What should you, the author, do if you disagree with your editor? Yes, in an ideal world the editor would always perfectly understand the author’s vision and the author would always perfectly understand the editor’s comments. But some edits are subjective enough to leave room for different approaches. Miscommunication can happen. So, what should you if you disagree?

First, know that disagreeing with your editor is different than being in conflict with her. Good editors want to know your perspective and dialogue with you about it. That dialogue a great opportunity for both the writer and the editor to grow and learn. The best editing relationships are always a collaboration.

Also know that every edit has two parts: identifying a problem and suggesting a solution. You can reject a suggestion but still address the problem. Every time you disagree with an edit ask yourself, is it the problem or the solution that you disagree with? The next thing you need to know is how editing levels affect the dialogue.

There are four levels of fiction editing: developmental editing, stylistic editing, copy editing, and proofreading. These levels exist on a spectrum from broad story-level concerns to specific sentence-level concerns. The broader the edit, the more artistic and subjective the suggestions are. The narrower the edit, the more technical and objective the suggestions are. You’ll need to approach disagreements at each level slightly differently.

Developmental Editing

Is the story’s beginning gripping and its ending satisfying? Does each character feel realistic? Does the story feel meaningful? These are very broad artistic questions. Armed with their knowledge of literary theory, developmental editors strive to give objective story-level feedback. Identifying story-level issues are more objective, but finding the ideal solution can be quite subjective. Developmental editors are skilled at giving guidance to find solutions, but any final decision is best left in the hands of the author who knows the story and its characters best.

So, what should you do if you disagree with story-level feedback? If it’s the suggestion you disagree with, figure out specifically why you don’t like it. Use it as a guide to find a solution that better matches your story.

If you disagree about the problem itself, you can choose to ignore the editor’s feedback, but I strongly recommend talking about it with your editor first. You may not fully understand what the editor meant, or the editor might adjust her feedback after hearing your concerns. Again, the best editing relationships are always a collaboration.

Stylistic Editing

Does each paragraph have an artful and logical flow? Does each sentence sound smooth? Will the reader know what you mean? These stylistic questions are in the middle between the artistic and the technical. The problems that stylistic editors identify are often quite technical, but there are endless potential solutions to any stylistic issue. Finding the solution that best matches the author’s voice can be tricky.

One of the key mandates for stylistic editors is that they should only change what is necessary and do everything in their power to maintain the author’s personal voice and style. In other words, good stylistic editors do not rewrite stories to match their own preferences. Instead, they ensure that the author’s style is as strong as it can be.

If you ever dislike a sentence-level edit because you feel it doesn’t match your personal style, remember that your editor wants to improve clarity and maintain your voice. Whenever I make significant stylistic changes, I also explain in a comment why I made the changes I did. That way, if the author feels I didn’t get his voice quite right, he can make tweaks that still address the problem at hand.

If you ever don’t understand a stylistic change, ask your editor about it. She is there to help.

Copy Editing & Proofreading

Does each sentence have sound grammar? Are all the commas in the right place? Is each page formatted consistently? These questions are much more technical and have much more objective answers. Even if you want to break some standard rules for an artistic purpose, a good copy editor and proofreader will treat your exception as the new rule and make sure it’s done consistently throughout the document.

For these technical edits, it is especially important that you talk with your editor before rejecting corrections. Readers will notice glaring mechanical issues and they will judge your writing for it. Your copy editor is there to help keep that from happening.

My Final Note

As an editor that serves you, the writer, I do everything I can to align my edits with your style and your vision for the story. But at the end of the day, I do not have the intimate knowledge that you do of your world and your characters. That distance allows me to objectively identify issues, but you are the one who will know the best solution for the story you want to tell. As an editor it is my job to give you awareness of issues and guidance for how to approach a solution.