Editors

Not much known about editors really.  Who are they and what do they do? Well, in short-- they edit. And they are an invaluable tool when it comes to writing a novel, an article or any piece you really want to be taken seriously.

If you self publish, there are two tools a writer should never be without. First and foremost, is a proofreader. My buddy Pat, who recently published HIS novel (www.greatmusicradio.com), swears by his old high school teacher, who drove him bats when he was in school but has now become an invaluable part of his post-story team. Proofreaders catch all the little issues you miss, and understand all the little grammatical mistakes you make because, when they were teaching grammar in school, you were busy cutting class with your buddies. They save you from a lot of embarrassing mistakes.

Second comes the editor. They're the ones who say, move this here, move that there, lose this, expand on that, etc. They're the ones who tell you to get rid of the character you love and add more body and depth to the character you  hate. Editors can be enormous pains in the southern regions, but they're the ones who see what you don't see. What you think is a finished and polished character may come off completely differently when read in context with the story. What you think is a brilliant dialogue might be totally out of place. Editors give a pace and style to your story---- they don't alter it, they just enhance its readability.

Understand going in that it will be a tempestuous relationship, almost like marriage. There will be times you won't be on speaking terms and there'll be times you'll be filled with love and gratitude. Don't get too high or low-- they're editors. It's their jobs to be critical.

But always make sure you hook up with an editor who understands the genre you're writing. They can't be clueless if you're writing about baseball, say, or 60's rock and roll history. Take their advice, ride with it, look at what they're asking. Then ask someone outside your comfort circle to read it. Chances are, you'll see, the majority of their changes and comment are for the good.

Oh yes, your comfort circle. Let's discuss that tomorrow.