An editor has graciously agreed to take another look at my manuscript they first read a year ago and sent me back notes on. At the time, I made major revisions to the novel, but felt it changed the novel too much. And then I never heard back from the editor so I assumed they were no longer interested. Quite unexpectedly, I just got an email a year later to say they'd be willing to take another look. So I went back to the original manuscript and found a way to make much more minor (but still significant) changes that mostly addressed the editor's issues, but kept the manuscript and the core of the story mostly the same, just tightened it a bit, trimmed it a bit, and made it stronger?
I was going to send back to the editor, but tell them I have ideas for more radical changes (not as radical as the ones I made before, but am afraid to make them in case they don't work), but would be willing to make them or additional changes if he thinks I need too. So that way he sees I've made revisions, improved the manuscript, and would be willing to make more revisions if necessary.
But I'm concerned with this approach that 1.) it might look like I have't made enough revisions, given it's been a year and 2.) it might come off as presumptuous, implying he has time to read this version, THEN another one, because someone pointed out to me this could be my last shot with him.
But at the same time, if I make the more radical changes, they could be too radical. What would you do - make some significant changes, send it back and say you'd be willing to make more if necessary to show him you're willing? Or make more radical changes and take longer with it but possibly risk changing the book too much?
We also haven't had a significant back-and-forth discussion, and this is an editor who doesn't usually look at unagented manuscripts, so I'm afraid to push too hard and get into a back and forth. Basically, they read the manuscript, sent back a rejection and notes. I emailed back saying, would you take another look if I made these changes? Then I dived in and started making major changes. The editor never emailed back, so I assumed it was just a rejection with notes, not an invitation to resubmit. Then I got this email saying, sorry for taking so long to get back to you, I would be willing to take another look. And now I'm not sure what to do.
I was going to send back to the editor, but tell them I have ideas for more radical changes (not as radical as the ones I made before, but am afraid to make them in case they don't work), but would be willing to make them or additional changes if he thinks I need too. So that way he sees I've made revisions, improved the manuscript, and would be willing to make more revisions if necessary.
But I'm concerned with this approach that 1.) it might look like I have't made enough revisions, given it's been a year and 2.) it might come off as presumptuous, implying he has time to read this version, THEN another one, because someone pointed out to me this could be my last shot with him.
But at the same time, if I make the more radical changes, they could be too radical. What would you do - make some significant changes, send it back and say you'd be willing to make more if necessary to show him you're willing? Or make more radical changes and take longer with it but possibly risk changing the book too much?
We also haven't had a significant back-and-forth discussion, and this is an editor who doesn't usually look at unagented manuscripts, so I'm afraid to push too hard and get into a back and forth. Basically, they read the manuscript, sent back a rejection and notes. I emailed back saying, would you take another look if I made these changes? Then I dived in and started making major changes. The editor never emailed back, so I assumed it was just a rejection with notes, not an invitation to resubmit. Then I got this email saying, sorry for taking so long to get back to you, I would be willing to take another look. And now I'm not sure what to do.
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