One of the great joys of writing at a professional level (however you define that) is getting to work with a talented editor. I’ve been particularly blessed in that regard.
This is a short multiverse story, featuring Dr. Maximilian Tundra, as he deals with an outbreak of the bozo virus in three different universes. The story was edited by Ira Nayman, who also conceived of the whole anthology. He’s been on the Re-Creative podcast, and much more famously, he was the talented editor of Amazing Stories. Overall, I’d describe it as a pretty light edit. (I’ll explain why later.) But he did suggest a great innovation in the story.
There was some concern that readers may have trouble discerning the different universes – the story shows how Dr. Tundra’s choices alter the outcome of events. In each universe, Max has a slightly different version of his ‘peyote milkshake’ for breakfast, so Ira suggested that we use flavor differences: chocolate, strawberry and vanilla, as the headings for each universe. Genius!
My first novel: The Amadeus Net
During the editing of The Amadeus Net, I learned how intense the process can get. I worked through the line edit with Olga Gardner Galvin, the talented editor and publisher of ENC Press. Rather, I should say that Olga worked with me. Her experience with large publishing houses in New York, her sharp wit, and her wide-ranging intelligence all informed her process.
Structural edit
The structural edit went fairly easily, as I recall. (This was twenty-one years ago.) That’s the stage of the edit where you look at the story and pacing. You may examine character development, themes, and all the big picture stuff. I like to think I was far enough along with The Amadeus Net that this gelled. (I had been writing it for nine years, on and off, so that’s why.)
Line edit
The downside of those nine years was the start-and-stop nature of my writing. And that’s why I needed the most help on the line edit. It’s the stage when you look at each sentence. You want the tone and style to be consistent. You want it to elevate the story. It’s about the style of the prose, as much as anything. And because I’d been noodling away for so long, it was inconsistent, both in quality of the writing and in tone.
Olga walked me through it. Some days, I’d end our call wondering if I was a real writer at all, if the manuscript needed so much work. I may have even shed a manly tear or two. Some days, I felt like Al Brooks in Defending Your Life. (I was lunch.)
But my writing was much improved for the process!
Each edit IS a chance to learn more about writing
I’ve worked with more than a dozen short story editors over the years, Wayne Groen (the editor of my second novel) Marvellous Hairy, and Cal Chayce. Cal is a long-suffering freelance editor.
Right now, I’m working through the edits of The Gates of Polished Horn, with Joe Mahoney at Donovan Street Press. This is a real joy. His mission was “to leave no stone unturned” and he’s delivered on that promise. The collection is going to be so much better for his attentions! I’ll let you know when we have a publication date.
Copy editing and proofreading
The completist in me realizes I’ve left out two important stages of the editing process. The copy edit, which looks at issues of spelling, grammar and punctuation. (I also see it as a last chance to catch any continuity issues.) And once all of that is done, proofreading. That should take place after the formatting is ready, so you have a chance to catch any errors that crept in during that process. I want to give a shout out to Pauline Nolet, who you can find here, for all her help over the years.
Well, I guess this has turned into some kind of gigantic acknowledgments essay. Spot the writing that hasn’t had the attentions of a talented editor!
Get a free ebook!
If you’d like to check out one of my previous novels, before you buy, I’m happy to just give you one. Not only that, you can choose between Marvellous Hairy and The Fridgularity. (They’re both great in their ownways.) Just join my newsletter to get started!
All hail the talented editor!
One of the great joys of writing at a professional level (however you define that) is getting to work with a talented editor. I’ve been particularly blessed in that regard.
The newest thing I have available, which you can buy right now, is a short story in The Dance: An Anthology of Speculative Fiction.
A Milkshake Apocalypse
This is a short multiverse story, featuring Dr. Maximilian Tundra, as he deals with an outbreak of the bozo virus in three different universes. The story was edited by Ira Nayman, who also conceived of the whole anthology. He’s been on the Re-Creative podcast, and much more famously, he was the talented editor of Amazing Stories. Overall, I’d describe it as a pretty light edit. (I’ll explain why later.) But he did suggest a great innovation in the story.
There was some concern that readers may have trouble discerning the different universes – the story shows how Dr. Tundra’s choices alter the outcome of events. In each universe, Max has a slightly different version of his ‘peyote milkshake’ for breakfast, so Ira suggested that we use flavor differences: chocolate, strawberry and vanilla, as the headings for each universe. Genius!
My first novel: The Amadeus Net
During the editing of The Amadeus Net, I learned how intense the process can get. I worked through the line edit with Olga Gardner Galvin, the talented editor and publisher of ENC Press. Rather, I should say that Olga worked with me. Her experience with large publishing houses in New York, her sharp wit, and her wide-ranging intelligence all informed her process.
Structural edit
The structural edit went fairly easily, as I recall. (This was twenty-one years ago.) That’s the stage of the edit where you look at the story and pacing. You may examine character development, themes, and all the big picture stuff. I like to think I was far enough along with The Amadeus Net that this gelled. (I had been writing it for nine years, on and off, so that’s why.)
Line edit
The downside of those nine years was the start-and-stop nature of my writing. And that’s why I needed the most help on the line edit. It’s the stage when you look at each sentence. You want the tone and style to be consistent. You want it to elevate the story. It’s about the style of the prose, as much as anything. And because I’d been noodling away for so long, it was inconsistent, both in quality of the writing and in tone.
Olga walked me through it. Some days, I’d end our call wondering if I was a real writer at all, if the manuscript needed so much work. I may have even shed a manly tear or two. Some days, I felt like Al Brooks in Defending Your Life. (I was lunch.)
But my writing was much improved for the process!
Each edit IS a chance to learn more about writing
I’ve worked with more than a dozen short story editors over the years, Wayne Groen (the editor of my second novel) Marvellous Hairy, and Cal Chayce. Cal is a long-suffering freelance editor.
Yes, I’m the cause of his suffering.
Over the years we’ve worked on some award-winning novels: The Fridgularity, The Fatness, and Alpha Max. He’s my go-to guy for helping me sharpen query letters and short fiction. (This is why I think the edit on “A Milkshake Apocalypse” was pretty light.) You can find him here on LinkedIn if you need an editor of any kind – fiction or non-fiction.
Right now, I’m working through the edits of The Gates of Polished Horn, with Joe Mahoney at Donovan Street Press. This is a real joy. His mission was “to leave no stone unturned” and he’s delivered on that promise. The collection is going to be so much better for his attentions! I’ll let you know when we have a publication date.
Copy editing and proofreading
The completist in me realizes I’ve left out two important stages of the editing process. The copy edit, which looks at issues of spelling, grammar and punctuation. (I also see it as a last chance to catch any continuity issues.) And once all of that is done, proofreading. That should take place after the formatting is ready, so you have a chance to catch any errors that crept in during that process. I want to give a shout out to Pauline Nolet, who you can find here, for all her help over the years.
Well, I guess this has turned into some kind of gigantic acknowledgments essay. Spot the writing that hasn’t had the attentions of a talented editor!
Get a free ebook!
If you’d like to check out one of my previous novels, before you buy, I’m happy to just give you one. Not only that, you can choose between Marvellous Hairy and The Fridgularity. (They’re both great in their own ways.) Just join my newsletter to get started!
Categories:Commentary Writing