Unfolding my editing process at a book launch party. All photos by Esa Karjalainen unless otherwise stated.
Lately, I’ve been happy to act as an editor for Tarja Tornaeus’s international publishing house REUNA (https://reunalla.fi).
My projects have included quite a few manuscript evaluations and also literary translations into English, e.g. for FILI ("Finnish Literature Exchange supports and promotes the publication of Finnish literature in translation around the world"). However, these more extensive ones have been my pride and joy – and all worthy of celebration!
Theologian Marjo Ojalammi’s book Nokinen sydän – Kirje isälle (http://esikoiskirjailija-marjo-ojalammi.webnode.fi/) deals with the protagonist Elisabet’s two-fold, parallel grieving process on the loss of a father and childhood emotional neglect.
I enjoyed editing this book and working with this author so much! Our conversations were always very refined and educated, and the book’s philosophical, religious, and psychological aspects were all dear to my heart.
Toasting the first Finnish novel I’ve ever edited; on many a level a very different process compared to editing translated literature.
Photo by Taija Mård.
I’ve also had the privilege of editing a crime novel, a historical story, and this extraordinary tale combining fiction and non-fiction. It's based on a doctoral thesis (http://www.utu.fi/fi/Ajankohtaista/mediatiedotteet/arkisto/2cba0fdb.html) and talks about both the background and new prospects of the world famous Finnish school: Kouluneuvos – Matka uuteen kouluun by Pasi Petrell, Doctor of Education.
Some of the key concepts I bear in mind when I study and evaluate manuscripts are fluency, coherence, clarity, and harmony. Those are achieved by grammatical correctness, semantic accuracy, logical cohesion, uniformity of register, structural balance, and loyalty to the chosen genre.
I refrain from interfering with the text too much and instead lift it up – focus on cherishing its main idea and style. I think of myself as the book’s best friend! I try to make sure that readers will receive it well, so that the author can confidently step into the limelight and shine like a star.
Throughout I bear in mind that I represent the publishing house and follow their editing policy. Unlike many, this publisher respects meticulous and thorough editing.
Meeting colleagues at REUNA’s last legendary garden party in the culturally famous municipality of Tuusula last summer.
This spring I served as a judge in REUNA’s literary competition, sponsored by another internationally oriented Finnish company, Framery (http://www.frameryacoustics.com/fi/), a pioneer in producing soundproof booths. The publisher was hunting great Finnish, Swedish and English manuscripts, in which a magical booth should play the key role. The name of the series will be Sirkuspoika Oliver.
Explaining for the audience in Tampere what a rare gift it is to be able to write a good children's story – and emphasizing to the winners how deserving of the prizes and publishing contracts they all were!
The competition attracted a great amount of interest. Me and the other two judges, Anna Toni and Krista Airola, read and evaluated all in all 113 stories!
The criteria were competitors’ ability to follow the given instructions and produce impeccable language, suitability for international market, age appropriateness, originality, and creativity. Also the nursery rhymes and song lyrics possibly included in the narratives needed to hold water, both rhythmically and rhymingly. And last but not least, hilarity to go with Veera Miettinen’s cheerful illustration (Lastenkirjasarjan visuaalisen ilmeen suunnittelu).
In Framery’s Tampere HQ, from the left: Teija Rekola (third prize); Asta Ikonen (first prize 1 000 euros); the judge from Helsinki, literary freelancer Taija Mård; Paula Nieminen (second prize); the judge from REUNA, producer Anna Toni; illustrator Veera Miettinen; Framery’s representative, business controller Annamaria Sola.
Photo by Tapio Kilpeläinen.
Cheers to all the good work!
