You’re reading through your edited manuscript when you come across a comment in the margin:
“This isn’t clear.”
You read the passage again. You know what you mean, and the words make sense to you. So what does your editor want you to change?
It’s a reasonable question, but the answer isn’t always straightforward.
When I write “This isn’t clear,” I’m telling the author that something in the passage isn’t communicating as effectively as I expected. I may know exactly what’s causing the problem, or I may need more information to understand what the author intends.
The comment identifies a difficulty I’ve encountered as a reader. It doesn’t necessarily tell the author what’s causing it or how to fix it.
Understanding that distinction can help you make better use of editorial feedback.
What Might Your Editor Be Noticing?
Clarity problems take different forms. Sometimes the wording is ambiguous. Sometimes the reasoning is difficult to follow. And sometimes the problem becomes apparent only when you consider the passage in the context of the entire manuscript.
Here are three common possibilities.
The meaning isn’t clear.
I may be unable to determine what a sentence means, or I may see two plausible interpretations.
Consider this example:
Maria handed the notebook to Susan after she finished the assignment.
Who finished the assignment? Maria or Susan?
The author knows which person they intended, but the sentence doesn’t make that clear.
A revision might resolve the ambiguity by repeating the person’s name or restructuring the sentence. But before suggesting a change, I need to understand the intended meaning.
This distinction matters. If I don’t know what the author means, I shouldn’t simply choose an interpretation and rewrite the sentence accordingly.
The reasoning isn’t clear.
Sometimes I understand every sentence but can’t follow the connection between the ideas.
An author might present evidence and then state a conclusion without explaining how the evidence supports it. Or a character might make a decision that seems inconsistent with what the reader knows about them.
In either case, the problem may not be the wording. A missing explanation, an undeveloped idea, or information introduced too late may be preventing the reader from following the author’s thinking.
Changing a few words won’t necessarily solve that problem. The author may need to clarify the reasoning or reconsider how the information is presented.
The passage isn’t clear in context.
A paragraph may make sense on its own but become confusing when read alongside the rest of the manuscript.
Perhaps it contradicts an earlier statement. Perhaps it relies on information the reader hasn’t encountered yet. Or perhaps the author assumes the reader understands something that hasn’t been established.
The comment appears beside a particular passage, but the underlying problem may lie elsewhere.
That’s why I don’t assume that the place where I notice a problem is necessarily the place where the author needs to fix it.
Why I Don’t Always Tell Authors Exactly What to Change
When I identify a clarity problem, I may have an idea about how to address it. But identifying a problem and knowing the best solution are two different things.
I might write, “Consider this word,” or “Consider saying it this way.”
Those suggestions are intentional. I’m offering a possibility, not declaring that I’ve found the only correct answer.
Perhaps the suggested word communicates the intended meaning more accurately. Perhaps the alternative phrasing makes the sentence easier to follow. Or perhaps the author will recognize the problem and find another solution that works better.
The author knows things I don’t. They know what they intended to communicate, what they want readers to understand, and how the passage fits into the larger work.
I bring a different perspective: I’m reading the manuscript and noticing where the communication isn’t working as intended.
Both perspectives matter.
In my recent post, Why Didn’t My Editor Just Fix It?, I discussed why identifying a problem doesn’t always mean an editor can supply the right solution. Sometimes a question or suggestion is more useful than a rewrite.
My goal isn’t to make the manuscript sound the way I would write it. It’s to help the author recognize a problem and make an informed decision about how to address it.
How to Respond When Your Editor Says Something Isn’t Clear
Before revising, try to identify what your editor is having difficulty understanding.
Start by asking yourself three questions:
What do I want the reader to understand?
Explain the intended meaning in your own words. Then compare that meaning with what’s actually on the page. Have you provided the information and explanations the reader needs?
Where is the difficulty coming from?
Is the wording ambiguous? Is a connection missing? Does the passage conflict with something elsewhere in the manuscript? Identifying the source of the problem will help you choose an appropriate revision.
Do I understand my editor’s concern?
If you don’t, ask. You might say, “Could you explain what you found unclear here? I want to make sure I’m addressing the right problem.”
Once you understand the concern, you can decide whether to accept the suggested change, try a different approach, or explain something your editor may have misunderstood.
You can agree that a passage needs attention without agreeing with every proposed solution.
For more on evaluating editorial suggestions, see Should You Accept Every Editing Suggestion? What Every Author Should Know.
What If Your Editor Has Misunderstood?
Editors can misunderstand a manuscript, too.
Perhaps the wording is ambiguous. Perhaps the author has deliberately withheld information. Or perhaps the editor has made an assumption that doesn’t fit the author’s intention.
When I encounter something I don’t understand, I need to remain open to those possibilities.
I can explain what I’m experiencing as a reader and ask the author to clarify. The author can explain the intention, and together we can determine whether the passage needs revision.
Sometimes the author will realize that the intended meaning isn’t coming through. Sometimes additional context will resolve my confusion. And sometimes we’ll disagree about whether a change is necessary.
As I discussed in Can an Editor Be Wrong About Your Manuscript?, editorial judgment matters, but it isn’t infallible. Feedback should help authors make informed decisions, not take those decisions away from them.
The Goal Is Understanding
When your editor writes “This isn’t clear,” it’s tempting to focus immediately on the sentence and ask how to make it sound better.
A more useful question is: What’s preventing this passage from communicating what I intend?
The answer might involve a word choice, missing information, an unexplained connection, or a problem with the larger manuscript. Once you understand the cause, you can consider the available solutions.
Sometimes I’ll recommend a specific change. Sometimes I’ll ask a question. Sometimes I’ll explain what I’m experiencing as a reader and let the author determine the best way forward.
I don’t expect to have all the answers, and I don’t expect authors to accept every suggestion I make.
I do want them to understand what I’ve noticed and why it matters.
That’s the purpose of editorial feedback: to help authors see where their writing may not be communicating as effectively as they intend, so they can decide how to improve it while preserving their voice and vision.
The next time you see “This isn’t clear” in your manuscript, don’t revise blindly. Identify the concern, ask questions when necessary, and consider what your reader needs.
You don’t have to guess what your editor wants. You need to understand the problem well enough to decide what your manuscript needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does an editor mean by “This isn’t clear”?
An editor means that something in the passage is difficult to understand or may not communicate the author’s intended meaning. The problem might involve ambiguous wording, missing information, unclear reasoning, or the passage’s relationship to the rest of the manuscript.
Should I change my writing whenever my editor says something isn’t clear?
Not automatically. First, determine what your editor found confusing. You may agree that the passage needs revision but prefer a different solution. Editorial feedback is information to consider, not a requirement to accept every proposed change.
Why does my editor say “Consider this” instead of telling me what to write?
An editor may see a possible improvement without knowing whether it’s the best choice for your manuscript. A suggestion such as “Consider this word” offers an option while leaving you room to evaluate it. The goal is to improve clarity without compromising your meaning or voice.
What if my editor has misunderstood my writing?
Explain what you intended and ask whether that meaning is coming through. The discussion may reveal an ambiguity worth addressing, a need for additional context, or a misunderstanding that can be resolved without changing the text.
About the Author
Cassie Armstrong is a book editor and writing coach and the owner of MorningStar Editing LLC. She helps authors of children’s books, cookbooks, and craft and how-to books strengthen their manuscripts while preserving their unique voices.