tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post8585808386085347288..comments2024-03-28T10:41:26.999-06:00Comments on Blood-Red Pencil: A Spoonful of SugarDanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-90522816657822147052011-12-28T21:22:57.267-07:002011-12-28T21:22:57.267-07:00A spoonful of sugar? Critique thusly: first, prai...A spoonful of sugar? Critique thusly: first, praise; then, pan; then, offer suggestions.<br /><br />A critique should be offered honestly, based only on the merits, or lack of them, found in the work. If you're judging a Star Trek series, do so on its own merits. Leave the other series out of it.<br /><br />Authors, take a critique for what it is: potentially helpful. Listen. That means, don't talk, don't defend and don't explain. When it's done, say "Thank you" and consider it. <br /><br />This also means you must get over yourself. None of us is perfect and can always afford a bit more learning.Phoenixhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06321573725442513288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-56745070736427929922011-12-28T16:43:51.298-07:002011-12-28T16:43:51.298-07:00I so get this! As an editor and proofreader, I'...I so get this! As an editor and proofreader, I've had many manuscripts, short stories, and blog posts come my way. The writer thought his/her writing just peachy and wonderful. And after I've sent my critique I get a blah, "Thank you for reading my MS," or no response at all. The no-response-at-all I relate to hurt feelings. I've shared this blog post all over the place.Karen S. Elliotthttp://www.karenselliott.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-75001177663353810012011-12-28T16:41:35.242-07:002011-12-28T16:41:35.242-07:00This particular edit was required by the publisher...This particular edit was required by the publisher, and I did the editing for that publisher at the time. The writer was resistant, the publisher was insistent, and the atmosphere was tense to say the least. To complicate matters, I had no direct access to the writer, so all she could see were my changes. I wish, Dani, that I could have had the opportunity to deal with her directly. A lot of tension would likely have gone away if we could have talked.Linda Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06686488133905538811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-15309993122770262252011-12-28T13:05:57.236-07:002011-12-28T13:05:57.236-07:00Two comments:
1) You can change a whole lot of wo...Two comments:<br /><br />1) You can change a whole lot of words before losing the literary thumbprint of the author<br /><br />2) Another thing we allow our children: an education, so they can grow up to be the best they can be! In fact, all good parents encourage this.Kathryn Crafthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08371458857187160425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-48755727467238746172011-12-28T09:14:21.531-07:002011-12-28T09:14:21.531-07:00A good editor always approaches these situations a...A good editor always approaches these situations and authors with a double dose of positive attitude. Otherwise the editing job might not be that great either. Keep in mind that the author probably did NOT think her manuscript was perfect - otherwise, why send it out for editing? I'm guessing there was more going on at different levels than was evident. Sometimes an editor has to be a bit of a therapist, too, I guess. I've learned over time that I have to communicate my points in different ways - sometimes I can kill the darlings, other times it takes a gentler hand.Danihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-28045986724648572992011-12-27T17:29:08.937-07:002011-12-27T17:29:08.937-07:00Ouch! I do feel the pain of the writer you edited...Ouch! I do feel the pain of the writer you edited for. My works are my babies too. However, I feel I am more open to critique than she sounded. I once edited such a poorly written manuscript that unfortunately, with what I considered improvements became more my words than hers. Now I understand that a writer and editor must be clear on what type and how much editing they want done. Do you want spelling corrections or more... It's a wide open field. Very insightful article from an editor's perspective. Thank you very much!cd suttonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03364547677526631825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-18221503137394092222011-12-27T14:13:49.992-07:002011-12-27T14:13:49.992-07:00It sounds as if this author wanted affirmation tha...It sounds as if this author wanted affirmation that her book was perfect, not an edit. More than likely, her book will not get published or she will eventually have to work with an editor to get it picked up by a publisher or to sell it as an independently published e-book. On the other hand, this may be her first book. It sometimes takes us writing several books to realize that our first (and 2nd and 3rd, etc.) are not perfect.Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-64794051828623314322011-12-27T06:30:19.472-07:002011-12-27T06:30:19.472-07:00If a phrase or a passage or a scene that we love n...If a phrase or a passage or a scene that we love needs to be cut, it helps to know that we can file it away and use it another day. If one thinks nothing should be changed why engage an editor??Yvonne Osbornehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18212188414972694795noreply@blogger.com