Ever had a novel accepted as is...

I doubt it. Otherwise, editors will be out of the jobs.

I would be suspicious that they hadn't really read it. And then I'd be suspicious as to why they want it (e.g., what kind of standards do they have?). As a government contractor, I was told early on that if the customer gives you a document to review, always have a suggestion, or else--as maestro said--the editor becomes unnecessary.

I'm afraid I've never heard of this either.

I think that would be a sign you were dealing with PublishAmerica.

Nope, not me either. My editor had a fair bit to say about it. Which, at first drove me crazy, I felt like saying 'well if it's so bloody not-right, why the hell did you want it in the first place!'

Truth is, my editor's (and agent's) suggestions helped make it a much better book. I'm two more books down the line now, and whilst it's still less than stellar when your 1st draft comes back with several pages of 'suggestions', I welcome that input, because I KNOW, those changes make it a helluva lot better.

UrsusMinor said:

I think that would be a sign you were dealing with PublishAmerica.

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Or you were J.R.R.Tolkien.

Or Dan Brown

If I'm ever JRR Tolkein or Dan Brown, I hope someone close to me will let me know. I'd hate to have to send a manuscript to an editor to discover this.

johnzakour said:

Hi:

Just wondering if anybody here ever turned in a novel to their publisher and the publisher said, "we love it exactly how it is. Don't change a thing!"?

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My first book, a mystery, was published (St. Martin's) essentially unchanged. That was a long time ago, and being new, I thought it was the norm. My current one had to undergo considerable revision before it was even submitted.

I don't know if this means standards are getting higher or that my writing is getting weaker.

P.S. My agent just sold my urban fantasy, Dog Days, in a two book deal, to Ace.

UrsusMinor said:

If I'm ever JRR Tolkein or Dan Brown.

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They had editors. I'm pretty sure about that.

johnzakour said:

Rugcat: congrats on the ace deal.

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Much thanks.

rugcat said:

P.S. My agent just sold my urban fantasy, Dog Days, in a two book deal, to Ace.

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HOORAY!

Exciting. I'm going to PM you a quick question, 'kay?

Tom Robbins doesn't change any of his according to this article.
How to write like Tom Robbins

(I linked to the cached page because I couldn't get the other page open).

snip

Finally, Tom briefly explained how he wrote his books. He treats writing like a nine-to-five job, writing eight hours a day, Monday through Friday. No writing allowed on weekends. He gets up in the morning, makes himself breakfast, lights a cigar, and sits at his typewriter.
When he starts a novel, it works like this. First he writes a sentence. Then he rewrites it again and again, examining each word, making sure of its perfection, finely honing each phrase until it reverberates with the subtle texture of the infinite. Sometimes it takes hours. Sometimes an entire day is devoted to one sentence, which gets marked on and expanded upon in every possible direction until he is satisfied. Then, and only then, does he add a period.
Next, he rereads the first sentence and starts writing a second, rewriting it again and again until it shimmers. Then, and only then, does he add a period. While working on each sentence, he has no idea what the next sentence is going to be, much less the next chapter or the end of the book. All thoughts of where he is going or where he has been are banished. Each sentence is a Zen universe unto itself, and while working on it, nothing exists but the sentence. He keeps writing in such a manner until he eventually reaches a sentence which he works on like all the others. He adds a period and the book is done. No editing or revising in any way. When you read a Tom Robbins book, you are experiencing the words not only in the exact order that he wrote them but almost in the exact order that he thought them.
“But wait a minute,” I interrupted. “The first sentence of your first book, Another Roadside Attraction, is ‘The magician’s underwear has just been found in a cardboard suitcase floating in a stagnant pond on the outskirts of Miami.’ Are you telling me you wrote that sentence having absolutely no idea where it was leading?”
“Yes,” he said. “I knew I could explain it later. I like painting myself in corners and seeing if I can get out.”

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Stew21 said:

Tom Robbins doesn't change any of his according to this article.
How to write like Tom Robbins

(I linked to the cached page because I couldn't get the other page open).

snip

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Does it say how long it generally takes for him to complete a novel? I just don't have the stamina or patience to spend several hours writing one sentence. I think I'd rather stick my pinkie in a pencil sharpener.

That rare "as-is" thing happened to me once. My editor at Berkley/Jove accepted my second book Silver Rain as-is and didn't want any changes. There were only some minor copyediting things done to it.

Ahhhh those were the days...

I actually know two or three writers who've had their books accepted as is and all by big publishing houses. So it does happen. But I think rewrites are the norm.

JMVHO

Rue

I would say my editor wanted more "tweaks" than revision.
And it definitely has made my book better. There really was not much.

My first non-fiction book was untouched except for grammar. My second book got slaughtered.

Tri

Novels

I've never been asked for a rewrite or a revision on an accepted novel. But I don't usually write the novel until after it's been accepted. First I write a synopsis, and the editor reads it. It's at this point that I might be asked for changes. I usually agree. Then I receive a contract and write the novel.

The funny thing is, the novel I write is usually not much at all like the one I describe in the synopsis. Sometimes nothing like it. Doesn't matter, I guess, as long as the editor likes it.

The editing process is usually an editor saying "I think we can do without this scene," or "We need to shorten this scene a bit." This is all done with internal editing, margin notes, and flags. I go thorugh the copy edited manuscript and see which changes, cutting and tightening, I like, which I don't, and that's that.

The first time I saw a copyedited manuscript it scared me to death. There were marks on nearly every page, plus margin notes, plus about seventy flags. Then I realized that almost nothing had been changed. Nearly all the margin notes and flags were questions about my research, asking where I found this information, how did I know this happened when it did, or that happened where it did.

Most of the margin notes dealt with dialogue. I still remember one. The dialogue used the phrase "born and bred," and the editor wanted to know if this was an actual phrase, and would the character use it.

As I said in another post, I have had to go through and change a character's hair and eye color. But I don't think this qualifies as a rewrite or a revision.

It's a matter of editors trying to place the final polish on the manuscript, but I've never been told I needed to rewrite or revise.

It helps being able to get a contract before you actually write the novel, but either way, I believe the less you give an editor to do, the better your chances of selling a novel. I think it's human nature. An editor can read a novel and think, "There's some good stuff here, but it's going to take a LOT of work to get it ready," or an editor can read a novel and think, "I can get this ready on a busy afternoon."

Right now, I'm in the opposite position. I have to finish two novels before I get a contract because of writing for a new publisher in a new genre, and it will be interesting to see how this goes. I may be asked to rewrite and revise ten times.

Garpy said:

Which, at first drove me crazy, I felt like saying 'well if it's so bloody not-right, why the hell did you want it in the first place!'

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Yes! I thought the same thing at first.

Garpy said:

Truth is, my editor's (and agent's) suggestions helped make it a much better book. .... I welcome that input, because I KNOW, those changes make it a helluva lot better.

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Again, yes.

rugcat said:

.

P.S. My agent just sold my urban fantasy, Dog Days, in a two book deal, to Ace.

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Congratulations!

maestrowork said:

They had editors. I'm pretty sure about that.

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I watched an interview with Tolkien's publisher and he said with emphasis, "You DON'T edit Tolkien."

I figured it was the horses mouth.