Don’t Edit the Oil: Why Polished Doesn’t Always Mean Powerful

Excellence matters—but not at the expense of authenticity.

There’s a difference between editing your book and editing the anointing. In our pursuit of professional polish, we can sometimes strip the raw power out of what God originally gave us. And while clean grammar and structure are important, they should never override the Spirit.

At iPress, we’re passionate about helping you write with both skill and spiritual sensitivity. That means learning to edit your work without erasing the oil.

Here’s how:

1. The Anointing is Found in the Flow : Often, your first draft carries a unique power—it’s the unfiltered version of what God spoke to you. Don't discard those spontaneous phrases or Spirit-led moments just because they don’t fit a “professional” template. Those may be the parts that heal, deliver, or break yokes in your readers’ lives.

2. Your Voice Has Value : Authenticity matters. Don't lose your sound trying to sound like someone else. Readers can sense when something is forced. Stay true to the rhythm, tone, and language God gave you. Edit for clarity, not conformity.

3. Don’t Over-Polish Your Testimony : It doesn’t have to be pretty to be powerful. Some stories need to be raw. If you’ve survived trauma, grief, addiction, or heartbreak—don’t edit away the grit. It’s the honesty that makes your story relatable. The polish can come later.

4. Get a Spirit-Led Editor : Not every editor understands the anointing. Work with someone who not only values grammar but discerns the move of God in your manuscript. At iPress, our editorial team prays, listens, and edits with reverence.

5. Trust God to Use the Broken Places : The most impactful parts of your book may come from your greatest wounds. Let God use it. Don’t hide the cracks—He shines through them.

So yes, edit for excellence. But don’t trade oil for polish.

Keep the fire. Keep the flow. And trust that what God gave you in the secret place can stand in public power.