A Guide to the Good Editor for Neo Writers
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| Title: | A Guide to the Good Editor for Neo Writers |
| Creator: | Elaine M. Batterby |
| Date(s): | March 1992 |
| Medium: | |
| Fandom: | multifandom |
| Topic: | |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
A Guide to the Good Editor for Neo Writers is a 1992 essay by Elaine M. Batterby.
It was published in A Writers' Exchange #2.
From the Essay
Most people who put out zines call themselves editors even if all they really do is publish what they receive. If you just want to get something you have written into print, someone like that is ideal- s/he may check your grammar, spelling, and punctuation (and least I hope s/he will!), but otherwise the story goes as is.
However, if you really want to learn to write, and to keep improving with everything you write, you want to work with a good editor. So what is a good editor? In my opinion, a good editor is someone who will honestly work with the writer to make that writer's story the best it can be-not someone who rips a story to shreds simply because "I'm the editor;" not someone who tries to change that writer's style of writing; and not someone who is totally arbitrary about every little thing s/he dislikes or disagrees with in the story.
Obviously, some things will be arbitrary on the editor's part-whether or not to print profanity, or slash, or graphic violence, for instance. But on things that don't involve the editor's basic guidelines (which the writer . should always ask for), a good editor will be willing to listen to why the writer did something a certain way, and to negotiate, if at all possible.
One thing a good editor never does is rewrite the person's story for him or her. It isn't right, and it isn't fair to the writer who wants to learn why something slhe wrote didn't succeed as well as slhe wanted it to, and how to do it better next time.
Should an editor be expected to send back every piece for rewrites? Yes! Expect rewrites, then if by chance one isn't necessary, it is a very pleasant surprise. Very few writers can turn in a story that is absolutely perfect the first time. Actually, if an editor tells a writer that no rewrite is needed, it could be suspected that that editor is merely a publisher, unless there is already a prior relationship established between the writer and editor, or the editor is known to be someone who normally asks for rewrites.
I have been on both sides of the fence. I remember what it was like the very first time I sent a story off into the wide world, and got it back slashed to ribbons by someone who should never have been an editor. I also remember the first time we had to deal with a prima donna writer who was supposedly willing to do a rewrite but refused to change even one word when we returned the story with comments, questions, and suggestions. Neither time was much fun.
Fortunately, there are some wonderful editors out there, and some great writers who don't believe their every syllable is golden; that's what makes it worth staying in the game.