Edits and Ownership.
Jane Kennedy Sutton, one of my heroes, just told me the Comments Section is “Closed.” Yikes…not supposed to be. Trying to fix that now. BIG THANKS JANE!
Found the problem and fixed it. First time that’s happened. This is an illustration of why Jane has my all time enduring and lasting admiration. She even has a certificate to prove it! Right, Jane?
I promised you road-to-publication stories…a welcome relief, no doubt, from those boring, techie, software-junkie, video posts, huh?
Let’s assume you’re a yet-to-be-published author. You have a manuscript. You’ve worked and worked on it. You’ve had it “test read.” Ponied-up good money to have it professionally edited. Polished it. It gleams like a showroom car.
You submit this beauty to a publisher. Lighting strikes. It’s accepted. You’re proud and happy. You should be. But, beware…just like happens to the protag in your novel, there’s gonna be a disturbance in your tranquility and happiness. Your “Ordinary World” is headed for a speed bump.
One day, your editor sends you the first ten chapters of your manuscript. You open the document and…what’s this? There are changes galore for your “review.”
You look them over. Some are okay. If your publisher prefers “happy” in the third line instead of “glad,” you’re good with that. Seems like there are lots of those mox-nix occurrences, but, okay.
Hold on. What’s this on line 32?? Your pet phrase has been struck, as has another on line 36, and 42, and 55, and… What’s going on here!?
You politely question a couple of changes. The reply indicates the changes are what they are. There’s a strong implication that you’re either not sufficiently educated or skilled to to see the errors the changes correct, or the improvement they generate.
You sit back and try to impartially assess the changes. Some have merit. Yes, that adverb could go, as could a couple of garbage sentences. Perhaps a replaced word or phrase is better than what was there. Okay, you’re good with those. Other changes you’re not so much in love with, but they don’t really matter. Happy? Glad? Pretty much the same thing. Those, you let go.
But what about those changes on line 32, 36, etc? That’s some of your best, most sizzling prose—and it’s been excised! You consider challenging a couple deletions—it is, after all, your book. Then, you recall the earlier exchange. It’s at that point you understand these “suggestions” are, in fact, non-negotiable. How do you react?
Couple of options. Fight and claw over every change. This approach is probably not your best strategy. Beyond the hours it will extend your review, you risk alienating your editor with the result of having your book never see the light of day. Essentially, you have no leverage. The power of publication is not yours.
More likely, you bite your tongue. Probably a smart approach. You’ll just have to live with changes that you’d never, ever have written the way they now stand. But, there’s no need for total capitulation. I suggest waiting for the one, or perhaps few, spots where you simply cannot live with a change, then, say something. In other words, employ a strategy I’ve found effective over the course of 61 years…pick your battles.
As an adjunct, you’ll probably get the manuscript to proof before the book goes final. At that point you might try to gently suggest a rewrite of those spots that make you cringe.
Getting published isn’t all fun in the sun, there are bumps. However, the bumps are as big as you let them become. Take a deep breath, Grasshopper, most of the reading public will never know the difference between what you wrote and what they read. And, afterall, some of what they read just might be an improvement.
Thanks for stopping by, see you again on Friday.
Themocracy
About time, Galen! I’ve been waiting all day to leave a comment. Now…what was I dying to say???
Uh, good–and realistic–post.
I’ve already had to make some of those types of changes. Can’t wait to see what the second editor does to the story.
Good insight into the process, Galen! Thank you for sharing!
When I get writers voicing their protests over this very real aspect and doubting my words to the wise, I will send them to this post, Galen!
Good post. About the only time I question editing changes is when it changes the meaning or the intent. I’ve had that happen only a few times.
Aw shucks, Galen, I’m glad I could help out. And yes, I glance at my Galen Kindley Award of Enduring Admiration daily.
When I got my first manuscript back from the editor, I almost went into shock. Once I could breathe again, I noticed most of the changes were, like you said, minor. My editor was very nice and open to discussion. I discussed the things I didn’t agree with…and then I changed them:)
You’re right about the bumpy road!
I’m a tongue biter. If I’m asked to make the change I wince, big time, and just make it. It does hurt a little, though.
Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder
Mr. Kindley and I spent 20 years working with editors of the worse stripe in the Federal government. I know he tried to improve my writing by making it more crisp. He had some limited success. However, the person above you in the literay chain will always have that power of the pen. He finally left after a well earned retirement. I on the other hand continue to try and tell the story my way. Now you have to understand that we write technical reports, but they still have to tell a story and keep the readers interest.
That being said, it is always better to add some crispness to the story. Too often we fall in love with the sound of our own words and this wordiness does not do the story any justice. Okay, enough said I just needed to jerk Galen’s chain.