Is a story sacred?

***Earniel*** · 02-20-2007, 06:48 AM

I see that a lot of people here intend to get their novels published. But what would you do if you finally found a willing publisher but he wants certain events in the book or even endings rewritten? It's not uncommon, I've heard.

What would you do?

Do you consider a story, once written, completely finished and not to be changed? Or would you agree to rewriting and changing bits of your 'baby' if it meant getting published?

hectorberlioz · 02-20-2007, 12:05 PM

If the publisher could come up with specific details which you could agree might improve the work, then I'd consider it. But if they were just being general and couldn't come up with specific reasons on why you should change certain stuff, certainly I'd take my book somewhere else

Sometimes they just want to change the whole feel of the book to a more conventional one.

Count Comfect · 02-20-2007, 01:30 PM

I think it depends on what sort of changes. I mean "change the main character to a woman, and have her die at the end" no, "have the climactic battle here and not here" maybe, "change that name because it might offend" yes, for example.

Curubethion · 02-20-2007, 10:19 PM

Minor changes, possibly. If I haven't attached some significance to them, and if there's a good reason. Plot changes, I'm really not in support of. Especially because I spent a lot of effort fitting all of these threads together. But if they've got a better way of making a plot work, I suppose yes.

Character changes, probably out of the question. As well as major plot changes.

Gwaimir Windgem · 02-23-2007, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eärniel

Do you consider a story, once written, completely finished and not to be changed? Or would you agree to rewriting and changing bits of your 'baby' if it meant getting published?

Absolutely not. If it meant improving the work, then yes, but changing the work solely to be published? That's hackery.

hectorberlioz · 02-23-2007, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gwaimir Windgem

Absolutely not. If it meant improving the work, then yes, but changing the work solely to be published? That's hackery.

Not that you have anything to publish anyways...

Gwaimir Windgem · 02-23-2007, 03:55 PM

Not that I ever will.

Acalewia · 02-26-2007, 06:11 PM

If it would better the story, yes. Change this or you won't be published. Off to see another publisher.

brownjenkins · 02-26-2007, 10:39 PM

I think that it is always best to be open-minded about criticism. Ultimately, the decision is always up to the author as to what he/she wants to put on the paper, and the publisher as to what he/she wants to put on the bookshelf. So I think it would be better to work towards a middle ground.

My impression is most changes that would be required are of an editorial kind to improve the way a book might read, since not all good writers are also masters of the language, rather than complete thematic turnarounds. Typically, if the theme doesn't really fit a publisher, they are not likely to even consider it in the first place.

Lief Erikson · 05-30-2007, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eärniel

I see that a lot of people here intend to get their novels published. But what would you do if you finally found a willing publisher but he wants certain events in the book or even endings rewritten? It's not uncommon, I've heard.

What would you do?

Do you consider a story, once written, completely finished and not to be changed? Or would you agree to rewriting and changing bits of your 'baby' if it meant getting published?

I could accept little changes that I don't like, but if they're huge changes that I think would hurt the story, I'd say no.

It's very sad to think about that kind of possible situation.

Acalewia · 06-06-2007, 07:31 PM

Grammer wise, I'm willing to change. My grammer is not the best

brownjenkins · 06-06-2007, 11:14 PM

It's grammar.

brownjenkins · 06-06-2007, 11:21 PM

Ultimately, I'd trust a publisher. The most incredible story ever written means very little if only a few hundred people read it. Publishers keep their jobs by getting people to read the stories they choose to publish, so I'd have to think that, unless you had some kind of name recognition to begin with, they wouldn't choose your story unless it's pretty darn good, and a few tweaks would be for the better.

I don't think it'd ever come to a major overhaul on a new, unknown writer, because they would not have choosen you unless they already thought your story was something a lot of people would enjoy.

02-20-2007, 06:48 AM	#1
*Earniel* The Chocoholic Sea Elf Administrator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: N?n in Eilph (Belgium) Posts: 14,363	Is a story sacred? I see that a lot of people here intend to get their novels published. But what would you do if you finally found a willing publisher but he wants certain events in the book or even endings rewritten? It's not uncommon, I've heard. What would you do? Do you consider a story, once written, completely finished and not to be changed? Or would you agree to rewriting and changing bits of your 'baby' if it meant getting published? __________________ We are not things.

02-20-2007, 12:05 PM	#2
hectorberlioz Master of Orchestration President Emeritus of Entmoot 2004-2008 Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Lost in the Opera House Posts: 9,328	If the publisher could come up with specific details which you could agree might improve the work, then I'd consider it. But if they were just being general and couldn't come up with specific reasons on why you should change certain stuff, certainly I'd take my book somewhere else Sometimes they just want to change the whole feel of the book to a more conventional one. __________________ ACALEWIA- President of Entmoot hectorberlioz- Vice President of Entmoot Acaly und Hektor fur Presidants fur EntMut fur life! Join the discussion at Entmoot Election 2010. "Stupidissimo!"~Toscanini The Da CINDY Code The Epic Poem Of The Balrog of Entmoot: Here ~NEW! ~ Thinking of summer vacation? AboutNewJersey.com - NJ Travel & Tourism Guide Last edited by hectorberlioz : 02-20-2007 at 09:24 PM.

02-20-2007, 01:30 PM	#3
Count Comfect Word Santa Claus Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 2,922	I think it depends on what sort of changes. I mean "change the main character to a woman, and have her die at the end" no, "have the climactic battle here and not here" maybe, "change that name because it might offend" yes, for example. __________________ Sufficient to have stood, yet free to fall.

02-20-2007, 10:19 PM	#4
Curubethion Fenway Ranger, Lord of Red Sox Nation Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: College! Posts: 1,976	Minor changes, possibly. If I haven't attached some significance to them, and if there's a good reason. Plot changes, I'm really not in support of. Especially because I spent a lot of effort fitting all of these threads together. But if they've got a better way of making a plot work, I suppose yes. Character changes, probably out of the question. As well as major plot changes. __________________ Adventure...betrayal...heroism... Atharon: where heroes are born. My wife once said to me—when I'd been writing for ten or fifteen years—that I could always go back to being a nuclear engineer. And I said to her, 'Harriet, would you let someone who quit his job to go write fantasy anywhere near your nuclear reactor? I wouldn't!' (Robert Jordan)

02-23-2007, 03:55 PM	#7
Gwaimir Windgem Dread Mothy Lord and Halfwitted Apprentice Loremaster Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Thomas Aquinas College, Santa Paula, CA Posts: 10,820	Not that I ever will. __________________ Crux fidelis, inter omnes arbor una nobilis. Nulla talem silva profert, fronde, flore, germine. Dulce lignum, dulce clavo, dulce pondus sustinens. 'With a melon?' - Eric Idle

02-26-2007, 06:11 PM	#8
Acalewia Halfelven Daughter of the Dunedain, President of Entmoot Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: In trouble. As usual. Posts: 4,674	If it would better the story, yes. Change this or you won't be published. Off to see another publisher. __________________ "Acaly und Hektor fur Presidants fur EntMut fur life!"~ inked Don't meddle in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup. "Don't be such a sour wolf" Stiles ~ Heart Monitor http://www.wattpad.com/user/IceQueenofMitera

02-26-2007, 10:39 PM	#9
brownjenkins Advocatus Diaboli Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Reality Posts: 3,767	I think that it is always best to be open-minded about criticism. Ultimately, the decision is always up to the author as to what he/she wants to put on the paper, and the publisher as to what he/she wants to put on the bookshelf. So I think it would be better to work towards a middle ground. My impression is most changes that would be required are of an editorial kind to improve the way a book might read, since not all good writers are also masters of the language, rather than complete thematic turnarounds. Typically, if the theme doesn't really fit a publisher, they are not likely to even consider it in the first place. __________________ Your reality, sir, is lies and balderdash and I'm delighted to say that I have no grasp of it whatsoever.

06-06-2007, 07:31 PM	#11
Acalewia Halfelven Daughter of the Dunedain, President of Entmoot Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: In trouble. As usual. Posts: 4,674	Grammer wise, I'm willing to change. My grammer is not the best __________________ "Acaly und Hektor fur Presidants fur EntMut fur life!"~ inked Don't meddle in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup. "Don't be such a sour wolf" Stiles ~ Heart Monitor http://www.wattpad.com/user/IceQueenofMitera

06-06-2007, 11:14 PM	#12
brownjenkins Advocatus Diaboli Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Reality Posts: 3,767	It's grammar. __________________ Your reality, sir, is lies and balderdash and I'm delighted to say that I have no grasp of it whatsoever.

06-06-2007, 11:21 PM	#13
brownjenkins Advocatus Diaboli Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Reality Posts: 3,767	Ultimately, I'd trust a publisher. The most incredible story ever written means very little if only a few hundred people read it. Publishers keep their jobs by getting people to read the stories they choose to publish, so I'd have to think that, unless you had some kind of name recognition to begin with, they wouldn't choose your story unless it's pretty darn good, and a few tweaks would be for the better. I don't think it'd ever come to a major overhaul on a new, unknown writer, because they would not have choosen you unless they already thought your story was something a lot of people would enjoy. __________________ Your reality, sir, is lies and balderdash and I'm delighted to say that I have no grasp of it whatsoever.

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