 Drama: August 01, 2018 Issue [#9032] |
  Drama
This week: On Editing Edited by: Kitti the Red-Nosed Feline  
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Do you feel that your piece or manuscript is ready for publication? Are you wondering what the editing process will be like once the contract has been signed?
This week's Drama Newsletter is all about the editing process and why it's important to find the right editor and publisher for you.
Kitti the Red-Nosed Feline |
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I’m currently in the editing process of my first poetry book, and let me tell you, it’s really not as straightforward as you’d think! I have previously edited articles and books for others, and it’s often a longer process than first foreseen, but poetry... that’s a whole new ballgame.
If you are someone who is about to have their work edited, or if you are thinking of getting published, here are some tips that apply to poetry as well as articles, short stories, novels, and so on.
 Give your work a good read-through before sending it in. You’ve probably done this already. You may have done so dozens of times. One more time won’t hurt, though. You may find that you have overlooked a couple of tiny things, and everything spotted at this stage will help.
You can also ask a friend or family member to have a look through your piece or manuscript. Ask them to be honest. Or, you can ask another author here on Writing.Com to provide you with feedback. Many members will be happy to help!
Before signing with a publication/publisher, ask how much input you will have in the process. When I first published articles in online newspapers, I didn’t realise that the process was: send in your piece – one of their editors would do their thing – it would get put on the site without you being able to review any changes. A couple of times I wasn’t happy with the end result, especially when relevant sources I’d included had been deleted. I personally prefer to be fully involved. That may be the case for you, too, and if so, ask.
When I edited novels for others, I didn’t care how long it would take – I wanted to make sure everything was perfect and that the author was completely happy with the final product. There have been times when it took months. We’d go through the novel chapter by chapter and work on anything from spelling and grammar to plot, details and character development. Not every publisher is like this. They’ll allow their editor to make a few small fixes of spelling and grammar, ask you to accept it, and if you’re not entirely happy they’ll make you feel guilty about wasting their resources. Again, it’s good to ask about what the editing process will be like before signing a contract.
Be aware that when a program such as Word is used, your editor might make changes in-text that you need to click to accept. Make sure to save any accepted changes. Also check if no spaces have been removed in the process.
Also, check with your editor which version of the program they are using. Versions aren’t always fully compatible – what the editor sees with regards to spaces and line breaks may not be what you see, and vice versa.
If you are a poet and, like me, some of your poetry has longer lines, be aware that this might be an issue at the formatting stage. In the first round of formatting, some of my lines ended up broken in two, and that was a big issue as it disrupted the rhythm and flow as well as, in some cases, the rhyming scheme. This can be solved (though you may have to be insistent) by changing the font, margins or the page/book size.
Perhaps the most important tip I can give you is that if you are not happy, speak up! Our work is precious to us. It needs to be treated with respect and care. I am generally rather shy and unlikely to kick up a fuss, and you may be the same way, but there’s nothing wrong with standing firm in a polite manner. This is especially the case if you know something’s wrong, that you are not being unreasonable. The relationship between author and editor, and author and publisher is meant to be an equal one. Your voice matters.
I may have made you feel concerned when reading the above. That is not my intention. I am sure that most times everything will go smoothly. Sadly, however, this is not always the case, so it’s best to be aware and be prepared. Find a publisher who you will feel comfortable with, to make the process as productive and enjoyable as possible. You are getting published. That’s a big thing!
I wish you the best of luck! 
Kitti the Red-Nosed Feline
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Some contests that might inspire you:
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The Drama Newsletter Team welcomes any and all questions, suggestions, thoughts and feedback, so please don't hesitate to write in! 
Wishing you a week filled with inspiration,
The Drama Newsletter Team
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