There are a lot of analogies out there for writing a novel. Stephen King has said on multiple occasions that he believes a novel is something that already exists in the universe fully formed, and he is merely a literary archaeologist, extracting its story from the ground. Lee Child is famous for making the story up as he goes from word one, often pushing back against editorial notes because he believes they would alter the story as it was meant to be, since it emerged that way from his head.
Far be it for me to quibble with the greats, but I’ve never subscribed to the theory that the story exists outside of the author, or that the characters are somehow in control. While it’s fun sometimes when the story takes an unexpected twist or turn as I write, I envision it more as actors doing a bit of improv. If it works and makes the scene better–great! But if not, well, sorry folks, but I’m the director of this particular movie-in-my-head, and if I don’t like what you did there, then I’m changing it. Because I can.
It’s good to be the king.
Honestly, changing things is where the real magic in writing happens. If I was going to use an analogy, the best I could come up with is that a novel is like sculpting. You start with a hunk of something–wood, stone, ice, or an idea–and then you slowly whittle and cut and carve until you have…something else.
It’s more than it was when you started, that’s for sure. But it’s far from a finished product. That’s where edits come in, and where the rough form you’ve carved out of your starting material becomes a true work of art.
Editors are VITAL to this process. They work side-by-side with an author to make sure every line, every curve, every bit that’s shaved off or added on only serves to enhance the finished product. Their guidance is the difference between that table I made for my Mom in high school wood shop and that table she bought from Raymour & Flannigan.
As I said in an earlier post, I didn’t hire a Freelance Editor before I began querying my debut, relying instead on beta readers and my own eye to get the manuscript in shape. My super-agent worked with me to edit it even further before we shopped it around to publishers, but it wasn’t until Blackstone paired me up with Celia Blue Johnson that I would work with an actual, honest-to-goodness Editor.
And man, did they knock it out of the park with her.
Celia worked as an Acquisitions Editor for over a decade at two major publishers, Random House and Grand Central Publishing. Over the course of her career, she has edited a broad range of titles. Fiction. Nonfiction. Commercial. Literary. She’s worked with celebrities and also introduced debut authors (like moi) to the marketplace. Many of her books were award-winners and New York Times bestsellers.
At Grand Central, she helmed the Mysterious Press imprint, working with several Mystery Writers of America Grand Masters, among others, on mysteries, suspense novels, and true crime.
At the core, she aims to edit the kind of book you just can’t put down, the kind that makes you miss your subway stop or keep your light on for an extra hour, despite that early morning presentation. And, to that end, she’s a master at pacing, plotting, and restructuring.
We were a match made in publishing Heaven, and I’m so thankful she took the time to answer some of my questions for this series!
I think most people assume that all publishing houses employ in-house editors that work on the books they acquire, but Blackstone outsources that function to freelancers like yourself. Can you explain how you came to work with them, and if that practice is more common than most authors know?
I was introduced to Blackstone via an agent who represented a debut author I worked with in the past. I’ve been lucky that way; all of my freelance work is through word-of-mouth.
Before I shifted to freelance, I worked at major houses for over a decade as an acquisitions editor. I can tell you firsthand, the work of acquisitions involves so much more than editing. Reading submissions; networking with agents; drafting jacket copy; being the point person for sales, marketing, publicity… the list goes on! After working behind-the-scenes, an editorial team for each book makes perfect sense. It allows the acquiring editor to work on other tasks, while the freelancer focuses exclusively on the manuscript. That said, acquiring editors works directly with freelancers, offering input and overseeing the edits. So, it’s a collaborative process, not siloed.
Your clients span all genres, but Blackstone thought you would be a great fit for my debut novel, a humorous action thriller. What do you love about the thriller genre?
I love a fast-paced, action-packed story… simple as that! This is a given in the thriller genre, but the story won’t grab the reader unless we care about that character who’s dodging bullets and fists (sometimes successfully; other times, not so much). A great thriller will establish what’s at stake for the protagonist(s) and then keep you on the edge of your seat until that final page.
You and I hit it off right away during our initial phone conversation. Describe your ideal author/editor relationship.
Yes! It was immediately clear that we both had similar expectations for your book, and for books in the thriller genre. That kind of synergy is absolutely ideal in an author/editor relationship. I also feel that it’s important for it to be a collaborative process. I offer input and suggestions, but that doesn’t mean they need to be followed to the line, or at all. They might serve as a springboard for a different solution for a particular issue. You and I chatted after the first round of edits to brainstorm a few key issues, and that really speaks to this idea of collaboration.
My agent and I did a lot of editing prior to going out on submission to publishers, and it seems to have paid off in that the feedback we received from Blackstone was that they didn’t see a lot of changes that needed to be made. In general, how much work do the manuscripts you work on require when they hit your desk from a publisher, and have you ever turned down work for any reason?
Your manuscript was in great shape, so that we were able to focus on refining what was already in place, rather than exploring structural changes. That hard work with your agent certainly paid off!
Generally, manuscripts need three rounds of edits: a developmental edit (focusing on plot, pacing, structure, and character development), a line edit (this is more granular, finessing and sharpening on the sentence-level), and a final read-through before a manuscript is transmitted for copyediting.
I haven’t turned down any projects from publishers, but that’s because they know the kinds of books I love to work on. I have turned down projects that have come via agents or authors, if I felt they weren’t a great fit, whether that was because I didn’t have experience in a particular genre or didn’t connect with the characters/story, etc.
Over the course of your career, you have edited manuscripts by best-selling celebrities and first-timers like me. Is there a difference between editing a novel by Jeffrey Deaver or James Ellroy and working on one by Gregg Podolski in terms of how you approach the work?
Actually (perhaps surprisingly), the editorial process is pretty much the same, from one writer to another. Ultimately, I’m not really thinking about the author when I work through a manuscript. Instead, I’m immersed in the story on the page, thinking about how it might be that much sharper or dynamic or engaging. I love that I have the opportunity, though, to work with bestselling authors and debut writers alike. The career of a writer takes great passion and commitment, so whether an author is on a twentieth book, or the first one, the editorial process is just as exciting.
Okay, time’s yours! As a thank you for sharing your wisdom with us, please take this opportunity to dish on whatever you want! Have a passion project you want to gush about? A secret family recipe you’d like to share? Your call!
I’d love to share a resource for aspiring and established writers alike. Once you connect with an agent, you’ll be working with them for a long time, and on work that’s so close to your heart. It’s important to interview them, as much as they’re interviewing you. I asked twenty-three agents what questions they wished writers would ask when trying to see if they’re a good match. I hope you find this list helpful! https://www.thepubpros.com/23-questions-to-ask-a-literary-agent
I was extremely lucky to work with Celia on making THE RECRUITER as great as it can be, and hope to repeat our success with future books in the series. If you’d like to learn more about Celia, please visit her website
http://www.celiablue.com. She’s one of the good ones!
