize the errors they commonly fall into; that way they’re less likely to keep making those mistakes.
Just as writers have their part to play in editing, so we have our part in spiritual growth. Our willingness to change (or lack thereof) greatly impacts the process. While the Holy Spirit will point out places where we need to grow, He won’t force us to make the decision to change. We can choose to cooperate or resist.
Heaven’s Editor is always at work. The question is, will we surrender to Him?
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