What do we do?

First, we read carefully, doing our best to remain alert to all we sense and feel. We notice what surprises and delights us, what carries us away—as well as where we get snagged, bored, or confused. We notice the questions we ask as we read.

Later, we try to discern why all this has happened. We examine the marks we made on paper. Here we ask, What aspect of the writing caused the effect it created on us as readers? And here—what happened here? And again here.

We think about our overall reading experience, and about the elements that contribute to it—the tone and perspective of the narrative, its focus and pace, its characters and plot and meaning, and so much more.

We think about you, the writer. Perhaps we’ve already had a conversation about your aspirations, questions, and concerns. Now we think about your relationship to your work. What might you need to know in order to revise?

When we write an editorial letter, we strive to offer a new perspective on the work. This may be the first time you have separated yourself from the manuscript, or considered its effect on a reader, so we describe how the work affected us, and why.

We focus our observations through many lenses, examining the effects of language, sentence shape, and narrative structure along with dramatic elements such as dialogue, scene choreography, and subtext.

Finally, we offer some suggestions for approaching revision—elements to examine, ways to work—so that one day we can both read again and be carried away.

Next time: How can we help you?