Today I sent the full MS of my novel to the small press that will publish it. I proofread it carefully and had another reader look at it, so I think all typos and continuity errors have been fixed. This is my first novel, so I've never been through this before. What happens next? Two possible concerns: 1. That they will make or demand big changes, essentially turning it into a different book, which I certainly don't want. 2. That I will clash with the publisher about certain changes, and will have to decide if I accede to their demands or stand firm on what I wrote originally. Does anyone have insights into this process?
if you characterize working with a publisher as some kind of battle for your artistic integrity why on earth would you consent to that situation by submitting your work to one seriously kindle unlimited is right there
I wouldn't go into the process thinking you're going to have to fight your editor. All the editors I've worked with have really elevated my work and made it so much better. I thank them. They're there to make your work better. They're not looking to change things for the sake of changing things. It's all about the writing, and (for the most part) people in publishing do know their stuff.
Thanks for the comment, deadrats. I've dealt with editors before, both fiction and non-fiction, but in those cases they were only editing short stories or articles, not a novel. Some editors improved what I wrote, but a couple of others definitely made it worse. Hence the trepidation.
Depends on how badly you want to make a sale. When you write something, you're an artist. When you attempt to sell it, you're a business person. Sure a novel might not be a product like any other, but it might as well be a can opener on the emotional/philosophical scale when you ask somebody to buy it.
Selling can openers. Interesting way of looking at it but none the less true. I think you have to be willing to let the writing and story evolve where it may through the editorial process. That can be easier said than done, and feeling overly attached to anything or everything is just not going to help. It could help to aim for the same emotional attachment you would have selling a can opener. You've sold the story. Now, it's just polishing the can opener and handing over the goods to its new owner.
This has been my experience as well. I will say this as someone who had her first two accepted manuscripts sent back with major problems/changes that entailed large re-writes - those two books are so, so much better than they were when submitted originally . I needed tough love, I got it in spades, and I figured out which hills I was willing to die on. I wouldn't trade that experience for the world. I learned so much and am much more confident as a self-publishing author now.
