Be Your Own Editor

I thought about writing an “Ode to the Editorial Assistant” in free verse, but I’m too busy because I have to go pester a few editorial assistants about a few projects I’m working on. So let’s just consider this to be very free verse.

If you’re good enough and lucky enough to land a publishing contract, you’ll interact with a number of people at your publishing house during the process of transformation from manuscript to book. None will be more important to you than your editor’s assistant. They might on any given day play the role of go-between, personal assistant, editor, nag, or therapist. No matter the nature of your relationship, it’s in your best interest to understand what they do.

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I recently posted on the overuse of the word “that,” and I could feel the vibes of excitement coming from readers across the land. Now it’s time for another one that jumps off the page (I wish): “would.”

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