Inkwell: Authors and Artists

    
I spent a whole career as an editor of texts, from rewriting to​
proofreading. Writing my book and editing/rewriting it used two​
distinct sets of mental tools, and it wasn't until I felt my editing​
brain kick in that I really started to make it sing instead of​
ramble.
  

    
44. Cut 30,000 words

Tony Hillerman's first editor or agent told him to "cut out all the​
Indian stuff if  you want to write mysteries." 
  

    
jreacher, my goodness... I mean, this is why you have to have a​
pretty clear sense of what you're trying to do, so that the good​
notes you get are useful and the bad ones don't lead you astray. 

I've learned the hard way that the desire to get something produced​
or published can be a handicap in this department. A producer,​
studio exec, or editor gives you a bad note, and somewhere inside​
you it's obvious that it's a bad note, but -- this is the person who​
can make it happen! So you execute that note and no one's happy with​
the result, including you. 

Presumably Tony Hillerman walked right out of there. There were​
times when I should have followed his example.
  

    
I share that hope, Charlie. Robert Gottlieb, early editor of John​
Kennedy Toole's "Confederacy of Fools,"  fooled around so long with​
the project (lending very little encouragement), that Toole finally​
just gave up and quit. When COD was finally published, years after​
Toole's suicide, it won a Pulitzer. 
  

    
Dunces, not Fools!
  

    
Yes

"When a true genius appears... the dunces are all in confederacy​
against him". 

Jonathan Swift
  

    
Charlie Haas agreed to a one-week discussion of _The Current​
Fantasy_, and that week ended yesterday. Thanks to Charlie, and to​
everyone who contributed questions and comments over the last week. 

While we've reached the formal end of our guest's commitment, this​
topic will remain open, and it's perfectly find for the discussion​
to continue.
  

    
Thanks Charlie, it was good to see you here
  

    
Thanks 1,000,000 to David and Jon for having me on here, and to​
everyone for great questions and comments. I'll keep checking in​
just in case people have more thoughts. Anyway, a big pleasure. Most​
grateful. 
  

    
Please do stay wtih us, Charlie! And come visit the <movies.> and <media.>
conference,and other discussion areas!
  

    
It was wholly a pleasure!
  

    
Thanks Charlie and best wishes.