The Edited Carver

This is amazing. The editing is superb. The details are allowed the right amount of room - and he never lets Carver give too much information. This is such a smart bit to cut: "She was fifteen years younger than Herb, had suffered periods of anorexia, and during the late sixties, before she’d gone to nursing school, had been a dropout, a “street person” as she put it. Herb sometimes called her, affectionately, his hippie." This closes down her character too much, somehow. Thanks Mark. Joe

I'd heard about this Carver. I'm a big fan of Carver and I like the collections as they stand. So I was a bit wary. The link is fascinating Mark. Even the names were changed. I wonder how typical this is. What's your experience of being edited Joe? 'Me and Mickie James' has been through the editor, sub-editor and proofreader and any changes were minimal, and had to be authorised by me. Apart from a few words for clarity I was hardly asked to change anything. (Me and Mickie James had previously been through 8 reads from another agency and I'd rewritten the ending. And then my agent, rightly, thought the first part should be changed so a character and about 5000 words got cut.)

My editing experiences have been small changes, many many times. So I have given the book, or chapters of it, to friends for help. Mainly Rokkitnite. Who helped me make lots of small changes and a few big ones. Then again, with my agent, who suggested lots of small changes, many of which I took up. Then again with my editor at Penguin - lots of small changes, most of which I agreed with and used. And again with the proof readers. I made most of the drastic choices myself or in discussion with my editor, agent or friends. Joe

I love editing, mostly. I was at my bf's house yesterday and I looked at a copy of the book I am currently working on. I had put a copy on his computer for safe keeping. A few months down the track it is now 7000 words shorter and has chapters and is much better. Editing M&MJ was a good experience. It made me realise what they are looking for, that every fact will be checked, and there's no room for being lazy. Sorry, anyway, back to Carver.....

for those who haven't seen it, here is the 1998 Times atricle by D.T. Max examining the Carver/Lish working relationship. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F03E3D71F38F93AA3575BC0A...

Thanks for the link, I really enjoyed the article. I've read both versions of the 'A Small Good Thing' and I'm happy to remember that I preferred Carver's own. But I also love 'Fat'... It makes you think.

Definitely better. Though he got really brutal at the end. Given the choice I would much rather be a writer than an editor. Great post Mark.

It's all bloody good, but I'd rather have dirty sex. Oh dear! I think I ruptured my pomposity.