Wednesday, March 25, 2009

World's Best Editor

MRMacrum has just given me 17, yes that's 17 very detailed and well thought out pages of editing on the first three chapters of the Novel, Maggy. I sent out a general call for help from those of you who are writers. And I did get a suggestion here and there, but MRMacrum took me very seriously and came to my aid in a big way.

I'm thinking MRMacrum is a teacher, or university professor. I know he's a damn fine writer, but the quality and detail of his efforts on my behalf are extraordinary. And so far I haven't found a suggestion or correction I'm not taking. What he's given me is a very carefully detailed map to every problem in those first three chapters and the solution to fixing the problem. Thank you MRMacrum. Now I have a mad blog crush on you. I hope this doesn't embarrass you. I know you're married, and a lucky woman she is. So I won't travel to Main to track you down. But I can't imagine how much time this took you. Not only did he give me a map to fixing what's wrong, make great suggestions, and correct my shitty punctuation, he did it so carefully, so meticulously, I will simply follow his directions.

It is my belief that every writer of long fiction needs an editor. If you are good enough or lucky enough to publish something that leads to publication of your novel, the publisher assigns an editor to you. It least that's how it used to be. I have a friend who has published two books, and the minute her manuscript was accepted, she was assigned an editor. Such luxury. However, I can't imagine a better editor anywhere than MRMacrum.

17 comments:

Randal Graves said...

Holy shit, seventeen pages? Everyone needs an editor, but I'm not sure whether to mightily impressed or scared to death at his considerable text-skewering prowess.

El Vox said...

Fantastic, red letter day for you Ms Savage, good luck.

Amos said...

Good news Savage.

Judy Weir said...

That's great news - it's not easy to edit the work of someone you know.

Utah Savage said...

MRMacrum is another blogger like you
Lady F, I know him better now, since he's worked so carefully on my first three chapters, but I'm blown away by the time and care he took to go through line by line, word by word, comma by comma. I think MRMacrum must be or have been a writing teacher.

I'm self taught. I did to go to graduate school in a good writing school, but I did support my third husband while he went through a really good PhD program in Creative Writing. Last time I checked in on him he was Chairman of the English Department at the university that hired him the year he got his PhD. I saw how hard he worked on his students work and how little time he had to actually work on his own writing.

I really have no formal education--I'm just incredibly well read, and I like to write. I have great material, but I really need, need, need to work with an editor. Oh how I wish I could make some sort of deal with MRMacrum to edit my work. He is deft, careful, meticulous, and complimentary now and then. Just what a writer wants in an editor. He doesn't tell me what to write, he suggests a better way to make a sentence work, the one word that will make it more powerful, give it more punch. He is amazing. And I'm crazy about him. Oh, would that I were rich. I'm offer him a bundle.

Utah Savage said...

See what I mean? In my second paragraph there I left out the work "not." I did not go to graduate shool...

Utah Savage said...

See again, how that should be, I left out the word--not work. Holy crap. Maybe I can't write.

Amos said...

You may want to change Main to Maine

LeAnn said...

I am very glad you found a person who is helping you! I hope Maggy is published. It is a very good story. Just want you to know my thoughts and hopes are with you.
~LeAnn

Laura said...

What a kind man!
And how lucky are you that he knows what he's talking about!
Can you imagine getting 17 pages of shitty advice?
(((Hugs)))
Laura

MRMacrum said...

Can you feel the heat of my red face from there? Thanks Utah. But before I bask too long in yours and everyone else's praise, please believe me when I say I only did what I thought looked or sounded right. I would be the last one to claim I "know" what I am doing. The important thing is do you like the result?

I took it on as another way to enjoy the act of writing. Other than helping some classmates in years long gone, I have never edited anything but my own work. And I was less critical of myself than I was with your three chapters. I tried to think like Capt Stremba, my high school English teacher. I hated his tendency to carve up my words with impunity, but I became a better writer because of him.

Actually I was honored that you allowed me to mess with your fine story. Really. It was an honor. "Maggy" deserves a wider audience. If I can help in any way, I will do what I can.

jmsjoin said...

I am glad he helped you! Maybe I did it backwards but I had an editor and then found a Publisher. Anyway you look at it, it is not easy unless you already have a name then anything goes. I wish you luck!

themom said...

That is super wonderful. What a network you have Utah. Truly I am all giddy for you. My mind races so fast sometimes, I forget a word, misspell a word - or even leave out a phrase. I cannot wait to see the finished product. I'm doing a happy dance for ya!

Dr. Zaius said...

Seventeen pages? What did he scribble in the margins, I wonder?

Utah Savage and MRMacrum, sitting is a tree...

You have been officially tagged for the "Six Random Things" meme.

Utah Savage said...

Dr Zaius, you dirty rotten bastard. Hit and run. I'm getting reader for painters and then need to spend hours editing, following MRMacrum's directions. They are minutely detailed and will take much mighty concentration. Curses!

Joe said...

I can not imagine having the attention span to attempt what you've done. Wow.

Glad you found an editor

Comrade Kevin said...

I wish I had more time, Utah. I fully intended to help you out, but then life intervened.

But the good thing is that you've found someone who gives very solid advice.