8) Editing and Revisions

Hello all,

I'm sitting here in the local coffee shop, going over a revision of my story I just received back from the editing service I purchased. I had slipped up though, and accidentally sent the first draft of my story in for the second round of editing... in effect getting two different editors opinions on my first draft, instead of getting a second more refining edit off the first submission.

Now, at first I was pretty mad with myself, "how could I be so stupid and send in the wrong file?". In reality it probably is a very common mistake. Unfortunately for me, I couldn't get a second shot at sending in the intended file without having to pay for another round of editing. But, on the bright side, I can now see what the two editors spotted, or didn't spot. If both of them pointed out an issue, then it's probably something that needs to be fixed. If only one person pointed something out, then maybe it's not that big of a deal.

The point is, for you, when you undergo your editing and revisions, you will no doubt hear many opinions from all of the different alpha/beta readers you utilize. Pay attention to what gets pointed out the most, and fix it, if it needs to be fixed. The key thing to remember is that what you are writing is your story. Don't let your editors hijack your work, if they don't like something one character did, it isn't your job to change the story to please them.

For example, my first editor didn't understand why one of the characters in my short story did a certain action. The second editor, never even left a comment or question on the incident. Some people will get what you say, others wont. Remember you can never please everyone all the time, and it will look worse if you try to bow to everyone's wishes. Not to mention, you will probably feel bad about not staying true to your story.

Get the best editing you can, polish your work as much as you can, and don't rush. Rushing opens you up to mistake, and mistakes can -no, will- make you look like an amateur, especially if you are self publishing through Kindle or another eBook outlet.

So, in closing, to reiterate what I said above - write for yourself, and that special someone. Editors are people, all with their own opinions, some people will like the way you say things, others wont. Your job is to stay true to your story, your characters, and your convictions. Do that.

Now go forth, and forge your story!

-Matt

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