The Importance of a Good Editor
Editing stuff! Doesn't that sound fun? Plus Lori Rader-Day plays "Kiss, Marry, Kill" and book recs for your TBR.
Honestly? A title like “The Importance of a Good Editor” sounds super boring.
I know, I know. But we needed something less serious after the last newsletter.
That’s true, yes. Go on.
I’ve been thinking about the editors I’ve worked with, and how grateful I am to them. And since quite a few aspiring writers read this newsletter, it’s a good idea to offer some insight into what makes a valuable editing partner.
Ha ha. Okay, sure.
What?
Isn’t this really about recently being publicly called out by an editor for being difficult to work with?
So…here’s the deal on that. I was invited a while back to contribute a short story to some small anthology. I accepted, but couldn’t come to agreements with the editor on the changes he wanted for the story I wrote. We had different visions for it and, in the end, I asked to be let out of the contract. He agreed. I was relieved. End of story (in a couple of ways).
Are you sad you weren’t published in that book?
Long answer: I’ve had the fortune to publish quite a bit, and I’ve been paid for that work - by which I mean, in those instances, I’ve worked with professional editors (excluding things like this newsletter, which is not professionally etided). For the purpose of comparison, I’m grateful to have published over 100 combined essays, stories, novels, etc.
This is the only time, in over 100 published instances, that I’ve ever pulled an accepted piece because of editing disagreements.
Short answer: I’d rather watch a kitten get autopsied than have published their version of my story.
But still, I thought the parting was amicable and fortunate.
I mean, it’s not like writers are notoriously easy to work with.
We’re so not! Everyone knows the story of Raymond Chandler responding to an editor with, “Would you convey my compliments to the purist who reads your proofs and tell him or her that I write in a sort of broken-down patois . . . and that when I split an infinitive, God damn it, I split it so it will stay split.” And that was Chandler being nice.
So how do you handle edits you disagree with? Do you usually just passively accept them, like the time you felt bad closing the door on a salesman and ended up briefly joining a new religion?
All hail Anox the 7th! But no, look, I almost always disagree with edits. My first reaction is usually:
Then I think about it and I’m like, “well, maybe they have a point.”
With No Home for Killers, I took almost all of my editor’s line edits, and about 3/4 of her developmental edits in the first round. By the third round, I’d taken almost all of her developmental edits (and I still regret the few I refused).
I’d say that, with all my work, I take about 80%-90% of the overall edits.
But I also work with pretty relentless early readers who get a kick out of making me feel bad, so I have a lot of judgmental eyes on my work.
What about non-fiction?
Given the quicker turnaround, my non-fiction isn’t read by early readers, so it’s really just me and the editor. And that’s markedly different, because I’m not writing for “my own” readers, but rather the readers of that specific publication.
For example, I reviewed Lindsay Hunter’s Hot Springs Drive for the Washington Post. (published in Saturday’s edition). This is my fifth or sixth review for the Post and, honestly…it took me a minute to understand their approach. My very first review for that paper ended up being a bit voiceless, in my opinion, because the edits for the original review I sent in were so severe. I was chagrined, but understood that what I wanted to say wasn’t a good fit for their paper, or their readers and, given reflection, it probably wasn’t a good review. But after a few reviews for the Post, I began to find my voice, and the edits became less overwhelming. And now I’m proud of these reviews.
So what should a writer look for, when they receive edits?
Here’s the important thing: make sure these edits are furthering your story (or essay, or listicle, or whatever it is). If an editor has sought out your work, or accepted it, then they probably really like what you’ve created - like an almost finished statue, but one that needs a little bit of work. If they want you to start over with a new block and create something completely different, that may be fine too - this happens, sometimes, when a book is accepted and, for whatever reason, simply doesn’t work. An editor may have an idea, based of their knowledge of publishing and fondness for your voice, that would be far more successful (both creatively and commercially). Sometimes that does happen. And sometimes it ends with voodoo dolls being jabbed with pins.
It’s a tough balance - ensuring that the story you want to tell is told, and told in the best way possible. Occasionally you have to (this sounds weird) ignore your instincts. A reader’s view of a story is almost always different than the writer’s. As Lorrie Moore wrote, “writers are merely open, helpless texts with no real understanding of what they have written.” There’s some truth in that. Find someone you can trust to examine and deepen those lines, and you’ll be given something wonderful - an outside understanding of how to better express what you so desperately need to say.
EA
Speaking of my novels, my psychological thriller They’re Gone is on sale for a limited time for just $1.99 on Kindle! I loved this book and, in addition to the happyhappyjoyjoy review by Kirkus, it also received praise from Publishers Weekly, Buzzfeed, the South Florida Sun Sentinel, and more.
Purchase it for just $1.99 HERE.
There’s a line in a Run the Jewels’ song that goes “You’re getting used to me doing no wrong,” which is how I think of Lori Rader-Day (#RTJ=LRD). Every book of hers I’ve read has a lovely sense of consideration with the prose, along with twists that are earned, rather than simply used to heighten tension. It’s small wonder, then, that she’s also won a slew of awards for her writing, including nominations and wins for the Edgar, Agatha, Anthony, and Mary Higgins Clark awards. She also co-chairs a fantastic conference - the Midwest Mystery Conference (which, as a past participant, can testify that it’s truly wonderful) - and is a former national president of Sisters in Crime. Like El-P rapped, she does no wrong.
So I was super excited to have Lori participate in Kiss, Marry, and Kill for her newest book, The Death of Us! Check out the synopsis and her KMK below:
One rainy night fifteen years ago, a knock at the door changed Liss Kehoe’s life forever. On that night, Ashley Hay stood on Liss’s front porch and handed over her brand-new baby Callan. She was never seen or heard from again.
Since then, Liss has raised Callan as her own, and loves him as fiercely as any mother would. But in the back of her mind, she’s always wondered whether Ashley is still out there somewhere—and feared what might happen if she comes back.
When Ashley does reappear, it’s not in the way Liss expected. After all these years, Ashley’s car has been found… in the quarry pond on Kehoe property. But the discovery of the car dredges up more questions than answers. What really happened on the night of Ashley’s disappearance? Was it a tragic accident, or something far more sinister? Someone in town knows the truth, and they’ll go to great lengths to keep it quiet.
As tensions rise in the small community, Liss must fight to protect her family and keep her own secrets hidden—or risk losing everything she loves.
Stick with me. I’m swapping things around. For reasons.
Marry: Link Kehoe
Lissette Kehoe, the protagonist of The Death of Us, has been married to Link for about fifteen years, so this one is easy. Their marriage? Has never been easy. She’s given him a lot of leeway and chances to fail. She’s forgiven a lot. Last year, he really stepped in it, and she gave him an ultimatum. He moved out.
But the thing about Liss is, she wants her family whole. That door to Link and her marriage is still swinging open. The divorce is stalled out; they’re stuck in this half-marriage. But if the divorce comes through, what does that mean for Liss’s connection to Callan, the son who is not biologically hers?
When a submerged car with human remains is found on their property, Liss wants to believe in Link, even when everyone else turns against him. That’s what marriage is, right?
Don’t judge Liss for marrying Link. He’s a good-looking, charming guy. Everyone loves Link. You would have done it, too.
Kiss: Mercer Alarie
When Liss’s marriage started to break up and Link moved out (and on), she might have been primed for a little revenge dating. Enter Mercer, their small town’s marshal, an outsider who is trying to find his feet in the community and untangle decades of bad feelings between his office and his constituents. After a short-lived fling between them, Liss and Mercer are at an uneasy distance. That distance is too far for Mercer but he knows he’s up against the town’s golden boy, Link, when it comes to getting what he wants.
The best he can do is try to figure out who put Liss into this tricky situation. But he might end up ruining her life.
Kill: Rockwell “Key” Kehoe
Link’s dad is the former town marshal who has tied up the town in pursuit of his own desires. But, in the case of Ashley Hay, has he subverted justice to protect his son? If only that new tin-star marshal Alarie would leave his family the hell alone…
Thanks, Lori! You can learn more about Lori and her work here.
All of these books were - in almost every case - published a month prior to this newsletter.
The Blue Monsoon, by Damyanti Biswas
Amid incessant rains pounding down on Mumbai, Senior Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput is called to a shocking crime scene. A male body is found dismembered on the steps of a Kaali temple. Drawn into his flesh are symbols of a tantra cult. The desecration of a body at a Hindu place of worship puts the city on edge and divides Arnav’s priorities: stopping a fanatic from killing again and caring for his wife who’s struggling through a challenging pregnancy.
Then video footage of the murder is uploaded onto the account of a Bollywood social media influencer, triggering twists in the investigation Arnav didn’t see coming. Caste systems at war. A priest under suspicion. And an anonymous threat that puts his wife’s welfare at risk. When more bodies are found, the savagery of the city begins to surface—and Arnav fears that no one is safe from a bigger storm brewing.
Ed’s Note: You might remember The Blue Monsoon from a previous Kiss, Marry, Kill, but I want to highlight this novel here as well, because it’s such a wonderful examination of caste culture, Mumbai police work, and how deftly a writer can seamlessly switch viewpoints. I loved reading it, and Biswas is creating an intricate, compelling storyline in her Blue Mumbai series.
Leave the Lights On, by Liv Andersson
Cape Morgan, Maine, is the utopian ideal for a charmed life, and Beatrice Wicker knows it. The multi-million-dollar house on the sea coast. The joint bank accounts. The safety and security that go along with being married to an esteemed architect and community leader. The scenic coastline, perfect for her ambitious plan to turn an abandoned asylum into an artists’ retreat. So what if her husband sneaks off to see his second family now and again? Beatrice is willing to look the other way. It’s simply the price she must pay to keep their life together.
Josh doesn’t realize that Beatrice knows about his other life. That’s just one of Beatrice’s secrets. And now, that truth—along with a deadly host of other secrets from the past—is about to upend their false paradise. When there’s an explosion at the local elementary school playground, and a two-year-old boy is abducted, it doesn’t take Beatrice long to make the connection between the missing boy and her husband. It was the son from Josh’s other life who was kidnapped, and Josh can’t do anything about it without revealing the truth.
Helping Josh find his son would destroy the façade of her perfect marriage and could put more children’s lives in danger. But that’s not all. It would reveal her deeper secret: Beatrice Wicker is not who she claims to be.
Ed’s Note: How compelling is this premise?! Liv Andersson is the pen name of Wendy Tyson, who made a name with a pair of critically praised cozy mystery series, and has proven herself as adept at writing darker thrillers. I’ve always enjoyed her explorations into character, without ever sacrificing the tension of a story, and Leave the Lights On sounds like a wonderful display of her talents.
The Abrum Files, by Beau Johnson
After his sister and mother are murdered by human traffickers, Bishop Rider, a former medic and police officer, spends the remainder of his life hunting not only the men who took his family from him, but every person like them. He is joined by many partners throughout his war. But when Jeramiah Abrum, the son of one of the men who murders Rider’s mother and sister, seeks out Rider to make amends for what his father set into motion all those years ago, a new level of retribution is born.
Jeramiah, now on his own, finds himself facing two choices; retreat from the life of murder and retribution he’s been a part of for years, or pick up where he and Rider left off.
Ed’s Note: Bishop Rider ravaged crime fiction in violent, retribution-bent short stories for years, and I love that Johnson has taken the next step in showing how his hero’s journey has affected others. I’ve written often of my problems with violent, alpha male characters, but Beau’s characters don’t wear their scars as badges, points of pride, or mating calls. His characters are scarred and ugly, and a sense of impending doom haunts the pages and the prose.
Sanctuary Motel, by Alan Orloff
Mess Hopkins, proprietor of the seen-better-days Fairfax Manor Inn, never met a person in need who couldn’t use a helping hand—his helping hand. So he’s thrown open the doors of the motel to the homeless, victims of abuse, or anyone else who could benefit from a comfy bed with clean sheets and a roof overhead. This rankles his parents and uncle, who technically still own the place and are more concerned with profits than philanthropy.
When a mother and her teenage boy seek refuge from an abusive husband, Mess takes them in until they can get back on their feet. Shortly after arriving, the mom goes missing and some very bad people come sniffing around, searching for some money they claim belongs to them. Mess tries to pump the boy for helpful information, but he’s in full uncooperative teen mode—grunts, shrugs, and monosyllabic answers. From what he does learn, Mess can tell he’s not getting the straight scoop. It’s not long before the boy vanishes too. Abducted? Run away? Something worse? And who took the missing money? Mess, along with his friend Vell Jackson and local news reporter Lia Katsaros, take to the streets to locate the missing mother and son—and the elusive, abusive husband—before the kneecapping loansharks find them first.
Ed’s Note: Alan Orloff has been recognized time and time again for his outstanding work, winning the Agatha, Thriller, Anthony, and Shamus awards, and he does a wonderful job of creating sympathetic characters in dire situations. Sanctuary Motel launches his newest journey - which is welcome news, as Orloff has proven himself a perfect writer for the challenges of a series - and has already received praise from Eli Cranor, Lori Rader-Day, and more.
The winner of this newsletter contest is johannag____@_____.com! Congrats, and you’ve won Lori Rader-Day’s newest novel! I’ll slide into your DMs (send you an email, so not exactly slide into your DMs) soon.
Until next time, much love and Happy Reading!