There's a lot of talk about editors and what they want, and what they like to see, but hardly anyone talks about the real value of a good editor.
My client Patrick Lee is a wonderful writer and I loved the book we sold to Sarah Durand at Harper.
We got the editorial notes tonight. It's not quite 10,000 pages. Ok, it's four.
I'm in awe. Sarah's insight into plot, and character development, what works and what doesn't is amazing. Her careful reading (it took about a month, and two reads for her to get back to us) will make what was a pretty good book, a much better one.
More and more I realize that finding the right editor isn't always finding the editor that wants to buy a project. Finding an editor with acute vision, a sensitive red pen, and a good author-manner is just as important.
And the funny thing is, most people will never know. They'll read the finished product and say "wow that Patrick Lee is a great writer." Well, yes he is. But he's also got a great editor.
June 2009. Get ready to be blown away!
