One of the final steps in preparing your work to be published is having it copy edited, which is to say that there are other steps. For example, your work needs to be revised. It needs to be read by beta readers, preferably ones who read critically. It needs to be read by an editor who will provide structural feedback.* It will then need to be revised according to the feedback and reception received. Then and only then is it ready to be hacked to pieces by the copy editor.
Do You Work in Your Pajamas?
Now that I work from home, an almost inevitable question arises: do I laze around in my pajamas all day? The answer is a resounding “no.” While I sometimes do get distracted by work mid-breakfast and end up working while still ensconced in pajamas (or workout clothes if the morning included a run and workout), my normal routine is to dress as though I’m heading into an actual office with a mostly casual dress code.
Writing with Love
But I know now there’s one thing you’ve all overlooked: intelligence and education that hasn’t been tempered by human affection isn’t worth a damn…Intelligence is one of the greatest human gifts. But all too often a search for knowledge drives out the search for love.
– Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon
Write Right and Winnie-the-Pooh Send Valentines
Any complaints about sticky valentines should be directed to ATTN: Christopher Robin. All other correspondence should be sent to Write Right.
How to Take Criticism
Criticism is a horse pill: hard to swallow but good for you.
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What If the Writers Don’t Listen?
I recently was asked what I do if writers don’t listen to me. I was somewhat taken aback because I have no expectation that writers will listen to everything I say nor do I want them to. Writers are their own people, and they have a creative vision for their work that I may not fully understand despite my best attempts to read and critique closely. My job is to ask questions that encourage them to think and to be able to stand their ground when they are questioned about a choice they’ve made.