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Post by shawninmon on Mar 5, 2014 22:23:31 GMT -5
As I mentioned yesterday, I sent my WIP off to my editor yesterday. I don't know how everyone else works with their editor, but the way we do it is that he does a cold read of the story and then we decide if it's ready to edit or if it needs more revisions prior to editing.
Today he sent me a message after his initial read, saying he thinks it's ready for editing without further work from me. Yay! That's a good thing. Then he said this:
"Editing this will be like trying to be the accountant for a mad scientist."
I think he's saying that this story is a little out there, which it is.
Anybody else ever get off-kilter remarks from their editor?
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Post by cbedwards on Mar 5, 2014 23:23:12 GMT -5
Editors are for wimps. You can tell the folks Over There that I said so.
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Post by shawninmon on Mar 6, 2014 0:15:28 GMT -5
Editors are for wimps. You can tell the folks Over There that I said so.  I would not inflict my words on an unsuspecting public without him! |
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Post by Suzy on Mar 6, 2014 3:03:52 GMT -5
My editor does the same . She reads through once and most of her comments are about the story line. Yes, sometimes it's a little 'out there'. And I get a lot of raised eyebrows in the margin in the form of 'oh really? And this could really happen?' Along with ironic comments. Then I go back and re write the parts she thinks didn't work- or ignore it and argue a bit with her. Then I send it back for a proper read through-I correct again and then a third read before she's happy.
But I could not manage without an editor. I really wouldn't dare put my work up without someone else's critical eye on it. I prefer her to be super harsh than gushing about how lovely it all is.
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Post by shawninmon on Mar 6, 2014 10:18:19 GMT -5
But I could not manage without an editor. I really wouldn't dare put my work up without someone else's critical eye on it. I prefer her to be super harsh than gushing about how lovely it all is. I feel the same. I have a very trusting relationship with my editor, so I trust that the things he tells me, whether I agree with them or not, he is telling me with only good intentions, for the good of the story. I know some writers have a semi-adversarial relationship with their editors, but I can't do that. It feels very collaborative with me. |
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Post by vrabinec on Mar 6, 2014 11:14:52 GMT -5
It's weird. One of the things I'm very much looking forward to, is my search for an editor.
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Post by Suzy on Mar 6, 2014 11:28:25 GMT -5
Finding the right editor is like finding... I dunno, your softest security blanket, or your literary mommy.
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Post by Pru Freda on Mar 6, 2014 12:50:15 GMT -5
I once wrote a blog post about my then editor (we've parted company since) which I hope you can find here: writeanglesbylynda.blogspot.co.uk/search?updated-min=2012-07-01T00:00:00%2B01:00&updated-max=2012-08-01T00:00:00%2B01:00&max-results=2I'm now in negotiations with yet another - this will be the 4th - because finding a good one is like trying to find hen's teeth. I suppose they are only human, but a lot are either too young to get my antediluvian references (she had never heard the term pricking of my thumbs - it's from Shakespeare - or seen Casablanca) or they miss fairly obvious things, like characters name changing from chapter to chapter. The best one I ever had, priced himself out of my market, sadly. |
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Post by Daniel on Mar 6, 2014 13:20:38 GMT -5
I get all kinds of remarks from my beta readers and my editor, both positive and negative. For the most part, I love them all. If the beta readers and my editor don't help me make the book stronger, they have failed me. The only way they can help me make the book stronger is by telling me what needs to be improved. The only time I've ever regretted getting feedback from a beta reader was when I had one who complained about a LOT of things (stuff that others were fine with) and said almost nothing positive. However, that person did help make the book stronger with certain observations I agreed with. In the end, I reluctantly concluded that the reader just didn't like my writing. Later, I learned that the reader enjoyed the story and is looking forward to beta reading the next one.  I will include that reader in my beta group because, as painful as it was to review the comments, I did get some useful stuff out of them. |
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Post by Alan Petersen on Mar 6, 2014 13:56:57 GMT -5
It's weird. One of the things I'm very much looking forward to, is my search for an editor. Sadist. |
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Post by Suzy on Mar 6, 2014 14:14:49 GMT -5
It's weird. One of the things I'm very much looking forward to, is my search for an editor. Sadist. No, no! Masochist! |
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Post by vrabinec on Mar 6, 2014 14:16:27 GMT -5
Both.
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Post by Suzy on Mar 6, 2014 14:21:03 GMT -5
Sado-maso...  SMS? Or MSM? I can't remember the letters in the right order |
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Post by Suzy on Mar 6, 2014 14:23:24 GMT -5
Fred's editor:  |
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Post by vrabinec on Mar 6, 2014 14:54:50 GMT -5
"Your verbs are weak!" Thwack!
"Phank you ma'am!"
"I can't understand you with that ball gag! Enunciate or the reader will never understand you!" Thwack!
"Phank you ma'am!"
"Not good enough!" Thwack!
"Thank you ma'am!"
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Post by Suzy on Mar 6, 2014 15:05:37 GMT -5
"Your verbs are weak!" Thwack! "Phank you ma'am!" "I can't understand you with that ball gag! Enunciate or the reader will never understand you!" Thwack!"Phank you ma'am!" "Not good enough!" Thwack!"Thank you ma'am!" I can see that your verbs will be weak on purpose...  |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 6, 2014 15:30:49 GMT -5
I once wrote a blog post about my then editor (we've parted company since) which I hope you can find here: writeanglesbylynda.blogspot.co.uk/search?updated-min=2012-07-01T00:00:00%2B01:00&updated-max=2012-08-01T00:00:00%2B01:00&max-results=2I'm now in negotiations with yet another - this will be the 4th - because finding a good one is like trying to find hen's teeth. I suppose they are only human, but a lot are either too young to get my antediluvian references (she had never heard the term pricking of my thumbs - it's from Shakespeare - or seen Casablanca) or they miss fairly obvious things, like characters name changing from chapter to chapter. The best one I ever had, priced himself out of my market, sadly. I've had similar experiences. I tend to workshop and beta things now. My first editor just disappeared halfway through the project. Maybe she's still out in space floating somewhere. I don't follow genre conventions, so some of the editors I've tried just want to make me do so. I do so with intention, and it works for me. Some of them are either very young, or they are angry failed writers (why are most of the failed writers I know lit fic writers? This just occurred to me...). |
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Post by vrabinec on Mar 6, 2014 15:39:28 GMT -5
I don't think the market's exactly booming for lit fic.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 6, 2014 15:40:42 GMT -5
That and probably many of them were told by their college professors that "you're not a 'real writer' if you don't write literary fiction".
I was told that by mine. I laughed and made them redshirts.
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Post by Becca Mills on Mar 6, 2014 15:47:43 GMT -5
I laughed and made them redshirts. LOL. That's a winning phrase. |
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I would not inflict my words on an unsuspecting public without him!
I will include that reader in my beta group because, as painful as it was to review the comments, I did get some useful stuff out of them.
SMS? Or MSM? I can't remember the letters in the right order
