The 5 Types of Book Editing Every Author and Editor Needs to Understand
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A few days ago, I joined a friend and colleague to record a series of short publishing industry related Q&As. One of the questions was Why do you write?
When I suggested we start with that question, I thought I knew how I’d answer it. The answer has been part of my public statement of beliefs and values since 2015: I believe that writing and editing are a way of life—the constant creation and refinement of thought and action that leads to our highest level of contribution. But I must admit to a growing sense of unease over the past few years. And when we actually look at that statement, it’s not about writing or editing as a practice or profession it’s about the process of creation and refinement that’s required for any individual to contribute at their highest level. So while that statement sounds like an answer to the question, it fails to answer a deeper, more disquieting questions I’ve been struggling with: Does my writing matter; is there something more meaningful I should be doing?
When it seems like the world is burning down around me and so much is at stake for us all, writing often feels indulgent, more like avoidance than active engagement. The question Why do you write? now strikes me as the wrong question. Better questions are these: What does it mean to be a writer, and what is the role of a writer in a society?
In early 2025, I added this to my statement of values: I also believe that all meaningful communication—whether written, verbal, visual, or physical—is advocacy because when we communicate, we’re advocating for ourselves, for others, for an idea or an ideal; and the higher the stakes the more aware, competent, and cooperative we must be.
Therein lies my answer. I am a writer. When I do not have the cognitive and emotional bandwidth to show up in person, when I do not have the time to prepare for and recover from high-stimuli events, when I lose my ability to speak, when I feel the need to be seen, when I want my voice to be heard, I write.
And I continue to work in the publishing industry with and on behalf of fellow writers and readers because despite how passive the act of writing may appear and despite how slow the book publishing industry may move, my life and the lives of others continue to be positively impacted by individuals who stand up by sitting down, who speak their minds without uttering a word, whose published works bring the past to life, fortify us in the present, and have the power to shape the future.
Why do I write?
I write because I believe that all meaningful communication is advocacy—that when we communicate, we’re advocating for ourselves, for others, for an idea or an ideal.
I write because I believe that writing and editing are a way of life—the constant creation and refinement of thought and action that leads to our highest level of contribution.
I write because I believe as Robert McKee does that “In a world of lies and liars, and honest work of art is an act of social responsibility.”
Why do you write?
WriteNow, LLC
Cristen Iris
copyright 2025
McKee, Robert. Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting. It Books. 1997. print. p. 131
