Great editing quote

I found this quote:

"In modern times, an editor will use track changes so that the author can accept or not accept the editor’s suggestions. An editor will also flag spots and leave comments.

A good editor will not pussy-foot around bad writing. You asked for help, you got it. Suck it up. If you feel your editor is too harsh for your thin skin or not doing what you think he or she should be doing, use a different editor. Personality and expectation clashes do happen but sometimes an author isn’t ready to hear the truth or is inclined to do the work." 

Here.

As anyone knows, I will not candy coat my opinions. When I give reviews, you are going to get my honest opinion. When I edit, I use comments and give my honest opinion. My opinions are not off the wall. I have taken college creative writing and writing fiction classes at a state university and I have read so many books, I doubt I would ever be able to give an accurate number.

Now, before I began working on and reading so many self-published books, my star rating system was a little different. Since I have done all this work I find few books at the ends of the spectrum (1 star and 5 star). But, sometimes the truth hurts. That is what makes the difference between a professional and an amateur writer. Amateurs defend their work. Professionals suck it up and drive on.

I am very thankful for a recent review of The Corruption that was written by Eduardo Aruna. In short, he said the book is long - and it is - but it pays off in the end. Reviews like that are helpful because they make me into a better writer. I knew that this book was long in advance, but I was unsure how the public would react. Based on Eduardo, my son, Samuel, and some other reviews, I know that Book 2 needs to be tighter.

Sure, I could try to contact these reviewers and complain - I am trying to create a fantasy/ literary fiction combination. Of course, it's long! Instead, I recognize that if I want my target audience to read it (the fantasy fans) I need to drop the literary fiction end. Complaining about reviews doesn't do any good.

So, that said, in the next few weeks, you are going to be seeing single blog posts with some of the reviews I have been writing in exchange for other reviews on Goodreads.