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When I sold MAY B., I invited my readers along on my publication journey. Here goes!

First stop: first-round edits.*

As I mentioned Monday, editors approach their work differently. Still, all editors write a letter to send to their author along with the marked-up manuscript. What might an editorial letter include?

• Nicole started my editorial letter by affirming me as a writer. Not a bad thing!  "I love this book! You have done such a wonderful job; at times I felt I was only fiddling with your beautiful narrative, but fiddle I must and have done...This edit is like pruning a prized rose bush: a little there, not too much here." How's that for motivation to do my best work?

• A reminder that edits are not "carved in stone" and that when there are areas that need work, I am to assume I can "revise as [I] see fit".

• A suggestion as to how to approach the work: Read through with all the edits and comments first before getting started.

• A heads up as to what I will find in the edits. If you need to add some scenes (as I do), this will be the place the content is addressed.

•  Questions that aren't yet answered in the text/threads that need to come together. (I've got several things to work on in regard to character motivation).

• Possible new solutions to problems you and your editor have discussed before. (I've got a big portion toward the end of MAY B. that I'll need to re-work. I've been thinking. Nicole's been thinking. She's shared some ideas to help move the story in the direction it needs to go).

• Technicalities you might need to address at a later date. (Mine have to do with "soft" returns and an eventual editing round devoted entirely to small things like articles and conjunctions).

Yesterday, I started brainstorming on revisions for a picture book. I got some editorial feedback in February when I saw the editor in NYC. But it’s been hard to approach this revision because when we talked, I disagreed with much of what the editor said.

Cooling Off Period Helps Me See Editor’s Wisdom

So, I put it aside for a while and when I went back with a more objective look, I could at least understand the editor’s position. That’s a good starting place. So, I opened the file, made a minor change and then saved it with a new title, “MssForThisEditor.” This way, I keep the original story intact and label this version as revised just to address one editor’s concerns.

Then, I attempted to throw away all my preconceived notions of what this story was and where it could and should go. I started jotting ideas, objections, words, imagery, rants against the suggested changes, rants against the rants, and generally preparing myself mentally to revise. I allowed a couple hours for this, then moved to a different task.

This morning, My Subconscious told me that it had been working on the problem overnight and had some ideas. Well. That was a surprise.

Good. My Conscious still likes the original better, but I’ll let ol’ Sub work a while today and see what happens.

Post from: Revision Notes Revise Your Novel! Copyright 2009. Darcy Pattison. All Rights Reserved.

Related posts:

1. Revision Attitude: Cut Short That Pity Party
2. 3 NaNoWriMo Tips to Make Revision Easier
3. Stay Focused on Revision

Good morning--and what a morning it is!  At the Tollbooth, we have strived to be politically neutral, but before we post, I just have to say how excited and humbled and hopeful I am today.  I grew up in a town of racial divide; my hubby comes from Birmingham.  We fell asleep last night IN THE MOMENT.

It's a good day.  For all of us.

And today, if I can connect the dots, we have been charged with the responsibility to discuss what boils down to COMMUNITY.  And it will be fun--Tami Lewis Brown and I have opted to post our thoughts together. 



I will be PURPLE.



Tami will be GREEN.

This is going to be a lot of fun today, because Tami and I share our work. We trust each other to provide helpful feedback—we are there for each other. (Really—sometimes, I wake up thinking about Tami’s novel, instead of mine!) And helping Tami has facilitated my writing. When I read her work, I see what I need to do in my own. (Funny how that is.) And also—just for the record—it is totally cool being read—and even better when a good reader (like Tami) can somehow show me what I am doing well…and of course, what I am missing.

I love reading Sarah’s work and honestly I do carry her stories in a little corner of my brain all the time. In fact, just this weekend I saw these-

Sarah’s work in progress features a sassy character who wears pink soccer cleats- and I had to pull out my camera to take a picture.

I LOVE those shoes! (You know how I feel about shoes…) 

Anyway, let’s get to business. Today, like all the toll bothers, we will focus on critiques and editorial letters, which for me—and I hope you—comes down to a few interesting points:

• How to take criticism and use it productively.

• How do you give a critique that others can use?

• And, of course, the big one….what is an editorial letter like OR what is the difference (besides power and money) between a critique and an editorial letter?

. 

Let’s deal with the whole critique mystique first.

So, Tami, how do you approach getting critiqued?

My critique process has evolved pretty dramatically over the last five years. When I started writing fiction I took a workshop at a local writing center and joined a critique group from that class. I love those women but slowly over the years we’ve become more of a social network than a critique group. At Vermont College, workshops taught me to pinpoint things that worked and didn’t work in other people’s manuscripts. I always get as much or more out of critiquing others as I get from critiques of my own work because it’s easier to see your own errors when they are mirrored in someone else’s manuscript (it’s really true). Over time I was invited to join lots of critique groups and at one point attended regular meetings with three groups. A little over a year ago I had a heart to heart talk with one of the best mentors I’ve ever had- Carolyn Coman. We talked about the danger of being a critique group junky- relying on the opinions of others and failing to trust yourself. It sounds a little goofy now, but I made a promise to stay away from critique groups for a year to work on hearing my own critical voice. I was ready to take that step- I’d developed strong analytical skills and I was working with an editor to refine a polished manuscript.

I completely agree. And I have to admit: I used to need a lot more feedback along the way. Then I noticed that I was relying too much on that feedback and that was leading me to think too much about product—instead of process—long before I should have been.

And Carolyn is amazing. She has given me a lot of great advice, too.

But leaving the critique group format doesn’t mean I have forsaken the opinions of others. As Sarah says, we exchange chapters and discuss our works in progress on a regular basis. Practically every member of the Tollbooth has read my current work in progress at some point as I’ve run toward the submission finish line (which is really more of a starting post but that’s a whole other topic.) These are individuals who understand where I’m coming from with my work in general and this novel in particular. Their input has been invaluable. But I’ve also learned to listen to my own inner critique. So now I am ready to work with an editor to shape the manuscript into the best book it can be.

Did that answer your question?

Yes, it did. And I am confident that you will much more to say about that AMAZING novel very, very soon! Do you do anything in particular to prepare for a critique? Do you get anxious?

With excitement and a bit of nervousness. Frankly, I love “being read” even when a story is in the raw stages. I love to talk about my work with others. I know everyone doesn’t feel that way and that’s fine. But I guess I’m an exhibitionist or something.

Or something…

Haha. It’s not that I think my early drafts are fantastic or anything… I just love “showing my stuff”. I’m still a critique junky at heart, I guess. And even though I feel clear that “this is my own book” I don’t have any reservations about receiving other’s opinions. I’m grateful, even if I chose not to use a particular suggestion.

What about you, Sarah?

For me, I need to hear about the positives. And I have to tell you, when I first started writing, this was (sadly) not true! I remember, at my first VC workshop, I sat and waited for the big pregnant pause, when it was clear that there were no other nice things to say…and then get to the real stuff.

The stuff I needed to do.

The thing is: those strengths WERE the real stuff, and I am so glad I forced myself to listen. It’s good to hear what is working…then you can do more of that. Of course, you have to really honor your trusted friends, who can tell you what’s not working. That is never easy. But I love where your questions took my character and novel. Your critique really opened my eyes to things I had set up…but somehow, left hanging.

I know, when I’m being critiqued, there is always ONE question I don’t want to hear…because I know it means doing a lot of work….but a good critiquer always finds those questions. And when they are asked, you really must go back in and work.

That’s why, before the critiques come in, I recommend the glass of wine.

I also write everything down. Because I hear differently than I read.

Sarah, everything goes better with a glass of wine… you know that!

Seriously, as I’ve become a more experienced writer (and more experienced at receiving constructive criticism) I’ve narrowed my field of “trusted advisors” considerably. I don’t usually need someone to point out the obvious these days (at least I hope I don’t) so knowing where my critiquer is coming from and that she or he understands my vision is very important. My editor (who is my ultimate critiquer, I guess) spends a tremendous amount of time and energy understanding what I’m trying to achieve, putting herself in that frame of mind, and giving me what I need to get the job done… not just asking for more physical description here and there or dwelling on details (well, yeah, we do eventually get to the details, too.)

Speaking of “trusted advisors”, okay I said I don’t do critique groups anymore… and maybe that was a lie. Sarah and I took an online workshop this summer and fall that we LOVED. Each week we posted 2000 new words of manuscript and everyone in the workshop had the opportunity to critique it online. I got great fresh feedback, similar to the response an actual reader might give. But for me the great part of the workshop was that 2000 fairly polished words a week deadline. I finished a novel, got a big chunk of a new one started and wrote a picture book…a pretty amazing level of production for a slow writer like me.

 
I agree. The deadline really helped. I also thought everyone was amazingly brave. It was a little scary, at first, reading the manuscripts of people we didn’t know. And seriously, you have to be REALLY careful how to address someone on EMAIL. You have to be clear and concise and make sure, if you are joking, that everyone knows it. But I thought it was amazing hearing what NEW readers thought of my novel. They read it without knowing anything about me or my process, and as they commented, I learned a lot.

Last,

Let’s talk about that glorious first editorial letter.

My editor is Melanie Kroupa. Working with Melanie is a joy for many reasons, but number one for me (and this was sort of a revelation while we were working on my first book, although well, duh!) is that once she acquires a manuscript it’s not just mine it’s hers, too. The final decisions on what and how to write are mine, and she’s very respectful of that, but she’s fully invested and it’s a completely collaborative experience. This means we explore back story and character together, with her questions revealing story truths I never would have found on my own.

We started working on my new novel, One Shiny Silver Key, this summer, with emails, phone conversations and even a long productive face to face meeting. We’re just beginning the hardcore revisions now, and I’m looking forward to that part. Looking forward is really the operative phrase because I’m excited about moving ahead and digging in with her experienced eye to guide me. But yes, of course, I’m a little nervous, too. Nervous is good. I call it The Joy Of Stress.

For me, this was such a productive, positive experience.

Working with Deborah Brodie was painfree. Every step of the way, she reminded me how much she loved the protagonist of Head Case, and that each stage would make the book better. (And I believed her.) It was great to work with someone you totally trust.

Each time she wrote or called, we would always talk first. We were always relaxed and open. Sometimes, if she had a big thing to say, she would also tell me to sit down. I always thought that was funny—but once, it was good advice. Toward the end of the process, she asked me to consider eliminating a character. Note: she did not demand it…but even if she had, I was going to go for it. And thinking back, this elimination—and her thoughts and conversation—led to my very favorite scene. 

I really don’t know anyone who looks back at an editorial letter without appreciation. What a wonderful process it is…to sit down with an editor and discuss the life of your character. An editor helps bring the manuscript to life. An editor finds the strengths and issues as a reader and a supporter. When I critique a manuscript, I try to keep that in mind…to see the possibilities…and to help the writer get the most out of the story.

Which, of course, is the goal!

Happy writing!

It could be:

- Protecting the brand: how an author branched out and changed her name
- Clementine's "mother" turns to adult fiction
- How come some people can do everything right?

Anyway, Sara Pennypacker, who wrote the Stuart series for kids, as well as the very-well recieved Clementine series, now has an adult book out under the name Sara Young. PW gave it a starred review and called it a “stunning adult debut.” My Enemy’s Cradle is about a young half-Jew forced to hide in a German Lebensborn - the Nazi homes established for giving birth to Aryan children - where she witnesses untold horrors.

If you do write something completely different, I think you need to change your name. (And of course some folks change their names to try to escape the tyranny of the bookstore computers, which figure if you sold eight copies of your last book, maybe they should only order six of the new one.)

If I ever branch out to something besides mysteries and thrillers, I could be April Patten or April Meeker or April Satterwhite. Or I could follow that joke about your porn star name, where you combine the name of your first pet with the name of the street you grew up on, and be Frisky Terrace.





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