Inside Simon & Schuster: A Publishing
Story and its related articles,
Submitting the
Manuscript,
Acquiring the Manuscript,
Editing the Manuscript, and
Marketing and
Sales, were published in their original form in Writer's Digest
in 1998 and later reprinted in the 1998 Writer's Yearbook Extra. I revised and significantly expanded the story
for online publication.
Editors and Editing
The amount of editing that an author can
expect these days varies hugely. Ideally, the editing would be in direct
proportion to the needs of the book and the commitment of the author,
but the reality is that editors are chronically overworked, and editing
is a very time-intensive, exhausting activity which really can't be done
in the office but at nights and on weekends; that is, during the
editor's free time. This makes editing more of a volunteer effort, and a
lot of editors don't have the energy or make the time to do as much
editing as necessary.
Editors have different styles. Some will
do it all in one long phone call, or ask you to come in for a meeting.
Others will walk every step of the way with you, in writing and by
phone, fax and e-mail. Editors' comments may be few or many, and that
may reflect more how much they're willing to do than how much you and
your book can benefit from.
For a fuller description of the editorial
process, see
Working
With Your Editor, Part 4 in my
How
to Write Your Book series elsewhere on this site.
If SHATTERED Were a Novel
Structure, pace,
style, clarity are important in fiction and nonfiction, but Ben would
also be thinking about such particular fiction elements as the plot,
suspense, character conflict determined by imagination rather than real
life, and consistent motivation (which isn't always found in real
people).
How You Can Contribute
The best thing you can do is be
receptive and responsive. If it's not immediately offered, ask your
editor for the help you need. Find out what kind of schedule she's on
and what, realistically, you can expect from her, then do the most with
what you get. If you want more editing, ask for it. Make sure you
understand what you're being asked to do before you do it. Clarify
before revising. Try not to be defensive or argumentative. Your editor
is trying to help you. No one expects you to be perfect on your own.
That's why editors exist. You can't be forced to make changes so there's
nothing to argue about. If you don't think an editorial suggestion is
best for the book, say so politely. You don't have to win your case.
You're the author. It's already won. The risk is in being wrong but
since editors can't be absolutely sure either, use your judgment and
make your best decision.
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