In 2006, I wrote a monthly Q&A column for writers. One writer, who signed her name "Unwilling To Rewrite", was upset because she had agreed to write for a low paying publication, and upon submission of her first draft, the editor requested that she rewrite more than half of the piece because he felt it didn't deliver what was promised. In effect, it didn't meet his needs.
She felt the time it would take to rewrite the piece, without any additional compensation, wasn't worth her time and she wanted to know my thoughts.
Being what some would consider a low paying market, and having written for lowing paying publications I could sympathize with both the editor and the writer.
This is the advice I gave her, and I still stand by it today.
1. Be a professional.
If you want to be called a professional writer, you need to act like a professional. There will be times when you disagree with an editor's assessment of your writing talents, or the final submission will not meet the editor's expectations.
It's hard not to take constructive criticism to heart, and even harder still not to take harsh words to heart when an editor's having a bad day and you seem to have caught him on the wrong day.
Instead of immediately stomping your feet and saying, "I'm not doing that!" or "You are so wrong, I did exactly what you told me to do," ask the editor why he feels the piece isn't up to par.
2. Remain objective.
Once you receive the editor's feedback, take a step back from the situation and look at the piece with an objective eye. Then ask yourself, "Is the editor right in his assessment?"
If he is, figure out how you can make the piece stronger. If you feel he isn't, ask a colleague to help you understand his point of view.
3. Rewrite the piece.
Rewrites and edits are part of the job. It doesn't matter if the publication is a small fry in the pay department or not. You submitted the initial query letter knowing the pay scale.
Regardless of how you feel about rewriting the piece, the good news is that the editor is willing to work with you to bring the piece up to his publication's standards. This is a great opportunity to learn what this editor wants and by working with him, gaining future assignments.
This editor accepted your piece in order to fill space in his publication and he turned down other writers to accept your work. It's your responsibility and professional duty to fulfill your promise.
If, after rewriting the piece, you feel the editor was too difficult to work with, or the skills you learned from working with the editor aren't worth the work or the payment, then accept your payment and move onto higher paying markets.
Alyice Edrich is the editor of The Dabbling Mum, a free parenting publication, and the author of several work from home e-books designed to help parents earn extra cash while spending more time with their children. To learn more, visit http://thedabblingmum.com
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