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Concept Discussions© by Holly Lisle
All Rights Reserved
This is more of an "I've already published a few
books and now I've sold one on an outline and a sample chapter"
sort of section, but sequentially, this is the point where the process
takes place, so let's go through how it works.
NOTE: I have done this many times, it can be grueling,
it can beat your ego into pulp, and you have to be good at it or
you will find yourself making enemies where you need allies.
Here's the scene. Your editor calls you on the phone,
(or sends you a letter) and says she likes the look of your book
outline and sample chapters overall, but she sees some areas where
the story could be stronger, and some where it could be shorter,
and she has a problem with the motivations of some of the characters,
and so on. Hope that she sends you a letter first, because you will
deal with this so much better if you don't have to deal with your
first reactions while on the phone.
But let's say you do. Worst case, she calls you cold.
You thought when you sold the book on the basis of the outline that
the outline must have been exactly what she wanted or she wouldn't
have bought it. You, after all, thought it was perfect. Now you're
finding out for the first time that while she wants the book, she
doesn't want it precisely as you envisioned it.
Here are the rules when you're discussing concepts.
Rule #1: Shut mouth, open ears. Tell your
editor you want to write down everything she has to say, grab a
notebook and a pen, and carefully write it all down. At this
point, it doesn't matter whether you agree or disagree with her
remarks---we'll assume for convenience's sake that you have the
typical writer ego and you're certain she's out of her mind. Write
everything down anyway. Don't say a word, unless it is, "I missed
that last little bit, could you repeat it?" Don't defend your concepts,
don't defend your characters, don't defend yourself. Shut up, write.
Rule #2: Get immediate distance. When she
finishes telling you everything that needs to be changed, and when
you've gone over what you've written down once to make sure that
what she said is what you heard, say, "Okay, this is a lot to go
over. I'm going to have to study what I've done and see how I can
work these changes in. When can I call you back to discuss it?"
Get a date, smile and say bye, hang up. Memorize this step and practice
it front of the mirror, imagining that you are foaming at the mouth
while saying these words. Practice sounding both calm and rational.
You probably won't be when the time comes---that's why you're practicing.
Rule #3: Hit the roof in private. Anything
you say when no one can hear you can't be held against you. You're
off the phone, you're alone in the bathroom, you've finished beating
your head on the wall. Now is the time to scream and snarl and make
comments on your editor's parents' species and marital status, your
editor's IQ and sexual practices, and anything else you're inclined
to shout when really angry. Or, if you're of a tenderer disposition,
now's your chance to bask in self-pity and sing three quick verses
of "Nobody Likes Me, Everybody Hates Me, Guess I'll Go Eat Worms."
You're permitted anything from ten minutes to twenty-four hours
for this phase. Get it out of your system, then knock it off.
Rule #4: Lock your ego in the closet. Time
to get back to work. The truth frequently hurts, and it's about
to bite you in the tender spots. You're about to discover that the
reason your editor has her job is because she's good at it. Go over
your outline, synopsis, and completed chapters with her comments
in hand, look carefully at each one she's made, and honestly
try to figure out why she said what she did. Run the story in your
head with her changes in place. You're going to realize that if
you put most of her suggestions into practice, it will actually
get better. Most times, a whole bunch better.
You'll also discover a few things that she suggested
that won't work, but this will usually be because what you have
down on the outline she bought is only a very small part of what
you already have in your head. When you come across one of these
exceptions, write down your reasons for wanting to keep the item
as it was, and make sure that they're good reasons, and that the
item will make the story better. Figure out how you're going to
incorporate the changes your editor was right about, too, and give
yourself a few notes on each so that you won't forget how you're
going to do it all when you're on the phone talking to her; otherwise
you could end up sounding lost or not too bright or like you've
been hitting the sauce.
I'm as defensive as anyone about my writing---probably
worse than most. I have a quick temper, too, and my first reaction
to criticism is to attack. If that were the reaction I ever
let get the upper hand, I would have a miserable time dealing with
my editors, and I would have a short and unhappy career. I am pleased
to report that I've never blown up at an editor, I've never let
my mouth get away from me, and I've always been able to see (once
I've had the time to calm down) how much my editors' initial suggestions
would improve my stories. And because I've taken the time to find
out where each editor was right and figured out how I was going
to make the changes she wanted, when I hit an area that I felt was
important to keep as it was, I've always been able to get the okay
to let it stand.
Writing professionally requires mastery of the art
of negotiation. Never forget that.
First Draft, First Look>>
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