As someone who is an avid reader, has edited other people’s stories and am working on my own, I can appreciate what it’s like to wear all three sets of shoes.
I don’t think many people take the time to think about how the editing process works and how much creativity goes into it.
Or how important it is to have the right editor that will work to make sure that there’s a balance of the writer’s voice and readability so readers will not put the book down and can enjoy that voice!💗
I think there's a conception among some folks that editors are supposed to manhandle every story into conformity, to match some (probably nonexistent) perfect standard—which is only true to the extent that we'll *try* to enforce the chosen style guide on the prose. But even then the author gets to declare exceptions if they want. And really, do we want to live in a literary world of that much homogeneity? I sure don't.
So good, Mol. I think the social-media-fication of publishing has made reviewers think they need to be overly clever or have a "good reason" for disliking something. But "this doesn't work for me" is often exactly the kind of review a book needs. No presumed expertise required.
Thank you, Sal! I know you get it, as a fellow editor. (We! Did! Edit! It! Dammit!)
Yep, it's usually just down to personal taste, which is a perfectly valid way to judge a book. The scenarios I outlined in the bullet points are all things I've thought about some book or another, which other readers loved—therefore I have to admit the editing job was probably a success, even though *I* might have wanted to edit it differently. And most of those same points have been said of my books, so, I've been on the opposite side of the table too. 😄
Yes!! All of this!!
Glad you agree! Thank you!
Thanks for writing this!
As someone who is an avid reader, has edited other people’s stories and am working on my own, I can appreciate what it’s like to wear all three sets of shoes.
I don’t think many people take the time to think about how the editing process works and how much creativity goes into it.
Or how important it is to have the right editor that will work to make sure that there’s a balance of the writer’s voice and readability so readers will not put the book down and can enjoy that voice!💗
Yes, exactly! Thank you.
I think there's a conception among some folks that editors are supposed to manhandle every story into conformity, to match some (probably nonexistent) perfect standard—which is only true to the extent that we'll *try* to enforce the chosen style guide on the prose. But even then the author gets to declare exceptions if they want. And really, do we want to live in a literary world of that much homogeneity? I sure don't.
Agreed. Books that are too much alike can feel too stiff or predictable. You can’t please everyone no matter how hard you try.
And in the end the author gets to determine what works for their story because it’s their story.
So good, Mol. I think the social-media-fication of publishing has made reviewers think they need to be overly clever or have a "good reason" for disliking something. But "this doesn't work for me" is often exactly the kind of review a book needs. No presumed expertise required.
Thank you, Sal! I know you get it, as a fellow editor. (We! Did! Edit! It! Dammit!)
Yep, it's usually just down to personal taste, which is a perfectly valid way to judge a book. The scenarios I outlined in the bullet points are all things I've thought about some book or another, which other readers loved—therefore I have to admit the editing job was probably a success, even though *I* might have wanted to edit it differently. And most of those same points have been said of my books, so, I've been on the opposite side of the table too. 😄