Editing Part Three: My Philosophy as an Editor

In order to be able to accomplish genuine improvement for you as a writer, I need to be able to communicate with you.

Editing - sincere editing - has two parts:

1. Getting into communication with you so that I can understand your work and what you are trying to do with it, and

2. Doing something that improves the things you want improved (and perhaps some things that you never realised needed improving).

Some of my successes are from writers who never moved to step two -they had isolated themselves so much and had experienced so much stress that simply the fact of being able to communicate properly about their fiction resolved their difficulties. They perceived their own solutions and were back in control. But more often, both steps are needed.

These stages of editing are distinct and both equally important: without one, the other cannot properly occur. However, once an understanding of existing circumstances and goals has been achieved, it is remarkable how much improvement can be accomplished with little cost. Finding the correct reasons why current problems exist always opens the door to their resolution -if a proposed solution is not practicable, how can it be a true solution?

Once step one has been accomplished, editing can proceed in a very common-sensical way as far as you want it to go. But step one should not be under-rated. Most writers fail because the writer acted on the wrong advice or had no one to turn to at all.

Only genuine communication results in genuine improvement, and there is a discipline and skill involved in knowing what to listen to and what to act upon for better results.

I aim to genuinely help. So I keep the above two points in with every client. And the results speak for themselves:

If anyone needs a beta reader, I know the best person for that job! He does charge for his services, but you will not regret it - his feedback is thorough and educated and very instructional - it beats the pants off of anything I have ever received in the way of feedback from any other beta reader I've ever had. His name is Grant Hudson, and he is definitely open to new books or stories being sent his way.

What you will receive is a critical analysis of your story's construction, and he addresses them in their parts (character, plot, etc.) and explains the methodology that is ideal for each category.

Then he tells you how your story stands in relation to each category, and if something should be changed, he explains to you why in very clear, concise terms that still manage to be absolutely enlightening. I cannot praise Grant's services enough! Grant is the owner of Clarendon House Publications, and he knows what he's doing, that much is very, VERY clear.

-Amarine

Dear Grant Hudson

You were wonderful to work with. I now have a query letter, the dreaded synopsis, editing done and more. Thanks.

To everyone else, if like me, you need help from someone who is also kind and quick and gives regular encouragement; Grant Hudson is your man.

-Michele

With over 100 authors and poets helped to publication in the last year alone, I hope to continue to do something worthwhile for you, the writer.

Drop me a line at grant@clarendonhousebooks.com.