We knew a woman who bragged that her editor didn’t edit her. No really — she thought this was a good thing; being the type to investigate on our own, we read her book. It was a bad thing. Editors may be doing less (and less) hardcore editing these days, but they do continue to serve as a reality check for writers.
While the year has been filled with self-publishing success stories, we find that we’re growing increasingly wary of the concept. We still believe it’s a valid choice for some authors, but continue to worry about the lack of honesty some authors apply to their work. It’s statements like this that make us nervous:
“I wanted to preserve complete artistic control.”
The book in question is Wild Animus, and we picked it up in Austin last February (clearly that was the intent of whomever left it behind). We gave it a read. Or tried. As the Publisher’s Weekly review notes, it’s never a good thing to give away the ending in the prologue. Sure it seems like a good idea, edgy, in-your-face — until you stop to think, “Why am I doing this?”
If artistic integrity is the answer, we suggest taking up another form of art.
