Your work can suck, but it doesn't have to

I have no idea how many times I've told writers that publishing is a business. I don't care about how great (or lousy) your writing is that but it should be edited.

Editing has different levels and I think I've done them all. I know it doesn't show here that I'm the world's greatest editor -- I'm not.

Editing starts out with folks who are essentially technicians. They chase around things like spelling, sentencing, and paragraph construction. Folks may put this down as something that isn't attractive -- but it is to writers. It keeps the work technically correct to silly little things like making a book readable.

Add that to the fact they often get paid to read great stuff. Imagine that. There was probably somebody who made a buck reading every book, paper and magazine you like. I don't know about you, but that aspect of the job can be great.

These folks may piss you off. You may take them as idiots chopping up great writing.

Maybe I'm wrong but I think they should be the last editors in a project. Chances are that every book will be beat up technically after it's done creatively as a great reading.

Another kind of editor deals with the content. That kind of editor will go though a project and look at it creatively. They'll go through it as a reader. The results of their work will range from suggesting a few changes to rewriting a book. They can go as far as becoming co-authors -- even the freaking writers -- of books. I'll note they won't be named as somebody who (may have) rewritten a book.

I had both jobs. It's wrong, but I hated the work as a techical editor. You can see it by looking at all of my writing. I loved work as a creative editor. As it happens I had freelance work from lousy writers I helped put out better books to being the top freelance editor for a publisher.

One place I'd like to pimp is FreelanceWritersAndEditors@yahoogroups.com . I've been with that group for years and have seen everything from readers to publishers. That includes wannabe writers, lousy writers, writers who think they are too great to be edited, writers who are great at writing but lousy at selling it, writers who can't get published, writers who are published -- some doing it full time -- best sellers, all kinds of editors, creative publishers and technical publishers.

Some shut up and rarely do anything but read. Others, like me, are smart asses or folks who understand the business. They went from being a tiny website to a pretty big group of people.

I've pimped the site here before but they've grown a lot since. It's a great read.

The bottom line is that publishing is a good and bad industry. You can be a wanna be to a global star. All of those kinds of folks have read this column at one time or another.

I've reread it recently to day one. Take a look yourself.

I bitched and thanked folks exactly like you.