What to Do When You Disagree With Your Editor

Plus some general tips about how to work with your editor

Writing your book is such a personal, individual endeavor. But your entire goal is for other people to read it. Other than your beta readers (if you have them!), your editor might be the first person to read your book. That alone can be anxiety-inducing. But then they want to make changes to this creation you’ve built with your blood, sweat, and tears. Yikes!

Editing can feel scary and intimidating sometimes. But the entire goal is to create a book that is the best it can possibly be, so all the feedback and suggestions you’re going to get are given with that end in mind.

Get Into the Right Mindset

In my experience, writers approach the editing process with one of two mindsets. Either they are intimidated and sure the editor is going to think it’s all terrible, or they believe their book is already perfect and absolutely are certain that nothing needs to be changed. [I find the former to be more common than the latter, but I’ve definitely encountered both.]

Neither of these mindsets is helpful.

The best way to approach editing is with a curious and open mind, but also with a level of self-confidence that you actually know what you’re talking about in the book.

Before you meet with your developmental editor or open their edited files, I recommend taking a moment to sit quietly with your eyes closed. Tell yourself the following:

• I’m so grateful to have an experienced editor who can help me improve what is already a wonderful book.

• I am curious and open-minded about all of their suggestions.

• They are here to help me, not criticize me.

• I’m willing to make changes that will help make the book better.

• I believe in myself and my book. I am open to making it even better.

The Editor Is a Stand-In for Your Reader

Your editor is reading your book with fresh eyes, just like your readers will. If the editor has questions, doesn’t understand something, dislikes something, or is having difficulty navigating something, it’s likely that your reader is going to have the same problem.

Your editor is your early warning system on all of this.

And to be clear, often these kinds of things are items that you know or think in your head, but just didn’t completely translate onto the paper. This is a really common thing that writers do. They skip steps, stages, or explanations because they’ve already thought it all through, and it makes perfect sense to them. Sometimes bits and pieces of that are missing from the book. And the editor will call your attention to them.

It’s worth taking the time to think through the question and what your text says so that you can eliminate that gap.

Trust that your editor is giving you an honest look at the kinds of things that will confuse or confound readers and use that to fill in the gaps.

Understand Tone

It can be really hard to convey tone in print. Think about how easy it is to misconstrue a text or an email. Your editor is writing comments to you in a tiny little comment box inside your document. Anything they squeeze into that box can be misconstrued. It can be easy to read a comment or question as negative or accusatory when it wasn’t intended with that inflection at all.

Sometimes, as a writer, you might infuse something an editor is saying with an emotion or tone that comes from your own doubts or fears about your work and wasn’t intended at all.

Try to allow yourself to place the best spin possible on every comment or question. And if you still are concerned, reach out to your editor and ask them to talk it through with you.

Come to the process assuming that your editor respects you, likes your book, and is just there to help you make some small changes so it can be even better.

Big, Scary Changes

Sometimes an editor will suggest something big and scary, such as moving some chapters around, cutting a character, changing a plot line, adding new material, explaining things in a completely different way, or changing your title.

These can feel really painful when they are first suggested, so I urge you to take a beat and possibly come back to it another day. Let your brain percolate on it. Don’t rush to judgment and immediately think NO.

Oftentimes, once you get past that initial terror of “omg no that’s not the way I am doing it,” you might see that there is some merit in what’s being suggested.

That doesn’t mean you have to accept it exactly the way the editor wants to change it. Good developmental editing should be a collaborative process. Two minds are better than one. Talk it through with your editor. Explain any concerns. Ask questions. Propose other solutions. This isn’t like getting an exam back where your answer is either right or wrong. It’s something you’re working on together.

What to Do When You Completely Disagree

There may be times when your editor wants to change something, and you just don’t agree. Ultimately, it’s your name on the book, and it’s your vision or expertise. You have the right to make sure the book is one that meets your blueprint. So if you absolutely disagree, it’s ok to tell them that and to leave out their edit.

If you’re hiring the editor yourself, there’s no exception to this. You have complete control over the final output.

However, if your book is being traditionally published, there are some rare exceptions. The publisher is financially invested in the book, and their name is on it too. They have legal liability and have to protect themselves if they feel the book includes libel or material that is misleading or incorrect, particularly for things like legal and medical information. So it’s possible that there may be things you’ll have to give into if you want your book to be published by that publisher (you absolutely have the option to pack up your toys and go home and find another publisher or self-publish if you want).

In My World

I’m in the middle of a second edit of a very long holistic health book, so I’m head down at the computer.

I recently accepted a free one-month LinkedIn premium upgrade and I’m going to watch a few webinars to figure out how to maximize it. I welcome tips!

We spent the weekend helping my mom get her lake house ready for the season. It was also the first swim of the year for our two golden retrievers. Lance, in the life jacket, takes this seriously and “fishes” by retrieving a bobber my husband throws out on a line.

Obsessed With…

I watched the season finale of Call the Midwife and am just relieved it has two more seasons and a movie coming. This show is such a dopamine boost. But could they please address the fact that Trixie’s brother is gay?

I’m in between books, having given up on one and am about to start another.

Good Goods

I’m about to press “buy” on a new pair of Brooks sneakers. They’re so expensive and not exactly super cute, but they are the most comfortable shoe for around the house and for exercise for my ridiculously hard-to-find 9.5 WW size.

I just got more of these Fresh Wave oder removing gels. I’ve now got it on autoship. I put one next to the litter box and one behind the kitchen garbage can. They have no scent and they eliminate odors. You don’t even know they are there. Life saver!

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