When we write there is no way to be objective about our own work. We’re too close to it. That’s why the editorial process is so important. A good editor knows how to highlight the strengths in a piece and showcase talent in the best framework possible.

In 2012, I took over as Managing Editor of Kansas City Voices. I’m proud to put my stamp on the long-established print magazine, and got very lucky when the job fell into my path. My favorite part of editing for this project was curating our selected pieces into a cohesive collection. I learned something from every issue, and my work with Whispering Prairie Press led me to meet more talented writers and artists than I can count.

With Volume 11 I got over-enthusiastic about all of the talent we had available to us and jammed as many pieces as I could into the issue. This meant cutting a few expected pages, like the letter from the editor. I was actually relieved to cut the letter though, because I wasn’t comfortable being the voice for an organization. While I spoke at many of our events there was something about recording a letter in our publication that felt permanent and terrifying to me.

For a preview of the issue click on the image below.  You can learn more about the publication at http://www.wppress.org/