Imagine that you’re walking down the street, and you spot a mother pushing her new baby in a stroller. You stop to admire the newborn, gaze at her, tilt your head, and look up at the mother and say, “Wow! That’s one ugly baby you’ve got there.”
That new mom is going to stomp a mud hole in you. Unfortunately, many writers react like that new mom when they’re asked for edits.
1. Your book or story is not your “baby”
I feel a certain emotional attachment to my work too. I spend a lot of time on my writing, and when I need to cut out a scene that I particularly like, it can hurt. However, I also know that once my writing leaves my computer and goes out in the wide world, it will be read, interacted with, and (gasp) judged by others.
Let your baby grow up!
2. Whom are you writing for?
If you’re writing only for yourself, then by all means, ignore your editor. Of course, if you’re writing only for yourself, why are you sending your work out anyway?
If you’re writing for others…well, shouldn’t you be taking others’ opinions into consideration?
3. Get some good criticism
“Good” criticism doesn’t come from your mom, husband, wife, or best friend. Those people will tell you your book is great no matter how horrible it truly is. They love you, or at least like you, and they want you to feel good about yourself.
A writers’ group may be a source for a good critique. However, sometimes strangers are just as likely to feel uncomfortably offering criticism, even when it’s constructive. If your critique group doesn’t usually suggest something to improve on, they’re probably not giving you an honest critique. How many writers are there, after all, who really don’t have room for improvement?
4. Art or Excuses?
Ah, this is the one that’s likely to give some folks an apoplectic fit. Keep in mind my background… I did a grad degree in English and suffered through endured was a part of many discussions about writing and art. These also included many deprecating comments about genre fiction (try saying it with a sneer, that works best… “genre fiction”… ew).
I write genre fiction.
Needless to say, I’m not big on the “art” side of things. I’m not interested in grad students doing theses on my work. I don’t care if some academic finds me worthy of study. I want to tell a good story and have readers enjoy it.
And that means I need to listen to readers when they tell me something isn’t working.
No, that doesn’t mean that I’d necessarily take any advice given, but I will consider it, and honestly. In most cases, the editor is right, and I make the changes requested.
Yep, this post was inspired by a request I got this week to make some changes to a short story before it’s published. Of course, I’ll make the changes, because the editor was right on the mark.
How do you feel about changing your work at an editor’s request?