Step Twelve: The Editorial Letter

It's Never As Bad As You Expect

I present to you a nerve-wracking moment. You’ve sent in the finished manuscript, and you’re waiting to hear what your editor (and presumably your agent) thinks. If you’re like me, this is the crux of the book-writing process. Your editor has presumably only seen your synopsis, and if you’re earlier in your career, maybe some sample chapters. This is their first time with the whole story. It’s kind of a big deal. Like the Grand Canyon is kind of a ravine.

What should you do now? Read? Clean your office? Stress eat? This is a delicate time, and anything that calms your nerves should be employed. Because soon, you will receive word from your editor or your agent, or both, about whether they like what you’ve done. I say time and again that revision is the art of writing—interpreting and reworking your book based on an editorial letter is a vital part of that process.