Throughout over twenty years as a professional editor, Michael Garrett has worked with giants of the literary scene such as Stephen King, Joyce Carol Oates, Richard Christian Matheson, Brian Lumley, and Nancy A. Collins to name a few. He was an Editorial Associate of the Writer’s Digest School and, since 1986, has taught a number of fiction and screenwriting workshops at major colleges and universities across the U.S. and has made presentations at various writing conferences. Mr. Garrett was also a three-term President of Magic City Writers, an organization for professional and semi-professional writers, and is an Advisory Board member of Kentucky’s Green River Writers. He was co-creator and co-editor of the internationally published thirteen volume Hot Blood anthology series, one of the most successful continuing short story collections of all time.

Despite his busy schedule, Michael Garret has generously agreed to answer a few questions about what editing a book implies.

You did edit Stephen King’s first novel, among other big names in the literary world. When you read his manuscript, did you think he would become an icon?

I was actually the editor of one of Mr. King’s first novellas. He was obviously talented and I had little doubt that he would be successful. Who could have guessed, however, that he would become one of the most successful, widely known and popular authors of all time?

His talent is unique, and his characterization is second to none.

Writers are often advised to turn off their internal editor let their writing flow. As an editor, do you think it is a good idea?

I agree that this is good first draft advice. Just get the story out without any preconceived thoughts. I believe that a first draft, however, is only equivalent to an artist’s lump of clay. It’s raw material. It can be molded into a work of art through skillful rewriting.
This, of course, requires time and patience. Most beginning authors fail to devote sufficient effort to the rewriting process. A story isn’t finished until it’s the best that it can possibly be.

Are there things you learned from your experience as an editor that someone who had only ever been a writer would never know?

Becoming a successful author requires far more than placing pretty sentences on sheets of paper. The key to effective writing is determining how those sentences fit together and how they are honed and focused. Many individuals can write grammatically accurate, pretty sentences; few, however, can string them together effectively.
There are many parallels to film making. Creating a movie requires a producer, director, writer, actors, set designers, cinematographers, etc. Writing an effective novel requires all of those same skills as well, but must be applied by one author alone. An effective novel must be “directed” just like a movie. I see many clients who are good “writers,” but not necessarily good “directors.”

 It is often said that editing is in the details. Would you agree with that statement?

I suppose many editors approach the task from different perspectives. There’s quite a difference between nitpicking at sentences or criticizing vocabulary choices and taking an overall look at the entire scope of the manuscript and evaluating how it all fits together.
I don’t edit through a microscope; I take a more broad approach by analyzing all of the components and how they complement each other. I see an editor’s role much like a music producer. George Martin was often referred to as the “fifth Beatle.” The Beatles’ music would have been good without him, but with his direction in the studio, they achieved greatness. It was their music and their talent, but George Martin helped them become masterful at their craft.

Traditional publishers select their books according to specific criteria, which implies that working with an editor having experience in the industry is an asset for the writer.  What does this say about traditional publishing?

All successful businesses specialize. Basic wisdom tells us to concentrate on what we do best. Harlequin does romances, for example. They don’t care if you’ve written a ground-breaking horror novel. They focus on what they do best.
An author seeking commercial publication will benefit tremendously from a professional edit by the right person, though no one editor is best for everyone. Most of the information I provide in an edit comes from my commercial experience, not from what I learned in school. I encourage my clients not to feel embarrassed by the number of issues I detect in an edit. Most of the issues are not taught in school, thus authors would have no way of learning of their existence except through association with a professional who has extensive commercial publishing experience. It just makes good common sense that, if you want to avoid rejection, get advice from someone who rejects.

Given the tendency of e-books to be shorter than traditional books, would you use the same criteria to edit a book meant for submission to a traditional publishing house than one meant for self-publishing.
The same issues apply regardless of length or publishing alternative. It’s like sculpting; whether the project is the size of Mount Rushmore or a life-size bust of a human being, the same skills must be applied.

What do you do when you are sent a request to edit a manuscript that is really below par?

I’m a one-man operation and cannot possibly accept every potential client who approaches me. I commonly work with about a two-month backlog of work. I screen potential clients by determining if we’re a good fit. I don’t reject business solely on the basis of weak writing skills.
I also try to assess how clearly a prospective client understands my role as an editor. I want clients with a desire to learn and not depend on someone else to do the work for them. I make it clear to prospective clients when they initially contact me that edits alone cannot improve a manuscript; only authors can do that. Again, I refer to the George Martin/Beatles analogy. The Beatles had the talent, but it was rough when they walked into the studio. George Martin helped them learn to polish it to greatness. The secret was in how effectively they applied his recommendations, not his advice alone. An edit alone is useless; how effectively an author incorporates the advice is what improves their work.

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Never lose sight that achieving commercial publication is a lengthy process and a continuous learning experience. The more you write, the better you’ll be. Don’t be discouraged by rejection. It’s simply a part of this business. Everyone gets rejected. Believe in yourself and stick with it. Sooner or later, you just might succeed. And remember that no matter how good you might become, you’ll never please everyone. In my writing workshops I like to read to my students scathing book reviews that appeared when some of the greatest literary masterpieces of all time were first published. Yes, even Charles Dickens and Ernest Hemingway were plastered in published reviews.

Interested parties may learn more about my services at www.manuscriptcritique.com. Good writing to you all!

Thank you Mr. Garret for these invaluable insights in the world of professional editing.

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