Be Nice to Your Editor
By Sherril Steele-Carlin
Simple advice, but some don't heed it.
There should be a cardinal law about writing. Be nice to your editor. You editor can help your career.
I've had editors pass my name on to other editors who were looking for writers. I've had editors assign me pieces. I've had editors ask me for help in emergencies. That's because they know they can count on me. I try never to get on the wrong side of an editor, although sometimes it's pretty hard. I'm amazed at how some writers say they treat editors, and wonder how much work they actually get, and how often they work more than once with an editor.
Editors usually know more than you do. That may be hard to believe, but I've found it's true. That's why they are editors. This is not always the case, but usually, editors are good at what they do. They can take your words and make them sound better, and that's a great thing. I've met some writers who won't let editors change a word of their work. That's silly. You are not always the best judge of your own work. You see things the way you mean them, not necessarily how you put them on the paper. It's an editor's job to make those words better, and when they do, it's a gift to you, and you should learn from it. They can make you a better writer if you take the time to pay attention.
Editors usually aren't your enemy. They exist to make their magazine or publication succeed. So do you, if you know what's good for you. That's why you need to study publications before you submit ideas to them. Magazines exist to make money through advertising. If you can give them an article that gets readers to read, and look at the ads, then you will serve your editor well. That's what the relationship should be, one of service. The editor doesn't owe you anything, other than what they agreed to pay for a publishable article. So many writers go into the writer/editor relationship with a chip on their shoulder. Editors aren't the enemy, and you can learn a lot from them if you let yourself.
So, be nice to your editor. It's the right thing to do, and it will make both your lives better by far.
