I've only experienced this once: usually all suggested edits are clear improvements. One magazine editor said that he wanted to publish a short story then red-lined half of it (though some good vocabulary suggestions), and wanted me to alter the age of the MC, give her a job (she was a student), and change her motivation. I withdrew my story and told him I felt he had a different story in his mind than the one I intended and that any editing by me wouldn't achieve his imagined version.
The many different sorts of editors make this question hard to answer so easily.
When I do content/structural editing, I might suggest major changes because the manuscript isn't working as it is. The author is completely within their rights to say no to my suggestions, because they're the author, and have to live with that book forever.
But as a line editor, I'm never trying to change what an author is trying to do, I'm trying to take out the static, to make the message/plot/action clearer. If someone fights those corrections it is usually just out of ego.
Wholly agree. But this question took me on a detour. I’ve been legit over-edited—the editor *subjectively* overriding my voice and word choices with hers. Simply ignoring these intrusions is one option. Another is asking the editor a question that politely exposes the intrusion…maybe does a little reverse training. I don’t have such a question at the ready yet…..suggestions welcome!
I've only experienced this once: usually all suggested edits are clear improvements. One magazine editor said that he wanted to publish a short story then red-lined half of it (though some good vocabulary suggestions), and wanted me to alter the age of the MC, give her a job (she was a student), and change her motivation. I withdrew my story and told him I felt he had a different story in his mind than the one I intended and that any editing by me wouldn't achieve his imagined version.
It has since been published elsewhere.
In that situation, I would have done exactly the same, Angela. If you want to post the link to your story here, go right ahead!
The many different sorts of editors make this question hard to answer so easily.
When I do content/structural editing, I might suggest major changes because the manuscript isn't working as it is. The author is completely within their rights to say no to my suggestions, because they're the author, and have to live with that book forever.
But as a line editor, I'm never trying to change what an author is trying to do, I'm trying to take out the static, to make the message/plot/action clearer. If someone fights those corrections it is usually just out of ego.
Wholly agree. But this question took me on a detour. I’ve been legit over-edited—the editor *subjectively* overriding my voice and word choices with hers. Simply ignoring these intrusions is one option. Another is asking the editor a question that politely exposes the intrusion…maybe does a little reverse training. I don’t have such a question at the ready yet…..suggestions welcome!
I agree in that if the editor is really taking the work away from me, I might push back - gently, gently! Thanks for your comment, Heidi.