Blog 30: Interview with a Structural Editor

Hi there! Today, I have the pleasure of introducing you to Sarah Banham, who, along with other editing services and writing workshops, enjoys delving into the big picture of stories – structural editing. She is a lovely lady who works with me as part of the Author Support Directory, and I have brought her along for this blog to talk about what she does and how it can benefit your WIP.

Hi Sarah, thanks for popping in. Can you tell us a little about yourself, please?

Hiya, thanks for having me. Yeah, I’m in my fourth decade of writing and have learned a huge amount in that time, plus seen some really interesting developments within the industry. I began publishing my work in 2006 while I was still employed. I chose self-employment in 2011 when For The Love of Books was born. I’m a writing coach and also offer editing, proofreading, and ghostwriting services. I created a selection of workshops too and can deliver those in person or online.

Outside of writing, I’ve worked in other industries including telecommunications, paper, mental health, and I’ve been an event photographer too. I was working mostly with equestrian shows and motor racing events. I founded several community groups and was a radio presenter for 9 years with a weekly writing-related show, and for 3 years, presenting a weekly classical music radio show.

I’ve published 5 novels, 7 non-fiction books, ghostwritten for private clients, and been included in 8 anthologies. I’ve spoken at local and regional book festivals and held two large writing residencies and a handful of smaller ones.

I graduated in 2022 with a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing. I live in Essex, UK with my husband, and we have an adult daughter who lives nearby.

Wow, you have a ton of experience, and not just in writing and editing. So, how did you get into Structural Editing?

Like lots of things in my career, it was an extension of something more basic. I have a very curious mind, so it was a natural evolution for me to learn more about something I enjoy.

Years ago, I learned to run a basic edit over my own books before sending them out to an independent editor. Seeing the comparison of what I’d overlooked with what they picked up was fascinating. Realising that I was way too close to my work to see it objectively was a huge eye-opener. Sure, you can pick some bits up, but you can’t truly do your story justice unless you trust in someone else’s eyes.

I researched more and attended courses, then began to understand how each aspect of editing worked, and what you’d achieve by applying them. I love seeing the true shape of a story appear once you chip away at it.

I’ve networked with and interviewed lots of different kinds of editors over the years too, so chatting with others means you share tips and experiences.

So, to answer your question in a nutshell: curiosity.

It’s great that you naturally evolved into this job. Editing covers so many aspects of writing. A big question for many people is perhaps, what’s the difference between Structural Editing and Developmental Editing, and how does an author know which one they need?

Let’s answer this backwards. If we’re all honest with ourselves, as writers, we don’t always know which type of editor we’d need because we’re usually too close and very full of our story to think outside of it.

However, if you’ve been writing for a while, chances are you’d realise that when you’ve finished writing, the story might not be as perfect just as it stands. And that’s where editing comes in.

There is often room for improvement. For instance, perhaps the characters could use a little more development, possibly all the questions raised haven’t been answered as fully as they could, and maybe the narrative could be reduced if it’s to fit within your chosen genre’s expectations. Another pair of eyes can help highlight what might or might not be needed. Developmental Editing would cover this and more.

There are a lot of similarities with the two kinds of editing though, and much of it overlaps.

With Structural Editing, I’d be focused on the overall story, if each chapter is in the right place or challenge if it needs to be there at all, if the overall length is right for the genre, if the characters are coming in at the right time, ensuring clarity and cohesion, and more.

Unless an author researches the different types of editing, I’m not sure they would know which they’d need. However, when people approach me, they usually highlight areas within their story they’re unsure about. That’s my cue to ask questions, and between us, we’d work out what their manuscript requires.

So, I guess if the author is unsure about certain aspects of their story, or perhaps issues have been addressed by a reader, such as a Beta Reader, they would contact you. But at what stage would that be?

After the story is finished, but before they publish.

What are the potential problems if this step is skipped during the editing stage?

As I’ve highlighted previously, a story that hasn’t been edited in any way is a story that might reach the reader’s eyes unfinished. The best that can happen is that the author may give the reader unnecessary fuel to share a poor review, and the worst that could happen is that the reader doesn’t return for your next story. Either way, it’s a situation that could easily be prevented with an edit.

With so much competition out there from others wanting to introduce their work to the world, we certainly need to make sure our stories are as good as they can be. So, if you find structural issues, what then?

My way of working is fairly simple. I highlight areas on the page and make suggestions and constructive comments in the margins with the reasons why I’ve said that. I then leave it to the client to make their own decisions whether to take my suggestions on board based on their intentions with the book.

It’s easy to think that an editor would remove huge chunks from the content, but that’s just not the way I work. It’s not my story, it didn’t come from my mind and, because I’m an author too, I completely understand how delicate the situation can be.

I make the suggestions so the author can see the differences and leave it to them to make the final decision. I find this way is much more respectful to the author and their work.

What other services do you offer that could benefit writers in assisting in a structural capacity? For example, do your workshops cover this element of storytelling in terms of plotting or creating an outline?

I have workshops and coaching services available, which can help clients who’d like to work on their own stories with my guidance. Of the six workshops I offer, two touch on storytelling with plotting and outline in mind. The coaching service is tailored to the client’s individual needs, so if structural editing was required as part of their coaching, I could advise and guide them through it.

That’s great for new writers, who are just finding their feet, going from idea stage to getting it on the page. What advice would you give to authors from a structural point of view when crafting their stories?

This is a difficult one because every writer has a completely different method of writing. Personally, I have several! For those who don’t write in a logical, linear way, including me, it’d be too difficult to change your methods just to fit the editor’s needs.

That said, creating an outline of the story first could help keep it going in the right direction. Drafting the story chapter by chapter thereafter, like a jigsaw, would help you see what goes where, but that doesn’t consider how tangents force themselves in and, as we all know, sometimes tangents can make (or break) a story, so it’s best not to overlook them.

So, to end, try this exercise: create an outline, draft your chapters, and then glue the whole thing together before starting the story. You never know, that might actually work.

Yay, a writing exercise!  I should really do this one, I am a pantser kind of gal, and would benefit from practicing a little outlining. Thanks for being my interviewee, Sarah. I’m sure we will get you back again for another element of writing.

Loved it! 😊

For anyone who wants to have a chat with our lovely Sarah about how she can help you, her website is www.loveofbooks.co.uk  or email: sarah@loveofbooks.co.uk. And if you have any follow-up questions, please get in touch.

Catch you next week.