Writing to the Next Level

For every three steps back there is a step forward that takes you leaps and bounds beyond what you thought you could accomplish. Take my most recent offer of a sale as an example. . .

I was offered a sale, but the editors “had some concerns” and wondered if I would be willing to work with them to beat the story into a shape that better suited their interests and needs.

A sale? Great! But they want me to cut into one of my babies, butcher one of my children in the name of publication. What’s wrong wtih my baby? Ugly, is it? Where is my shotgun? My nail-studded club? How dare they – ?

Hold on a minute.

What’s wrong with an editor taking a chance on one of my stories and, in doing so, take a chance on me? This is a request, not a demand. They could have gone with another story. I can pitch a fit, burn my bridges and walk away. I can politely bow out and, again, walk away. Or I can set my ego aside and consider the changes, learn something. Do I want to do this? Can I do it? Will the changes improve the story? Kill it? Make no never mind? Am I so attached to the story that I can’t be bothered with the truth?

I’ve said before that I gauge my progress as a writer by the quality of my rejection notices. Here’s another marker, an editor in effect saying “This is close, i want it, but there’s something missing. Work with me to give the readers a story they’ll remember.”

Only one way to find out.

What would you do?