I've come to the conclusion that editing a manuscript is indeed very similar too parenting a child.What? You don't see the correlation? I can prove it! Seriously!
Both keep you up ALL night!
- Manuscript -If you aren't attached to the computer screen taking out all your passive sentences then you are up thinking about how to show your readers that Jane was angry instead of telling them. I mean seriously, it's not enough to just say Jane was pissed off. Instead we need to show the fire in her eyes and the throbbing vein pulsating above her left eye!
- Children -It can all be said in a matter of few common complaints. "But I'm not tired!" and "I'm thirsty." or "It's too cold." and "It's too hot." and don't forget "I had a bad dream can I sleep in your bed and toss and turn and kick you in the face all night?"
- Manuscript - MS complains, "But I don't want remove any more words from my pages!" I reprimand, "Seriously MS, how many instances of the word 'that' do you really need?" MS will argue, "But look how pretty all of them look on page 12." In which I will argue back, "You will remove at least 11 'thats' or I will remove them for you!"
- Children - Child complains, "But I don't want to clean my room!" I reprimand, "Seriously child, I can't even walk in the room without stepping on 12 legos and breaking my foot." The child then argues, "But those are my special legos, I can't put them away or I'll lose them." In which I reply with, "You will put those legos away or I will throw them away."
Both require books upon books to learn how to do the job.
Both require massive losses of sanity.
Both require gobs of time.
Both get in the way of my time on Twitter!
And BOTH give me a headache!
Luckily I am so incredibly devoted to both jobs that I would never give up on either. Lucky book and kids! What would they do without me?
(Though without both I'd probably have a lot less #windinmyhaaaaiiiir!)
12 comments:
Omg you're killing me. Can you please come over and talk to MS like that? But be careful getting here, with all that now you have more than just #windinyourhaaaaaaiiiiiir!
And both need lots of food! Go figure.
Plus, I hate when my MS pees on the floor just to spite me...
Wow- you're life sounds AWESOME right now! Hahaha. Sorry.
A wise writer once said that editing is like "killing your children." It can feel like that sometimes because it is so easy to fall in love with some passage and desperately search for a way to justify keeping it.
That is the greatest comparison ever! I love it. OMG, you are soooo right! ;-)
Very funny! And so true! lol
*grin* Too funny Marybeth!
I'd also add that they both get grouchy when you don't give them enough attention.
Seriously, you're cracking me up! ROFL!
Ha! Love the comparisons!
I think the thing that bothers me most is when my MS refuses to take a nap. No matter what I do, it keeps popping up at the worst times. My husband has taken issue with this as well.
Wow I go away for one weekend and look at all the love I get!
And seriously Carolina I am SOOOO with you on that one :)
Oh, dear...my poor neglected manuscript is sitting here on my desk, pouting, its back turned to me, feeling unloved and desperate for attention.
When my kids want my attention, they just break something....
Great post!
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