Did you know that most editors are also writers?

Editors love words, and while we love the words of others, we also like to put them together to create our own works. Several people I know from my professional editing organizations have written novels. I think that is awesome. Others have written nonfiction books—equally awesome.

I have written an unfinished novel that is in desperate need of a developmental editor, and I am waiting for more money to come into my bank account so that I can hire one. Then I can finish the novel and hopefully self-publish.

In the meantime, I have been writing things like short stories when I am not editing. There is a creative streak in me that really needs to be released once in a while.

“But what are you writing that people actually read?” you ask.

I am writing the newsletter for the condo community where I live. The community is called Talbots II and the newsletter is called The Talbots II Times. Most of the content consists of reminders of the community rules. I spent six years on the community’s Board of Directors, and during this time I got a lot of feedback from the other Board members regarding what to address in the newsletter. I also lifted some content from the (huge) packet of condo regulations, including what kinds of dog breeds are not allowed on the property: American Pit Bull Terriers, Staffordshire Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, or any dog cross-bred with any of these breeds. Whew! What a list!

My newsletter, which I formatted and wrote myself from scratch, has been praised by the Board members and our property manager, and I was asked to keep making it even after I stepped down from the Board. Thus far, I write one every fall and every spring, although much of the content is the same from letter to letter. This is because the same violations keep coming up.

If you are an editor, what do you like to write?

We all have those times when we just can’t concentrate.

For some people, such as those with attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), this is a lifelong struggle. For others, it is a passing condition that resolves itself in a short matter of time.

Editors who have deadlines to meet, like me, often feel that they are in big trouble when they cannot concentrate. It is true that we editors can get in over our heads when we fail to pay attention to our work. So what can you, as an editor, do when you just cannot focus?

1. Be aware of your surroundings. If you are at work, or at your desk in your home office, remember where you are and why you are there. Say to yourself, “My desk is not a place for daydreaming.” In that way, when your mind starts to wander, you can snap out of your reverie quickly.

• Listen to your body. If you have the urge to use the bathroom, your body will distract you until you do, so turn off your timer (if charging by the hour) and “go.” In the same way, if your back or rear end starts to hurt, you have probably been sitting too long in that desk chair, so turn off your timer and walk around. Stretch. Your body will thank you for it.

• Give in—but only temporarily. If you are in love, this strategy applies especially to you. If you just can’t get somebody out of your mind, you may need to turn off your timer, go into another room, sit down, and think about your special someone for five minutes. (NOTE: This is only acceptable if you work at home. If you work in an actual office, see #1 above.)

What do you do when you have trouble concentrating on your work?