By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Not every editor sends editorial letters
along with requests for edits, but my editor for the quilting mysteries
does—and I love them.
along with requests for edits, but my editor for the quilting mysteries
does—and I love them.
The reason she’s
one of my favorites to work with in this business is because of the way she
approaches criticism. She opens her
letters full of praise for the story, and then brings up issues to be
addressed. It’s a pleasure to work with
her. I just received one from my editor
last week, and I’ll share some of the points she brought up in mine.
one of my favorites to work with in this business is because of the way she
approaches criticism. She opens her
letters full of praise for the story, and then brings up issues to be
addressed. It’s a pleasure to work with
her. I just received one from my editor
last week, and I’ll share some of the points she brought up in mine.
Things she mentioned that she liked in
the story (in case you’re editing your own mystery): plot twists, character
growth for minor characters (I tried hard in this particular story to show
different sides of characters…especially the more unlikeable ones), and the
setting. Y’all know I really don’t enjoy
setting (at all!) but this time I tried
to make the setting more fun to write so that I’d do a better job with it…I
released my inner Nancy Drew and wrote in secret passageways, trap doors, and a
spooky attic. I also brought in some
Southern Gothic elements…just because I’m a fan. The Gothic elements also made the setting
more fun to write in.
the story (in case you’re editing your own mystery): plot twists, character
growth for minor characters (I tried hard in this particular story to show
different sides of characters…especially the more unlikeable ones), and the
setting. Y’all know I really don’t enjoy
setting (at all!) but this time I tried
to make the setting more fun to write so that I’d do a better job with it…I
released my inner Nancy Drew and wrote in secret passageways, trap doors, and a
spooky attic. I also brought in some
Southern Gothic elements…just because I’m a fan. The Gothic elements also made the setting
more fun to write in.
Wondering what types of issues come up in
editorial letters? I’m happy to share my
mistakes in case any of you have got the same sorts of issues. Mine seem to come up in the same categories:
editorial letters? I’m happy to share my
mistakes in case any of you have got the same sorts of issues. Mine seem to come up in the same categories:
Making
sure bits of story set-up are present at story wrap-up:
sure bits of story set-up are present at story wrap-up:
This book is an old-fashioned country
house mystery—remote location, ice storm, murderer in the house. You know.
So my set-up involved trees that had broken during the ice storm and
blocked the driveway, making escape down the mountainous driveway
impossible. Somehow, I’d forgotten to
mention those trees at the end of the story and during the rescue, there was no
mention of them. I quickly wrote in the
trees and the necessity of a chainsaw.
house mystery—remote location, ice storm, murderer in the house. You know.
So my set-up involved trees that had broken during the ice storm and
blocked the driveway, making escape down the mountainous driveway
impossible. Somehow, I’d forgotten to
mention those trees at the end of the story and during the rescue, there was no
mention of them. I quickly wrote in the
trees and the necessity of a chainsaw.
Make sure
that other mentions in the story are explained in the wrap-up:
that other mentions in the story are explained in the wrap-up:
Was there really a ghost?
How did a gun get into a character’s
room?
room?
Why wasn’t the house heated?
Character
consistency:
consistency:
I’ve got a character who was a wealthy
and ruthless businesswoman. Why would
her house be in such poor repair/so shabby?
Well, she was a miser and didn’t want to pay for the upkeep. In my head,
I knew this…forgot to share it with the reader.
and ruthless businesswoman. Why would
her house be in such poor repair/so shabby?
Well, she was a miser and didn’t want to pay for the upkeep. In my head,
I knew this…forgot to share it with the reader.
And the
bits that were mentioned in Track Changes on the actual manuscript:
bits that were mentioned in Track Changes on the actual manuscript:
More
detail wanted (what did the van look like, sound like? What type of gun
was the gun?)
detail wanted (what did the van look like, sound like? What type of gun
was the gun?)
Transitions
needed: Needed a bit of text to show a car going into a driveway instead
of suddenly ending up at the house. Needed to add transition to a very abrupt change after a section break.
needed: Needed a bit of text to show a car going into a driveway instead
of suddenly ending up at the house. Needed to add transition to a very abrupt change after a section break.
Correcting
what characters knew: How did the
characters know which bedroom was theirs?
what characters knew: How did the
characters know which bedroom was theirs?
Who is
speaking? A bit of dialogue
confusion.
speaking? A bit of dialogue
confusion.
Continuity:
Peanut butter sandwiches miraculously turned into pasta
Peanut butter sandwiches miraculously turned into pasta
Tension: Drawing out tension in one scene—I was asked
to add a few sentences between the appearance of a pale-faced, frightened
character and her explanation of what she’d seen to make her that way.
to add a few sentences between the appearance of a pale-faced, frightened
character and her explanation of what she’d seen to make her that way.
Echoes:
A couple of accidentally repeated words that meant I needed to rewrite one or
two of the words.
A couple of accidentally repeated words that meant I needed to rewrite one or
two of the words.
Convoluted
logic: A character made an assumption while creating a plan…a leap of
logic that didn’t really make sense. It
was simply a leap I needed the character to make. I wrote in other options and explained why
the character ended up making the plan she did.
logic: A character made an assumption while creating a plan…a leap of
logic that didn’t really make sense. It
was simply a leap I needed the character to make. I wrote in other options and explained why
the character ended up making the plan she did.
A sentence
that was a little too rough for the genre: I toned it down for my cozy
readers, at the editor’s request. I must
have been in a grim mood that day! Read a bit more like noir than cozy.
that was a little too rough for the genre: I toned it down for my cozy
readers, at the editor’s request. I must
have been in a grim mood that day! Read a bit more like noir than cozy.
So those were my edits for the book
coming out in December. Not too bad…able
to work methodically through them and make the changes in a day.
coming out in December. Not too bad…able
to work methodically through them and make the changes in a day.
What kinds of things do you focus on
during your edits? Do you usually need to make similar changes to mine?
during your edits? Do you usually need to make similar changes to mine?
Hi Elizabeth – so interesting to read this (never having had the opportunity to see this side of writing a book) .. peanut butter sandwiches to pasta – well you’d need a ghost for that ..
Thanks – for me such an interesting post .. and as you say your editor provides useful advice .. and now I can see how much value the editor can add …
Cheers Hilary
Elizabeth – In some ways, editors are teachers in that they help the writer develop the craft. Your editor sounds like she does that part of it quite well. She supports you while at the same time encouraging you to work on what you do. You’re fortunate to have her. I have to say too that I’m relieved you turned peanut butter sandwiches into pasta. I don’t feel so bad about my own leaps of time, space, material, etc..
I had to laugh at the peanut butter to pasta–a little magic in the story.
What a GREAT thing to have an editor to give detailed requests for fixes. I am really bad about keeping the details of some things in my mind and not sharing it with the reader. I didn’t know I was so selfish. :)
Usually when I see authors mention editorial letters, they sound super overwhelming and scary. Seeing the kinds of things included in yours makes it seem not so bad! :) I’m sure your talent, professionalism, and experience have a lot to do with that though. :)
Hilary–Exactly! :) Maybe that’s where the ghost came in…. Yes, that was one of those things where I’d realized when I was editing the book that making pasta would have been difficult with no electricity. So I changed it…but I forgot to change the second mention of it. Bleh.
Editors are incredibly helpful! Can’t imagine going to print without them (and having the poor readers sort through that kind of mess.)
Echoes and convoluted logic are two of my main problems. I work hard on those with each manuscript, but they still creep in.
I over-use words in a big way. “Just” seems to be the worst offender.
Sometimes I also forget where a character’s weapons are in a hectic fight scene, or use too-similar descriptions for actions.
One of the trickiest things I had to do with Silent Oath was make Elena, Nathan’s new love interest, sound more foreign since she’s from Italy.
Margot–Yes, this is a huge benefit from having a good editor…learning the craft and learning where we tend to have problems in a manuscript.
Teresa–It was a magical transformation! I’d love to be able to do that at home…peanut butter to pasta in a jiffy. :)
I’m selfish too! Ha!
Momlarky–You know, the scariest thing is just that we don’t know when the letter is coming in and we don’t know how long the edits will take. So that makes it tough…we might have a lot of other stuff going on and need to drop them for the edits. That’s really it. I don’t think I’ve ever spent longer than 3-4 days on edits.
Paul–Oh, goodness, I do a search for “justs” for every manuscript. My stories are rife with them!
Sounding foreign would be tricky!
Carol–They’re easy to miss, I think.
Looks like you have a very nice editor. I guess it’s much of the same that good leaders do; focus on the positive things to build on, and then outline what need to be built.
A touch of Nancy Drew doesn’t hurt. I was mostly a Hardy Boys reader, but I also inherited some Nancy Drew books from my mother, and read them all night with a flash light under the blanket >:)
Cold As Heaven
I could write setting all day long. It’s my favorite part–and Southern Gothic is definitely a fave. I can’t wait until it comes out so I can read it! :)
What an interesting post! I think I’ve received ab editorial letter on my first book Death Drops: A Natural Remedies Mystery and it was very helpful. You do learn from editors and we are always learning as writers.
It sounds like you have a great editor! I just got a new one and so far, so good! I’ll be interested to see her notes but first I have to write book #3! Thanks Elizabeth! Chrystle Fiedler
CA Heaven–Exactly. Good management/leadership has the same qualities in other fields, too.
I read some Hardy Boys, too. :) Same thing with the flashlight!
Martina–Thanks so much!
Chrystle–Editors are so helpful, aren’t they? Hope your new one works out well and good luck with book 3!
A good editor is priceless.
I don’t think most readers would care if the peanut butter sandwiches turned to pasta; even Chandler didn’t always know whodunnit in his books, so it could be less important than we think.
Hey, it could even be a trademark: always have the food transmogrify during scenes in your books. It’d be like James Roday’s pineapple in Psych.
LOVE this peek into your editing process!
Very cool to see how different each editor works. So happy that you have a great relatioship.
I’m fortunate to have a bff (who’s also my beta reader) that’s great about picking all kinds of inconsistencies with story, setting, characters, etc. My dad is my line by line editor as he’s a grammar Nazi. I’m the plot holes fixer. :-)
We make a great team.
Joel–Definitely!
Oh, I’d get a couple of emails. There are a few readers who *love* to look for stuff like that! (They find plenty of it from me, too.)
Ha! Yes, an odd trademark. :) Turn the mistake into something significant…ha!
Julie–Thanks! And thanks for coming by. :)
Elke–Each editor is different, for sure.
Sounds like you’re fixed up really well with betas and proofreaders! That’s great! :)
Thanks for sharing, Elizabeth. It’s very personal and your openness is appreciated. What a wise editor to start with the positives and to be so constructive. Hope you’re well. Fiona
Hi Elizabeth, I really enjoyed this post, and appreciate you sharing it with us. Glad that you have this lady to work with, we can all try to critique the way that she does.
Hope that you have a wonderful time off.
Kathy M.