When The Editor is Wrong...

GASP!

Photo courtesy of Samer Daboul, Pexels Inc.

I know what you're thinking: Don't say that! They'll hear! You'll never get a book published again! They're always right!

No, they breathe and bleed and bumble like the rest of us. Really.

In Sirenz, my former co-author had written a scene where our characters go to Century 21 (retail store, not real estate firm). The editor looked down her nose and informed us there was no such store at the location we gave. From the way the critique was going, it was clear the editor was nitpicking our novel to a swift editorial graveyard. My co-author looked her in the face and said, "Sure there is." And she gave the address.

Not only did the editor turn slightly red and argue we needed to do research on real places, she ignored the fact that my co-author gave a real address. That editor wasn't going to offer us a contract or an R&R (revise and resubmit), but she belittled us too. (Spoiler: our book got pubbed, along with a sequel by someone else).

I'd been subbing my World War II historical fiction, The Elephant Gates, which is set at the Berlin Zoo. The main character, Tomas, is 13-years-old. When he addresses his parents, it's always "Mama" and "Papa". The editor said that made him too young, that I should use Mother and Father or Mom and Dad.

*Clears throat.

No.

My ancestors on both sides are German (my father's side has some Swedish). I've grown up with German culture more than said editor. My grandparents on my mom's side (100% German), used 'mama' and 'papa.' Those great grandparents left Germany right after World War I, so their language was appropriate for the era of my story. But, due diligence! I checked my my friend who translates German to English. Her husband was from Germany. She studied there, and still visits her husband's family. She and her children speak German. I asked her several questions not only about the language that would be used, and other cultural factors. She was a primary source. She told me I was correct in my usage. I mentioned this to the editor.

Said editor still argued with me, and proceeded to tell me I needed to do 'proper' and 'deeper' research. The critique of my manuscript made me feel like I was a junior high school kid who'd written an essay and Stephen Hawking was pointing out how I'd messed up basic science- it was that brutal. Hey, I know I have to take criticism, but I'm going to ignore it when the editor is factually wrong. Plus, the quotes on writing and research by other authors was a nice turn of the blade in my back. I keep the critique to remind me that 1- editors aren't always right, and 2- with the tone of the critique, that sometimes editors just don't like you or your story.  It's the human condition; some people like you, others don't, and that works both ways; you're not going to love everyone. And 3- she isn't the only editor out there.

Not only beginning authors but veterans too need to keep in mind there is always another editor- one who understands your manuscript, loves it, and will listen as you explain why you wrote a particular scene, character, or dialog the way you did. Of course there's always room for improvement and that's what we authors have to keep in mind, but one editor's or even 10 editors' opinions aren't all there is. I follow prolific author Jane Yolen on Facebook and almost weekly she writes about the rejections she's gotten; so many awards, so many published books, on the SCBWI executive board, who would turn her down?? And, we've all heard the story of how many rejections Dr Suess got (sorry bud, but I'm way past that benchmark!). And yes, rejection hurts, but just like ice skaters, NFL refs, and actors, our work is subject to the opinions of others. That's the biz.

Hang in there. I am, because I know my agent will find the right editor for this work.

Char

Accept It, Use It, Work With It.

I'm not an angsty person. In high school, I didn't pine over a crush who didn't return my admiration, I didn't wail that I didn't get invited to the cool kids' parties, and I didn't sob when I didn't go to my prom. I don't do emotional slobber.

Maybe it's my industrious, stern German background. We didn't have all that much drama in our family; we tended to keep it to ourselves or behind closed doors. And it goes without saying that I don't like woeful, angsty books. Weepy females tick me off.

So when my agent says I need more emotion in a scene, I know she's right. I don't even argue, I revisit the scene and figure out where my cold-hearted writing needs to be humanized. Sometimes that's hard to do. This difficulty with emotion is a blessing when I'm asked to write a eulogy. I can write passionately about a passed loved one and smile through the recitation while everyone else cries deathinconsolably.

To make my scenes more heartfelt, I have to draw on personal experience, allow those repressed feelings to bubble up, and channel them into my writing. Recently, I lost my beloved Aunt Kay, my mother's sister who was in many ways, a second mother to me. With her sickness, hospitalization and then death, I was with the family, helping to support my cousins and uncle. For the most part, I stayed strong- because they needed me. But even now, almost a month later, I find it hard to 'let it go' and cry over my broken heart.

But thinking about her loss helped me feel a scene from my middle grade historical novel where a young boy loses a friend. It's during World War II, and the friend is a soldier in Hitler's army. Like with my aunt's illness, death and loss were hovering in the background, waiting for their opportunity.

I didn't add a lot of drama with the revision; my character, a 13-year-old boy named Tomas, of a sturdy Germanic family, isn't going to scream or pull his hair, or faint. He's going to be strong, like his parents and like the little soldier the Third Reich expects him to be.

But he can't. He throws himself into his mother's arms and cries, his whole body shaking.

That's it. That's the end of the chapter and that scene. For a boy trying to be stalwart during oppressive times, completely breaking down like that is expressing his grief.

Eventually, characters and people have to let loose, no matter how hard it is.

Char 
Clip art courtesy of Microsoft/Bing

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