Learning How to Edit

I’m learning how to speak Spanish, and sometimes I get discouraged because it takes a while. (This is not unlike learning any important skill). One of the most helpful bits of perspective-taking I do is to consider whether I encounter the same problems when speaking in English.

For example, people often interrupt me to finish my sentences for me because I speak Spanish slowly.

But people often interrupt me to finish my sentences for me because I speak English slowly, too! I was raised in the Midwest, where people don’t rush their speech and conversations unfold in an unhurried way. When I encounter people who are not used to this slower pace (such as when I’m visiting New York or basically when anyone from the East Coast crosses my path), they finish my sentences for me.

So this is not a me problem, it’s a them problem. They are in a hurry, whereas I am not.

Reframe Your Experiences

That reframe helps me stay focused on my goal right now, which is conversational fluency, not conversational speed. I’m doing fine.

Similarly, when I’m struggling to remember the Spanish word and I feel annoyed with my brain for not coughing it up more quickly, I do a quick perspective check: do I sometimes struggle to find the English word? Of course! Despite using English for decades, sometimes a word escapes me and I have to use a workaround.

That’s normal. It’s not a sign of my losing ground or evidence that I’ll never remember the language.

So of course I want to make an analogy to learning how to edit. It is a complex skill and it can feel overwhelming, especially at the beginning. But this is where comparisons to other skills you’ve learned can help you feel more confident.

Do Your Own Perspective-Taking

If you sometimes feel like you’re struggling to figure out what is causing a problem you’re noticing in a ms, and you’re wondering if this means you’re not cut out to be an editor, consider other similar situations. For example, suppose at your day job you work in customer service. Do you sometimes struggle to figure out how to solve someone’s problem? Maybe you need more information or you have to spend a few minutes researching the situation. Does that mean you’re not cut out for your job? Of course not. It just means that sometimes we have to poke at a problem for a while before we can solve it.

Similarly, if you sometimes write a query that’s a little disorganized or unclear, and you wonder if that means you’ll never learn, think of similar situations where that happens. Do you ever say anything disorganized or unclear when talking to your boss or a friend? I know I do!

In other words, instead of thinking that you’re not learning fast enough or that you’ll never master the skill, give yourself a reality check! And then give yourself a break.