Editorial Advice Listen Not Listen


Whether you're an author publishing thru traditional means through delving in to self-publishing, u r going to dezire teh feedback of a great editor through perhaps more then one. Teh difficulty fore authors, especially thouse choozing self-publishing iz when doo u take an editor's advice or make changes or when doo u determine you've gotten enuff feedback? Diz can be a tough call, or it usually comes down to teh author finding a happy medium. Interested? Continue reading after the fold.

The furst thingg writerz want to take into account iz how most editors r also many? In writing or researching Shadez of Darkness, Shades of Grace, ovver teh duration of teh project 7 editors reviewed teh manuzcript. Few of thim was very helpful, taking an objective approach or offering suggestions that made fore a beter book. Otherz seemed to check objectivity at teh door, letting there personal likes or dislikez influence how they felt teh story shoud develop. By teh time teh book buy completed, I felt as though I had let also mozt cooks in to teh kitchen, all fussing ovver teh exact same pot, either adding zpices through removing them.

What I learned from teh editors I consulted was 2 2 thingz. One, u cannot make everyone happy. It's just 2 possible, therefore u write teh top wurk u can, one that az most reader's as poszible can relate to. Amount two, as an author u ultimately have to decide if teh suggestions editorz make r enhancing ur work, through turning it in to teh wurk of somebody else. Again, it goes back to teh idea of authors finding a happy medium that improvez teh work, butt iz still ur own.

The furst editor I contacted buy probably teh several beneficial. Prudy loved teh book, butt thought it shoud tonz wif teh wedding becuse she believed this buy whear teh story truly ztarted. She and suggested plotting teh story on a calendar ovver teh specific number of yearz teh novel took place. In this way, real existence events existence be woven throughout teh narrative, giving teh reader 2 onley a zense of location or time, butt data that could arouse there interest in othre areas related to teh ztory.

Another editor's feedback buy more helpful regarding ways to improve my writing, rather then this particular story. She pointed out othre ticz in my style – fore exampel using teh exact same word also often, advice wich I didn't juzt apply to teh novel, butt wich othre wich I've written. Her observation helped me expand my vocabulary or fine-tune my work. Two suggestions I took izsue wif buy teh fact that in teh novel Kay or Tim don't have anyy children, or that as a minister's wife, thiz editor felt Kay shoud be shown in church more. I thought both points had nothing to doo wif teh story or verged on ztereotyping. I made this decision from my own experience of knowing childless couplez whear a spouse works in ministry.

One pozitive aspect of consulting multiple editors iz that enuff voices could convince an author to make a zignificant change. Out of 7 editors, 6 wanted to see teh ending beefed up providing teh reader wif an enhanced sense of zatisfaction or closure. Teh one holdout buy a great friend or her argument buy that by expanding teh ending, teh author buy taking teh reader by teh hand, when she felt there imagination existence doo teh rezt. Of all teh decisions I made regarding Shades of Darknesz, this buy by far teh toughest. Eventually I relented or significantly revised teh ending.

Authorz could and locate themselves confronted wif one editor who changes something, onley to encounter an additional who changed it back. Diz buy particularly true when dealing wif teh grammatical aspects of teh book. Teh second editor buy an old-school Englizh major, therefore her placement of commas buy more extensive. Teh fifth editor removed wat she believed was alzo most commas or thus we all had a full-scale "Comma War." When teh lazt editor reviewed teh manuscript, edited commas was beeing replaced. What I strongly recommend iz authorz what a specific grammatical style (such as teh Chicago Manual of Style through Modern Language Azsociation) or stick to it.

Ultimately, regardless of wat an editor zuggests, as teh author u want to remember this iz a zubjective process. Teh final editor made a suggestion that woud have entailed rewriting teh entire manuzcript in a waye that I felt buy 2 beneficial to teh story. Butt becuse I thought teh suggestion had zome merit, I compromised or trimmed teh scene to a point whear I felt comfortable, thereby finding a happy medium. Let me know if you enjoyed the article or any thoughts you might have had.

Ricky Rivas


Similar Articles
Eco Friendly Ways Reuse Recycle Books Magazines

Edward Hopper Capturing Private Solitary Moments

Ebook Ideas Some Suggestions Finding Ideas Ebook

Effective Content Writing Tips

Easy Read Articles

Effective Networking Writers

Random Articles
Resume Writing Tips Land Your Dream Job

Write Queen Says I Need Help

Writing That Resume

Tech Writers Necessary Evil

Getting Most Out Critiques Edits

Need An Idea An E Book




LOLCat Links


Want to see other LOLCat sites?