…so how can you possibly trust their knowledge, experience?
How do you react to the following sentence: Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach? (Attributed to George Bernard Shaw)
Reads a little down-putting, doesn’t it? Bit of an insult. Hmm, don’t you need to know how to do something in order to teach it? Because you can, doesn’t mean you do it well.
It all sounds defensive and argumentative, doesn’t.
Not at all helpful or useful.
While some have self-published without the aid of editors, cover artists, publishing homes, or anyone’s help there are risks and drawbacks. I’m not going to take sides on these choices or spend time discussing their strengths and weaknesses…not at this moment.
I’m an editor. I started twenty odd years ago as a volunteer…then paid…proof-reader turned copy editor, all before I had one publishing credit. Then I was contracted as a content editor with MuseItUp with only one…non-paying…flash fiction credit. Since then they’ve published a short story I had submitted…trust me, the submission readers pulled me apart before I was ever contracted.
I’m still writing…and published, if you knew the name.
And, I’ve been a reviewer for close to thirty years.
I’m an editor and I know what I’m talking about. Am I one to argue grammar…no. I did enough of that in high school. Those rules change and enough people argue over which rule book to follow and dang they get vicious. No, none of it is written in stone.
I’m a reader. Before editing, I used to read five to ten books a week.
That is my experience.
I know what works.
I know what’s overdone…under done. Confusing in its ramble or missed points.
I’ll listen to your explanations and reasons and whys and I’ll remain quiet because I know when to push and when to back off.
I’m a step away from your piece; therefore more critical. More questioning.
I’ll take on your anger, disagreements, and shouts of differing opinions from everyone agreeing with you, and even… yes, this one will get me into trouble…your ego. And, I’ll give back to you that this is your story, your voice, and I’m here to nitpick. To pick apart everything, but only to you, not a reviewer or reader telling everyone else about any goofs or how they would have written it.
It is my name as well that will be linked to anything remarked about your book…the negative bits that is. And I’ll stand by your choices…our choices. I’ll stand by the bits we agreed on and the bits we didn’t.
Because I’m your editor.
Can you handle that…or are you still more concerned about what I and my editor have or have not published?