Is it Okay if your Editor Hates You?
Over the years, my work has been published in various forms: mainstream nonfiction, textbooks, kids' educational books, literary fiction, steamy novellas, how-to magazine articles, news reports, and a novel. So I have worked with a variety of editors. And I agree with Theodore H. White that: "There are two kinds of editors, those who correct your copy and those who say it's wonderful."
I prefer the latter, of course. But the former type of editors, the kind who mark up my work and make me think, these are the people who have taught me how to write.
In my early publishing days, these were the people who convinced me (quickly) I had a lot to learn. By going through my work with a fine eye for grammar, punctuation, structure and detail, my editors showed me how to improve my writing. How to be tight. How to get the sentence structure right. And get to the point. How to hook the reader. Be clear. Say something new, say it in a new way. How to let my real voice shine through.
My editors made me work harder and, because of them, my work got better.
Over the years, some of my editors became my friends. Some couldn't wait to be done with me. A couple made my life miserable. One time I asked a publisher for a different editor because the person to whom I had been assigned wanted to rewrite my work in her own words. This doesn't work—even if the editor has a better way to say every single sentence. And this particular editor seemed to think she did!
So yes, there are good editors and great editors, fun editors and mean editors, and some really bad editors. But the thing about editors is, we writers need them. They make a huge difference in our lives. In fact, they are responsible for transforming our manuscripts into books.
One time I worked with an editor who did not like my characters. This is not a big surprise. I write about women in tough situations, kickass women who are not nice. And I write about silly women who need to get their asses kicked! But this particular editor really came down hard on my manuscript because she wanted to like my protagonists. This made me rethink their personalities. It helped me to soften their edges and, hopefully, please more readers.
Editing is a difficult and demanding process. But an important one. I work as a professional editor and I hear it every day from my clients: This is really hard work!
Yes, it is. And the results are better books. And better writers.
Original post published here: http://kellysteelwriter.blogspot.com/...
I prefer the latter, of course. But the former type of editors, the kind who mark up my work and make me think, these are the people who have taught me how to write.
In my early publishing days, these were the people who convinced me (quickly) I had a lot to learn. By going through my work with a fine eye for grammar, punctuation, structure and detail, my editors showed me how to improve my writing. How to be tight. How to get the sentence structure right. And get to the point. How to hook the reader. Be clear. Say something new, say it in a new way. How to let my real voice shine through.
My editors made me work harder and, because of them, my work got better.
Over the years, some of my editors became my friends. Some couldn't wait to be done with me. A couple made my life miserable. One time I asked a publisher for a different editor because the person to whom I had been assigned wanted to rewrite my work in her own words. This doesn't work—even if the editor has a better way to say every single sentence. And this particular editor seemed to think she did!
So yes, there are good editors and great editors, fun editors and mean editors, and some really bad editors. But the thing about editors is, we writers need them. They make a huge difference in our lives. In fact, they are responsible for transforming our manuscripts into books.
One time I worked with an editor who did not like my characters. This is not a big surprise. I write about women in tough situations, kickass women who are not nice. And I write about silly women who need to get their asses kicked! But this particular editor really came down hard on my manuscript because she wanted to like my protagonists. This made me rethink their personalities. It helped me to soften their edges and, hopefully, please more readers.
Editing is a difficult and demanding process. But an important one. I work as a professional editor and I hear it every day from my clients: This is really hard work!
Yes, it is. And the results are better books. And better writers.
Original post published here: http://kellysteelwriter.blogspot.com/...
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