posted
Okay, so I have a very close friend who's been away (in the Navy) for the past five years. We both love SF, and we've both taken stabs at writing, but I realized long ago that I don't have the discipline to do it for a living, or even as a serious hobby. However, he respects my ability, and I do know a thing or two about spinning a yarn (after all, I DO own every OSC book on the subject ).
So, the other day, he emails me a completed novel and asks me to edit it. I'm only about 20 pages into it so far, and it's a VERY mixed bag. There's some individual parts that are much better than I thought him capable of, but there are also a lot of rookie mistakes. I'm not sure how to approach this; I've never critiqued a close friend and I'm pretty picky. Whenever my wife asks me to help her with her academic papers, after five minutes she usually throws her hands up and says, "Fine, YOU write it then!"
So, what should I do here? Brutal honesty? Gentle suggestion? Take a pass completely? He's clearly put a ton of work into this and I don't want to anger him; at the same time there's a long way to go before this would be ready for any sort of publication. Advice?
posted
I say gentle critique. After all he did ask you to edit it.
Unless he's very confident it's probably unlikely he thinks he's going to score a hit with a first draft and he will welcome an honest second opinion.
Posts: 8473 | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
When I edit friends writings, I print it out and go over it with a red marker. It drives Correlle and her boyfriend up the wall, but I just say, "I think this would go better, but it's your story, not mine."
Constructive criticism is always good. After going over what you didn't like, give a few examples of what you did like as a reader. That way, they're sure to repeat the good and slack off on the bad.
Posts: 873 | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
I heard a great quote today. "There's nothing worse than a critiquing friend. Unless you count the guy who knows too much and shows it." Yeah. Just kinda go in the middle. Show him the glaring bad points, help him mold it, but try not to be picky.
Posts: 3003 | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
Well, do what he asked... Edit it, if you find problems in spelling and grammar, fix them. But, don't really tell him what to change in the actual writing, he didn't ask for you to. But, if he asks for your opinion on things and how they're written, then give them... As opinions, maybe just say, "This part is kind of... slow and dragging, it also has a few things that don't make sense. Like these."
But, don't forget compliments, if you do that as well it usually balances out. ^_^
That's what I'd do at least.
Posts: 1831 | Registered: Jan 2003
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posted
I once took a writing class taught by a guy named David Lee. He mentioned that his first book of poetry he ever put together he sent to a friend for editing. The friend took the brutally honest approach, but Dave said that though it hurt to get that sort of response from a friend, it really changed his outlook on writing. He was able to remain very good friends with this person, and his ability to write improved dramatically because of his friend's response.
So I guess what I'm recommending is the brutally honest approach. Explain to him that you want him to publish his very best work and remind him that the really hard part of writing a novel is over.
Posts: 681 | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
I would suggest asking your friend for clarification. What, exactly, does he want you to edit/pointout/comment on? Let him be the guide. And then do exactly what he says.
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quote:When I edit friends writings, I print it out and go over it with a red marker. I
This sure sounds like a lot more work that just putting it into Word and turning on Track Changes so it will highlight any suggestions by you, and also leave how it was originally.
posted
There's usually plenty of ways to critique honestly and helpfully, but also gently... I always go for a 2 to 1 ratio of critiques to compliments when I'm going over something that really needs a lot of help.... but I'd imagine that would be exhausting for something as involved as a novel. Posts: 1681 | Registered: Jun 2004
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posted
Definitely, definitely, definitely ask first. Does he want:
Spelling/grammar check?
Consistency? (All the characters names spelled the same all the way through, no background facts changed or major plot points hosed?)
Style check? Can't really bust on someone for their style, but you can tell them if it works for you as a reader. Did you want to keep reading? Did it pull you along? Were you satisfied?
Full-out-with-a-big-red-paintbrush edit? Not for the fainthearted, but utterly necessary before it gets submitted to a Real editor. If it can't come form you it needs to come from somewhere, but ask before you go gonzo.
Posts: 7790 | Registered: Aug 2000
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posted
You know, in high school, one of my classmates' mother came to talk about her career as a writer. (Judith McNaught) She said that she was thrilled when she sold her first novel. Then she saw the changes they wanted. She told us that they cut half the book and told her to quadruple what was left. She said that if you want to be a writer, you need to get over yourself and that looking back on it now, it was a great thing to have happen. But she was crushed when she first got it with all that red all over it. (This was back in the early '80s. You know, before the common usage of computers.)
Posts: 9871 | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
Farmgirl: If I put it into Word, I always miss things, which end up aggravating me more than anything.
Yes, of course, email and ask them. Duh, I forgot that one. I also write little notes in the margin about why I changed what I did.
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I'm editing it right now, making copious notes and making sure to point out the good as much as the bad. I'm really pleasantly surprised by the quality of some of the ideas and characters, and there's a lot of really good raw material. He's never been a master of the little things (punctuation), so I think he's eager for that kind of help.
You know, I WILL ask him. Going to go do that . . .
posted
So I asked my friend what kind of editing he was looking for, and he basically said it was crap anyway and he didn't think it would ever amount to anything, so don't bother. A terrible case of writer's remorse.
Well, I'll consider that carte blanche on the editing front; there's too much good stuff here to just trash it. Besides, if the two of us working together can improve it, it will mean all that time wasn't wasted. I can't imagine writing a complete novel and then summarily dismissing it as soon as you finish . . .
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