摘要
As a writer, I know the apprehension and dread that can fill the heart upon receipt of a note or an e - mail from an editor. Is she going to try to second - guess my ending? Does he think he knows my characters better than I do? Now that I′m sitting on the other side of the fence with my big red editing pen, I see that what I once thought were strange arbitrary judgments meant to drive my writing brethren and me to the edge of sanity are, for lack of a better phrase, for our own good! There are things that can be done, easy things requiring very little blood from either side, that an editor can do to make the process less frightening, less random,and an all-around painless experience.
