Edits, Editing, & Editors - Tuesday Twaddle with Leigh

I'm in the throes of editing the second book in The Carrier series.  I have to admit, I'd forgotten how painful the first flush of editing can be - seeing all those scribbles covering your beloved manuscript, lines drawn through some of your favorite lines, deleted with a simple strike of a pen.  I've been here before, so I know the pain is short lived.  As soon as you actually get beyond the haze of offending scribbles you realise that the changes work and your manuscript is the better for them. 

I enjoy the editing process.  The stage I'm at now is with my agent, just getting my manuscript prepped for my editor in the hopes of impressing her enough to want it.  It's critical I get it right, and if I do, I'll be starting all over again with her edits and suggestions, complete with smiley faces and winks. If I don't, I'll have to sign up for an origami class to deal with all the wasted paper.

It really amazes me every time, but editors are critical to a good story.  We as writers get so wrapped up in the world we are describing and the characters that we love, or love to hate, that we can lose our critical eye, you know, the one we reserve for our critique partners and beta reads.  The fresh eye of an editor with their finger on the YA pulse is essential for making your story a page turner that sells.

Erica Sussman

On Wednesday 8th of June, I'm doing a live chat on inkpop, Harperteen's website for aspiring authors.  I'll be joined by my editor, Erica Sussman, editor to New York Times bestselling titles like Paranormalcy, by Kiersten White, The Wings Series, by Aprilynne Pike and The Warriors Series, by Erin Hunter.  We will be doing the live chat for one hour.  If you have any questions about the editing process, or what a top editor in a major publishing house is looking for, well here's your chance.  Make time in your calendar for this amazing opportunity.

If you're not going to be around for the live chat, you can always post your question on the chat forum and we'll see that your question is answered.  Check out the forum here.

Good luck with your editing guys, and hopefully we'll talk on Wednesday.

Now, back to my editing.