Well, I don’t know if compromise is the right word. But I wonder about when it’s okay to change/alter a story. Is what you write so terribly sacred you can’t alter a single word? Maybe that’s an overstatement. Is the story, on the whole, a masterpiece not to be tampered with or can you tweak this aspect of the plot or that aspect of character development at the behest of an editor.

I recently submitted a book and received a rejection of sorts. The last quarter of the books was not liked. I asked for a suggestion and actually what the editor said worked well in the book and I think it made it better.

It is yet to be seen if it’s now what she’s looking for, but still–I am not disappointed, disillusioned or otherwise irked at changing it. Frankly, I knew it was weak, but had not a clue how to change it and had I not asked and took my licks of rejection it probably would have been rejected time and again for the same reason.

HAVING SAID THAT, it got me thinking; that time it worked, but I have heard of authors who go through several rounds of this back-and-forth with an editor and in the end the book is still rejected. Was it worth it to go through the effort? Is it even the same story at this point?

When do you say, “No, I like my story just the way it is, but thanks for the time.” It can get you shot down time and again or you may hit pay-dirt on the 104th submission.

I don’t have the answer, I just have a curious mind.

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