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lauraanne_gilmanThe true goal of an editorial letter isn't to say what's wrong and how to fix it. It's to poke and prod at areas that seem weak, and force the author to come up with the fixes.
example:
Editor: "Joe Biden has the potential to be an awesome character, but I don't feel like he lives up to it as of now."
Author: "Huh. I don't really have anything else for him to do. But I could expand the scene he's in there, to show XYZ. And, huh, yeah, I could add a scene here that shows ABC, which would explain better what he does XYZ and sets up something he'll do during the second term... yeah. Oh, oooo, that would work nicely."
An editorial letter that pokes and prods leaves you feeling bruised... but the overall fitness of the book is much improved for it. :-)
[of course, even the best editorial letter still has bits that leave the author going "um, NO. Did you totally miss the point? Argh." Sometimes that means you didn't establish the point well enough. Sometimes it means La Editor missed the point. ;-)]
warning: if people respond, I may continue my real-time thoughts and gripes on the revision process. So think carefully before you hit 'reply"!
example:
Editor: "Joe Biden has the potential to be an awesome character, but I don't feel like he lives up to it as of now."
Author: "Huh. I don't really have anything else for him to do. But I could expand the scene he's in there, to show XYZ. And, huh, yeah, I could add a scene here that shows ABC, which would explain better what he does XYZ and sets up something he'll do during the second term... yeah. Oh, oooo, that would work nicely."
An editorial letter that pokes and prods leaves you feeling bruised... but the overall fitness of the book is much improved for it. :-)
[of course, even the best editorial letter still has bits that leave the author going "um, NO. Did you totally miss the point? Argh." Sometimes that means you didn't establish the point well enough. Sometimes it means La Editor missed the point. ;-)]
warning: if people respond, I may continue my real-time thoughts and gripes on the revision process. So think carefully before you hit 'reply"!
