When A Question's Asked

As an editor and a writer, there's something I always come across. A critiquer ... or I ... ask a question and the writer ... or I ... comment with the answer to the question, as though it should have been clear. ** I am SO, so guilty of this. I am. My crit partner, Kaylee, hears it all the time in emails.

Here's the thing: If a critiquer, a reader, an editor had to ask, it's not clear.

It probably is to you. You see the hints (and I'm talking about myself here too). You see the foreshadowing. You understand that the little nugget you dropped in chapter one leads to the answer in chapter ten. But a reader might not. They haven't planned the novel and read it twelve million times. So if they ask, it needs explained in the manuscript.

There. That's my rant ... er, lesson for the day. :)

The Pub Panel: Part 4, All About Editing

Read Parts 1-3 here.

Ranee`: Now I want to talk about editing processes. We've already delved into it, but I'd like get into details. First off, describe sort of the step by step process of editing with the editor at the publishing house.

Jennifer Griffith: If we're on edits now, JFP gave me three passes of full editorial treatment. They didn't ask for an overhaul, but they did for another of their authors (change the plot, etc.). Mine was "fix this little plot hole" and word choice stuff. They gave it good eyes.

Sherry Gammon: Editing is LONG! But I enjoy it. Anything is better than staring at a blank page. I had to cut a lot of scenes out. My original story was 150,000. I edited it down to 115,000ish. I also joined a group of writers and we share our work for critiquing. I also found this to be invaluable. And I hired you [Ranee`]. . . ;]