Having a great relationship with a good editor, particularly over the course of several books, can be the most wonderful thing in all of publishing. But this isn't something that happens overnight. It takes work. It takes effort. Having now collaborated with two different editors for multiple books (six with Devi Pillai and eight with Derek), I've picked up a few tips for keeping that relationship nice and stable.
#1
When you first get your manuscript back, go into it with guns blazing. This book is your baby, so protect it like you're Chow Yun-fat in Hard Boiled. Remember, editing is a battleground. Oftentimes editors are failed writers themselves, so they will totally try to rewrite your entire work to subconsciously fulfill that lost ambition. Every suggestion must be seen as an attack. Be defensive. Argue with any and all changes. If it's really important, they'll hold firm instead of folding after the fifth email. By the time the process is over, they'll be exhausted, but also impressed by your confidence and determination.
[Editor's Note]
#2
Repetition is key. Recently use a five dollar word? Use it again two sentences later. Make sure your readers didn't miss it. And if they were impressed you correctly used the word 'sanguinary' why wouldn't they be equally impressed the second time around? The same goes for less-fancy words, too. It's not your job to keep finding new ways for people to swing a sword. Just use 'slash' fifty times in three paragraphs, and let your editor pitch replacements. They'll enjoy feeling like they contributed.
[Editor's Note]
#3
Don't worry about spelling errors and sloppy writing. Coming up with ideas is the most difficult part of being an author. Actually writing it? That's cake. Just slap those words down and let the editor tidy it all up afterward. Besides, why go over your book with a fine-tooth comb when your editor's going to complain and demand a bunch of stuff get rewritten anyway? That's called being inefficient, and your time is far too precious for inefficiency.
[Editor's Note]
#4
Editors are timid, forgetful creatures (likely due to a childhood full of reading and seclusion). This means they'll forget you sent them your manuscript, or perhaps have it slip their minds they should be working on yours instead of relaxing on the couch watching television. So once you turn in your manuscript, send them emails at least once a day. See how the progress is going. Let them know how excited you are to get it back. If they ever stop responding, up your game, sending both emails and calling on the phone if you happen to have their number. All this attention will let them know how important they are to you, leaving them feeling flattered and eager to work on your book.
[Editor's Note]
#5
Never follow directions. When they tell you to submit your book in a certain font type, or size, or double-spacing, it's because they don't want to do it themselves. You might think this means they're lazy, but that's not the case at all. Remember, editing is a battleground, and this is part of the power structure. By saying "I wrote this book in 13 pt Garamond, so if you don't want to edit it in 13 pt Garamond, change it yourself," you're letting them know who is boss. If you can't be bothered to follow simple directions, what's the likelihood you'll make sweeping changes to chapters 10-15? None, that's what, and every requested change left off the manuscript due to certain defeat is another victory in the bag.
[Editor's Note]
#6
If it's not explained, it's not valid. Sometimes editors will change a line in a story, and they'll include a comment somewhere explaining why (such as "unclear who is speaking" or "this is the tenth time you've used 'sexy' to describe this orc"). If they ever don't include a comment, reject it immediately. Demand an explanation. If they didn't comment explaining why, it's because they knew their reasoning wasn't strong enough and just had an itch to play writer. Punish them for it. If you haven't sent at least sixty emails to your editor by the time you finish going over edits, you're not doing your job right.
[Editor's Note]
#7
Repetition is key. If it worked the first time, just do that again. Readers loved your last major character, so why wouldn't they love his doppelganger? Heck, why not even rewrite an entire book? Just swap a few characters, maybe a gender, rename generic villain X to generic villain Y, and claim it takes place in a totally new world. Your editor will appreciate how easy it will be to critique this new book, since all their old complaints will still be valid.
[Editor's Note]
#8.
Editors are an easily confused lot. If they say they don't understand something, 99% of the time it is due to their own inability to follow your artfully placed bread crumbs. So what if they didn't catch some subtle hint while trying to edit your manuscript on the subway with their morning coffee still in hand? A real reader will pay more attention. Instead of tweaking your manuscript, calmly explain to your editor in an email all the reasons they're completely wrong. Remember, you're the one closest to the material, and therefore the one with the clearest perspective.
[Editor's Note]
#9.
Deadlines are for chumps. Editing is an easy, mechanical process. Putting in corrections to said input, however, is the incredibly difficult part, the true art, I daresay. So of course you'll need to take longer than the editor did to rework your novel. Remember, the book is your baby, and the editor is the nurse at the hospital. If you need to take a few extra days of pushing to deliver that baby, then they'll just have to wait.
[Editor's Note]
#10.
Most importantly of all, never thank your editor in the book itself. You might think you're just showing appreciation, but in reality you're giving them a swollen ego. Come the next book, they may decide that you should at least implement 10% of their suggested changes instead of only 5%, and you'll only have yourself to blame.
[Editor's Note]
A DANCE OF GHOSTS IS AVAILABLE NOW!
If you like David and want him to continue writing more Buzzfeed lists like this one, we recommend that you check out his hard-hitting assassin novels before it's too late.
We just checked-in with his editor and...well...you get the picture.
Live footage from the desk of Devi Pillai:
To find out more about the Shadowdance series, visit the Facebook page or read an excerpt from the first book, A DANCE OF CLOAKS.
Want to read more Buzzfeed content by David Dalglish? Check out "Friends Ruin Everything: Dungeons & Dragons Edition".
Share This Article
