Sometimes when I explain developmental edits to people– big, big changes that my editor has requested; not your simple comma-goes-here edits but rewrite-this-ending type of changes– I get responses like these:

“They should just let you write the book you want to write!”

“That’s so sad they are changing your story.”

“I’d never let someone tell me how to write my own book.”

So I wanted to set the record straight.

These big ol’ nasty edits are making my novel so much better. They are taking my novel to a whole new level, one I could have never reached on my own. My story becomes better, strong, and even more special because of the feedback of my incredible team at Harper (and before that, because of my writing group and beta readers).

I am the novelist. This is still my story. But I am not disillusioned enough to think that I could make something so incredibly special alone.

The book I want to write? I want to write the very best book I’m capable of, and that’s what my team is helping me do. I may complain about the stress of revisions and the time that they take, but don’t be mistaken: I am overflowing with gratitude that people believe in my dusty story enough to make it shine.

Want to know more about my debut novel Truest? Click here!

Image credit: Jason Michael