I got word yesterday from my editor that Captain Sinister's Lady is next in her queue for edits. I don't know if it makes me odder than some other authors, but I like being edited. I've been fortunate that most of my editors have been the kind of people you want to read over your work, professionals who can spot flaws you can't see and help you fix them. I'm willing to go to the mats on something I believe must stay in the book, but I'm also willing to "kill my darlings" when necessary.
I had a friend over for supper last night, a traveling tech mavin who works for a hotel chain setting up their software and networking. When he's in town I try to offer a meal at home, since I figure he gets enough road food in his life.
We're both SF fans and we were talking about an extremely popular modern SF author, someone whose work I used to enjoy. I say "used to", because in the last few novels the exposition has been so unwieldy that I just couldn't slog through any more of it. I'd lost interest in the main character. It seemed to me that Author X had had a good editor in the beginning, when he was a struggling newbie, but now that he was the 800 lb. gorilla no one was making him fix his writing.
My friend agreed about the lack of editing, and offered the opinion that Author X was a huge cash cow for the publisher, which would make them hinky about insisting he cut 20% out of the manuscript 'cause it was boring and made readers' eyes glaze over.
Maybe so.
Ah well, if I can't have fame and fortune and be the 800 lb. gorilla of historical romance, I'd just as soon have a good editor whack me upside the head when my writing isn't up to snuff.
I had a friend over for supper last night, a traveling tech mavin who works for a hotel chain setting up their software and networking. When he's in town I try to offer a meal at home, since I figure he gets enough road food in his life.
We're both SF fans and we were talking about an extremely popular modern SF author, someone whose work I used to enjoy. I say "used to", because in the last few novels the exposition has been so unwieldy that I just couldn't slog through any more of it. I'd lost interest in the main character. It seemed to me that Author X had had a good editor in the beginning, when he was a struggling newbie, but now that he was the 800 lb. gorilla no one was making him fix his writing.
My friend agreed about the lack of editing, and offered the opinion that Author X was a huge cash cow for the publisher, which would make them hinky about insisting he cut 20% out of the manuscript 'cause it was boring and made readers' eyes glaze over.
Maybe so.
Ah well, if I can't have fame and fortune and be the 800 lb. gorilla of historical romance, I'd just as soon have a good editor whack me upside the head when my writing isn't up to snuff.
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