Comments on: Your Editor is Your Friend (Really)

By: Ann M Sligar

Ann M Sligar — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 17:35:32 +0000

My coauthor and I did all that. Our book was well received and just what the publisher was looking for. We rewrote the book to fit the editor's comments, and resubmitted it only to find that the publisher had changed editors. So we rewrote it to fit the new editor's requirements and time frame, and resubmitted. They had again changed editors. The new one informed us that the book wasn't what they were looking for. We eventually got it published elsewhere.

By: Erin Brown

Erin Brown — Wed, 25 Sep 2013 18:08:27 +0000

In reply to Dana Mason. Dana, I wholeheartedly agree!! I always include all of the positives along with my edits.

By: Dana Mason

Dana Mason — Tue, 24 Sep 2013 18:24:37 +0000

This is a great post, but as an author who has been through this process, I have to say, this works both ways. This excerpt here struck me as a little off: "Finally, someone to tell you how wonderful your writing is! To affirm what you’ve known all along: that your novel/memoir/epic saga/brilliant tome will change the literary world as we know it." Most writers submitting their first manuscript are the exact opposite of this. Their internal voice is saying, "Now I get the truth. Now I get confirmation that I suck and this whole writing gig was just a big waste of my time." These internal words also come with a sick sense, cold sweats, and the bottom dropping out of their stomach just before they finally open the file that contains what they knew all along, they actually can't write. Most writers do not start out egotistical like you've stated. They start out insecure, and an unsympathetic editor can only make that worse. Even the best edit can break the best author if it doesn't contain some positive remarks. Authors need to know what worked just as much as they need to know what didn't work for the edit to be successful. The positive remarks are a jumping off point, it's a starting point to revisions and changes. If a writer, especially a new author knows what was done well, they can much easier fix the things that were done poorly. And before someone reply's about authors not handling constructive criticism well, I have no problem with it. I actually love getting edits back. It's rejuvenating and pushes me to do better, but the occasional "This is a great scene", or a simple "I love this line" goes a long way too.

By: littlemissw

littlemissw — Fri, 06 Sep 2013 02:46:37 +0000

In reply to erinediting. Thanks for the reply. I appreciate your insights into this.

By: Tom Hooten

Tom Hooten — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 16:38:31 +0000

My first experience with an editor felt like an assault, and it took a while to adjust to what turned out to be excellent work, but I got my revenge when she later in the novel confessed that editing was difficult when tears were dripping on the keyboard. (The tears were caused by an emotional scene in the plot, not poor punctuation!)

By: texasdruids

texasdruids — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 16:15:46 +0000

Great advice for all authors! I reblogged.

By: texasdruids

texasdruids — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 16:11:45 +0000

Reblogged this on Lyn Horner and commented: Advice every author should take to heart.

By: erinediting

erinediting — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 14:27:13 +0000

In reply to littlemissw. It's so hard to say without being familiar with your work. Does the author you're working with have editorial expertise in terms of grammar? Does she have experience editing query letters and synopses? Although an editor would've been able to tackle all of those issues, including content editing, I'm sure you've gotten some great advice from her!

By: Your Editor is Your Friend (Really) | Linda Joyce Contemplates

Your Editor is Your Friend (Really) | Linda Joyce Contemplates — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 14:06:40 +0000

[…] Your Editor is Your Friend (Really). […]

By: erinediting

erinediting — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 14:01:03 +0000

In reply to erinediting. "are loving it as well." See? Even editors need editors!