Eugene as Editor

I had an interesting experience with Gene England that I often tell the writers I work with. I was fortunate enough to take Gene’s LDS literature class, and later he served on my thesis committee, since it was a collection of personal essays. (John Bennion was my advisor and I can’t say enough good about him as a teacher and a writer.) But before I knew much about Gene beyond his personal essays, I wrote my own first personal essay for his LDS lit class. And I admit, I was frankly appalled by one of his suggestions. He was very positive about my essay, suggested I submit it to Dialogue, and then recommended that I try something surreal to emphasize some of the happenings in my essay. As I said, I was horrified and immediately rejected his suggestion—he made it verbally as he returned my essay to me—although I tried to be polite and pretended to consider it. I didn’t want to change what I had done and I certainly didn’t want to include something weird and surrealistic in my tender story of my mother. I couldn’t imagine such a thing. But actually, that’s exactly what happened.

I did imagine it later that day as I drove home from campus (I was commuting from Salt Lake at the time). Without even consciously thinking of it, an image started to grow in my head and connect with some of the details in my story. Thirty minutes later I arrived home and wrote ten pages nonstop (of course, later I revised and edited quite a bit). But it floored me that it worked so well and I had been so closed to the idea initially. I learned that when an experienced editor or fellow writer makes a suggestion and your reaction is instinctively protective of your work, take the time to give it some consideration. It might actually be a terrific idea (granted, we aren’t all so lucky to have a Gene England reading and commenting on our writing, but I think good writing means not shutting any window or door without taking a long, thoughtful look through it). I feel very fortunate to have known Gene and felt his influence in my education as a writer and editor. We can still learn a lot from him.

—Valerie Holladay
from Irreantum 3.3 (Autumn 2001): 53