Edits

After reading over 1000 books I have come to realize something...a good editor is critical to a good book.  Seriously one of my biggest book peeves is when a book could have been great...if a good editor had gotten a hold of it before publication.  As a creative person, and as the daughter, sister, friend, wife, and aunt to some insanely wonderfully creative people I have come to realize that knowing when to stop is not always our strong point.  An objective eye is needed to really sell the dream/idea/concept to the rest of the world (I'm sure my blog posts are a perfect example of why we need good editors).  Editors perform any number of tasks, but the main was is making sure the story the author is trying to get across is readable and coherent.

This is never more obvious then the new ability to self-publish online.  Sites like Amazon even provide publishing and outlet services for new authors.  While this is really in cool in that people we would never get to read are now available, for example Andy Weir and his book The Martian.  That being said, I have to mostly avoid reading these tales because the lack of editing is excruciatingly evident.  I firmly believe that no matter how good or how experienced an author you are, a good editor is what takes the book that final step.  Most authors get to close to their story, or forget that the reader is not in their heads and don't have all the information to tie the story together when the author forgets to put whats in their heads onto the page, this is where a good editor is invaluable.  To this end I actually have favorite editors (just in case my super bookworm nerdishness was in question), mostly in relation to short story collections (I'm looking at you Datlow, Windling, and Adams I'll read anything edited by you), but in other capacities as well.  So next time you read a book that has spot on pacing, makes sense, and has minimal typos remember to look on the editor page on give them a quick nod because they have helped your favorite author bring their book to life.  On that note, any volunteers to edit my incoherent ramblings?  Happy Reading Everybody!