How to Take Editing Suggestions Without Spiraling

Listen, an edit is not a verdict on your intelligence, talent, or worth as a human. When someone marks up your work, they’re not saying you are wrong. They’re saying lets try it this way.

It helps to remember that editors aren’t reading you. They’re reading the page. The page is allowed to be awkward, unclear, or unfinished. That’s not a moral failing.

If you find self spiraling here’s a useful trick: don’t respond to edits immediately. Read them once, feel whatever you feel, then walk away. The sting fades. The usefulness stays.

Remember, edits are suggestions, not orders. You’re allowed to ask why. You’re allowed to disagree. Good editing doesn’t erase you, it just makes you easier to hear.

Learning to emotionally separate yourself from your sentences is one of the best skills you can have as a writer.