Editing is an important motif in the novel, occurring on a literal level in Charlie and Nora’s edits of Dusty’s book and on a metaphorical level as Nora edits her personality and relationships and continually revises her happy ending.

From the outset, the novel makes clear that “the right editor” can bring out the potential in every book, and Nora initially hopes that Charlie will do this for Once in a Lifetime (9). Charlie’s outright refusal to see potential in Dusty’s book due to its Sunshine Falls setting is important, as it causes the initial misunderstanding between the protagonists, which is also charged with chemistry.

The phase in which Charlie and Nora edit Dusty’s book is an important one in bringing them closer, as it allows them to share personal matters, such as Charlie’s being a misfit kid who was addicted to seeing how things work and the fact that editing, rather than agenting, was Nora’s dream career. Charlie grants Nora the opportunity to have another shot at her dream when he resigns his own editing position at Loggia and recommends her for it. As Nora edits her relationship with Libby and releases herself from the obligation to look out for her sister, she becomes able to accept Charlie’s offer and create a more relevant version of her life.