Does your editor change your work?

amyall · May 14, 2015

Alright, the title is oh so itsy bitsy misleading, my editor is also my "client".

Here's my question..."How much should I expect an editor/client to change a piece once I've given them my copy?"

I write news articles for a company, the articles are released under my name but as I'm hired by the company I realize they have a right to post whatever they please. I find that my articles are being subtly tweaked before posting. It's not grammar or syntax issues, it's small style differences. He's putting in short little things that I didn't say. His style of humor is very different from mine and I see he sometimes throws things in there that I never would have said. It's not offensive or misleading...but it's not me, not my voice.

I've asked him to forward those ideas to me so that I can keep my original voice but I see that he's still doing it. I don't have much experience working with an editor so I'm not sure if this is what everyone deals with. Please let me know what your experience has been...am I being a difficult writer; expecting that my work not change?

Thanks!
- A

cornflake · May 14, 2015

amyall said:
Alright, the title is oh so itsy bitsy misleading, my editor is also my "client".

Here's my question..."How much should I expect an editor/client to change a piece once I've given them my copy?"

I write news articles for a company, the articles are released under my name but as I'm hired by the company I realize they have a right to post whatever they please. I find that my articles are being subtly tweaked before posting. It's not grammar or syntax issues, it's small style differences. He's putting in short little things that I didn't say. His style of humor is very different from mine and I see he sometimes throws things in there that I never would have said. It's not offensive or misleading...but it's not me, not my voice.

I've asked him to forward those ideas to me so that I can keep my original voice but I see that he's still doing it. I don't have much experience working with an editor so I'm not sure if this is what everyone deals with. Please let me know what your experience has been...am I being a difficult writer; expecting that my work not change?

Thanks!
- A

Before I read the post itself, I wondered what kind of work you meant, because, in a general sense, there are two answers.

Editors of fiction should generally be suggesting changes and pointing out errors. Editors of non-fiction books can suggest changes and point out errors that must be changed. Both (and there are multiple types of editing and editors, but for simplicity's sake...) can make some changes on their own, depending on agreements, house styles, etc., but mostly will point out what they believe should be changed and if there's disagreement on the writer's part, the item is not changed or there might be a discussion.

Articles can be very different - if you've got fiction in the New Yorker, it's not so different. If you've got a news piece in the Daily News, it's very different. An editor (again, there are numerous people I'm talking about under one banner here, who differ from the types involved in book publishing somewhat)) may send back a question, edits that they'd like made, changes they're suggesting, or they may wholesale change stuff and send it on to layout. It depends on who it is, what the piece is, what the changes are, what the general flow of the place is, what time it is, who the writer is, etc.

What you're talking about also depends. It may be that the editor in question feels your tone isn't in line with the tone they're looking for, or it may be that he's overstepping and just putting his own voice on stuff for no particular reason. One is justified, one's not, if you see what I'm saying.

amyall · May 14, 2015

I see what you're saying and I can understand how each instance will vary considerably from one to another. From what you've said I feel like this person is making changes because he feels like my tone isn't quite what he's looking for. Perhaps my answer should be to get more explicit guidelines in an effort to bring my style closer to "house" style.

Thanks so much for your help. I've never had a problem with changes being made to my work when it goes under a different name or no designation at all but now that I have a chance to see my own name on it I think I may be getting too close to it and taking things personally where I shouldn't.

cornflake · May 14, 2015

amyall said:
I see what you're saying and I can understand how each instance will vary considerably from one to another. From what you've said I feel like this person is making changes because he feels like my tone isn't quite what he's looking for. Perhaps my answer should be to get more explicit guidelines in an effort to bring my style closer to "house" style.

Thanks so much for your help. I've never had a problem with changes being made to my work when it goes under a different name or no designation at all but now that I have a chance to see my own name on it I think I may be getting too close to it and taking things personally where I shouldn't.

It's understandable, especially if you're planning to use stuff for clips and are thinking 'eurgh, I don' sound like that.'

That said, I think that's a wise course of action and, if that is the case, and you expand your work, it'll fall in line and can get you more work.

Like, if you've got stuff at XOJane (or whichever way that goes; I may have it backwards), and at Car & Driver and at, I dunno, the New Yorker and at Mad Magazine, they'd all have different tones, which would show an ability to write about (presumably) different topics in different ways. You'd show range, not lack of yourself.

If you're looking to be the next Seymour Hirsch, you probably don't want to get into an XOJane-type thing.

amyall · May 14, 2015

That's precisely how I feel! ^_^ I was so worried that folks who read the articles will mistake my voice for this weird hybrid. What I should be doing is getting out there and writing more things that show a variety of voice and style. I really love your take on that. Instead of hiding who I am, I'm showing a range of skill.

Thanks so much for helping to turn my moment of fear and self-doubt into something positive! It may just be the allergy meds talking but I really needed to hear what you said today. ^_^

Thanks,
A

Fuchsia Groan · May 14, 2015

I edit a weekly newspaper. We do change things in accordance with house style and other concerns (me especially!), but we always send edits back to the writers for an OK before giving them to production. It sounds like you've asked your editor to do something similar, but apparently that's not part of his production process (perhaps deadlines are too tight).

So, if that's not a possibility, I'd definitely try to have a conversation with him about house style, what they're looking for, and why he's making the changes he does. I've had conversations like this with every writer I work with, and each relationship is different. Some writers I rewrite so much (with their tacit permission) that I might as well be listed as co-writer. Others I know will freak if I change so much as a phrase without an explanation. For those writers, instead of just changing their work, I leave a note in the file about why I'd like them to change it.

It is a painstaking hand-holding process, and there's still one writer who has said my edits make her bash her head against the wall, no matter how hard we try to come to a compromise. (We have different visions of an appropriate style for the paper.) So I can see why your editor is simply avoiding such conflicts and exercising his editorial fiat. It's a ton easier.

But you can still benefit from a conversation. Do you see his brand of humor in other articles they publish? Is he trying to establish a common tone? (We have something we call the "eyebrow," as in raised — our paper has a teensy tiny bit of attitude. We don't really impose this on writers, but we favor writers who have it.) Is there a way you can meet in the middle?

Or is it possible he just enjoys putting his personal stamp on articles? Would he keep adding these jokey bits even if you pushed your style further toward the company norm?

cornflake · May 14, 2015

Heh, glad to help. Er, or to ride the Claritin wave.

amyall · May 14, 2015

Fuchsia Groan said:
I edit a weekly newspaper. We do change things in accordance with house style and other concerns (me especially!), but we always send edits back to the writers for an OK before giving them to production. It sounds like you've asked your editor to do something similar, but apparently that's not part of his production process (perhaps deadlines are too tight).

So, if that's not a possibility, I'd definitely try to have a conversation with him about house style, what they're looking for, and why he's making the changes he does. I've had conversations like this with every writer I work with, and each relationship is different. Some writers I rewrite so much (with their tacit permission) that I might as well be listed as co-writer. Others I know will freak if I change so much as a phrase without an explanation. For those writers, instead of just changing their work, I leave a note in the file about why I'd like them to change it.

It is a painstaking hand-holding process, and there's still one writer who has said my edits make her bash her head against the wall, no matter how hard we try to come to a compromise. (We have different visions of an appropriate style for the paper.) So I can see why your editor is simply avoiding such conflicts and exercising his editorial fiat. It's a ton easier.

But you can still benefit from a conversation. Do you see his brand of humor in other articles they publish? Is he trying to establish a common tone? (We have something we call the "eyebrow," as in raised — our paper has a teensy tiny bit of attitude. We don't really impose this on writers, but we favor writers who have it.) Is there a way you can meet in the middle?

Or is it possible he just enjoys putting his personal stamp on articles? Would he keep adding these jokey bits even if you pushed your style further toward the company norm?

Thank you, it's nice to hear from the other side of the fence as it were. ^_^

I can see what you mean about it being an incredible pain to edit several writers and each of their various styles. I feel like the person I'm working with is caught between tight deadlines and a desire to input a bit of his own personal style. He has a dry sense of humor whereas I'm a little more off-the-wall and I think he would still throw in a bit of these here and there even if I tried to emulate.

I like your suggestion and I think having a conversation to get a clearer picture of what he wants coupled with submitting early to allow for revision will go a long way.

Thanks very much for taking the time to help! ^_^
- A

T Robinson · May 14, 2015

amyall said:
Thank you, it's nice to hear from the other side of the fence as it were. ^_^ I can see what you mean about it being an incredible pain to edit several writers and each of their various styles. I feel like the person I'm working with is caught between tight deadlines and a desire to input a bit of his own personal style. He has a dry sense of humor whereas I'm a little more off-the-wall and I think he would still throw in a bit of these here and there even if I tried to emulate. I like your suggestion and I think having a conversation to get a clearer picture of what he wants coupled with submitting early to allow for revision will go a long way. Thanks very much for taking the time to help! ^_^ - A

Before you have that conversation, print out the articles in question. Highlight the things that caught your attention, so you can "show" him specifically what you are talking about. with the contrast between what you submitted. That will give you a better chance to explain what about it you want to know and why. In other words, show him what concerns you in a clear manner, have a proposed solution, and know what you plan to do (if anything) if he tells you "tough, we are paying you."

Jamesaritchie · May 16, 2015

I expect editors to change nonfiction for house style, and to sometimes cut to make a piece fit a given space. If, however, an editor want to actually change anything I said, or wants to add anything at all to a piece, it has to go through me. I insist on this. I've never had an editor argue about it.

Does your editor change your work?

amyall

cornflake

practical experience, FTW

amyall

cornflake

practical experience, FTW

amyall

Fuchsia Groan

Becoming a laptop-human hybrid

cornflake

practical experience, FTW

amyall

T Robinson

Born long ago, in a different era

Jamesaritchie