Bubble Popping: Editors and You

This blog is a little different from my others. I still have nuggets of wisdom to impart, but first...let me just bare my soul a little bit.

I've mentioned in previous posts that I edit for fun, that I'm a voracious reader. Beyond that, I think it's obvious I write. I've shared my struggles for all of you to laugh at, commiserate with, and otherwise learn from.

So what has my panties in a wad?

In short, ignorance.

Bear with me a moment before you write me off as a complete bitch. This needs to be said, even if the reality check isn't pretty.

Between working on my own projects, I try to help fellow writers by doing beta and various levels of editing on their work. It's nothing to write home about; I enjoy it. That being said, every once in a while, I come across someone that doesn't know the first thing about what they're doing.

Let me break this down in quick and easy steps:

1. Write book.
2. Clean up book to the best of your ability.
3. Hand off to alpha readers.
4. Fix mistakes.
5. Hand off to developmental editor.
6. Fix more mistakes.
7. Hand off to betas.
8. Fix more mistakes.
9. Hand off to editor.
10. Fix more mistakes.

Do you see where I'm going with this? There's a process inherent to writing a book and editing it. I mentioned in "The Aftermath" that your book wouldn't be ready for publishing straight from the gate, but neither is it ready for a hard edit when you've barely knocked out a first draft.

I've learned more about the editing process since "The Aftermath." Beta is apparently reserved for manuscripts closer to being publish ready. I've bowed to the whims of my trade group in regards to where beta is used; I can roll with the flow. So in this handy dandy outline of services (what they are, what they entail, fees, providers, etc), I thought it was obvious what I was getting into. Not the case.

I am now working on what I was led to believe would be a beta. It is not a beta. This book is not ready for consumption in any way shape or form. It's barely ready for a developmental edit.

And where does that leave me?

If you follow my blog, I'm sure you noticed the post about giving and receiving criticism. But faced with something like this, I feel trapped by my own frustration. Do I break my own rules, pull all the stops, go Ahau-Kin on this writer's heart?

NO! Abso-fucking-lutely NOT. Still, there's only so many ways you can nicely frame a statement about plot holes; cliches; poor character development; bad spelling, grammar, and punctuation; and any other number of rookie mistakes.

My frustration lies in the truth. I feel like--even though I am struggling to put this in the nicest terms possible--this writer is either going to give up or hate me just because of the sheer amount of mistakes I'm pointing out.

SO...that little nugget of wisdom I mentioned?

Learn your craft. Everyone starts somewhere; I know that. And I don't want to impede that process. But if this is your first attempt, rather than seeking out someone like me, DO YOURSELVES A FAVOR: reflect.

Have you written your book to the best of your ability? If not, don't seek out an editor. Keep honing. Keep writing. Keep learning.

I feel like the bad guy when you come to me full of hopes and dreams, and I'm sitting over here picking everything apart, dreading the day I hand this back to you. It makes ME feel like shit because I'm the one that has to pop that bubble. I don't want to be that person. I despise being that person.

I'm not heartless. I want to help. I want you to succeed. But for every five writers I do this for, maybe one takes the critique as a learning experience. The rest trash me or give up on writing altogether. Don't make me be that guy. PLEASE.