Quick questions about editing Unsaid for David McLendon
Out of curiosity, how much of editing Unsaid is reading and selecting
and how much is actual editing of the work you believe you will
publish? Is there a great deal of line editing done on your part, or
is it more frequently suggestions and back and forths with the author?
How often do you conditionally accept a piece in your mind, thinking
the author is "this" close and with a few suggestions can get it
Unsaid-ready? Have you ever done so and ended up just not being able
to take the work?
David: All of the above. The act of reading in itself is part of the editing process, vitally so, and even after line edits are made I go back and read and sometimes edit my own edits. Preferably, I like working with the author. Only once have I rejected a submission because the author refused my suggestions. It's been my experience that most writers are happily willing to work with someone who cares about their work. Any suggestion I make is to make the work stronger. As far as "conditional acceptances" go, I immediately let the writer know that some changes need to be made. I've been on both sides of the table, and as a writer I expect my editor to be critical, I wouldn't have it any other way. As an editor, I do what I can to help the writer make his or her work stronger. And the best writers are those who believe the work can always be stronger.
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