Tuesday, February 14, 2012

And the subject is Editors


It is Valentine’s Day and I get to demonstrate my love for some of the best people in my writing life... My editors!

I love editors. Maybe it is because I’ve had the privilege of working with some really great editors, and maybe it is because I know what happens when you don’t have an editor working with you, but the fact remains, I love editors.

An editor is often the first person to read something I’ve written. I don’t have critique buddies anymore, and when I submit something to one of my usual publishing houses, that is often the first time I get feedback on something I’ve been working my butt off on. So when they say they really like my work, I get that validation I’ve been looking for.

The other reason I love editors is that editors make my work better. I’m a better storyteller than I am a grammarian. I think I know where the commas go but I don’t always get them in the right place. Editors frequently do know these mysterious things. They also can point out things like your hero has neglected to tell the heroine how he feels about her anywhere in the book. Or in chapter five the heroine tells the hero she loves him, and then two chapters later is still questioning her feelings. Editors catch the boo-boos I tend to make.

Now don’t get me wrong. A good knowledgeable critique buddy can do the same thing, but it is the editor’s job to make your work as good as possible.

Also editors can advise on covers and on titles. Here we have the cover for my upcoming Gaian book, Beloved Stranger. This is the third version of the cover because while I liked the first version, there were changes my editor and I felt were needed. I love how they even got the wristbands my characters wear when they are married into the cover.

I have another editor who I just sold a new Hollywood After Dark book to, and she’s advised me to shorten the title to make it snappier. In thinking about it, that’s a good idea so I went with it.

By the time Beloved Stranger is out the door it will be a well-edited book with a great cover and should find an appreciative audience. And it will be because I had an editor on my side.

How about the rest of you? Can I get some more love for editors here? What do you love about editors?

3 comments:

Rolynn Anderson said...

Janet, I agree with you about cherishing editors. My TWRP editor, Laura Kelly is fabulous!

Vonnie Davis ~ Romance Author said...

I've had 3 editors at TWRP. Each one has different likes and pet peeves. I feel as if I'm getting a little stronger with each round of edits I go through.

Josie said...

I haven't had the opportunity to work on a complete novel with an editor, but every editor I've corresponded with has been extremely helpful and encouraging.