Editing for friends - a dilema.

A friend of mine has recently decided to write a travel book which tells of her and her husbands exciting travels around the globe, very specifically, China. It is a very exciting idea, and when she asked if I'd mind her sending it to me to have a look over I was overjoyed and agreed on the spot! Unfortunatley, this is where my dilema starts. Since she sent me the first draft of the first chapter and a sample synopsis she has been asking for my advice as well as my opinion. Now, this may not seem like such a difficult request, but before you can wholly understand the dilema, you must first understand the situation.

I refered to her as 'a friend of mine', but in fact she is a very old friend of my fiance and I am just about making an effort to get to know her too. She doesn't really have a background in fictional or travel writing. As such her ideas are amazing, but her writing could do with a little scrubbing up. This brings me back to the dilema. Do I tell her that I think her work is a great idea and that her writing is superb, or should I be honest and risk upsetting her?

Her aim is to get the book published, which with a little help and a fair amount of editing is probably not too much of a long shot, but I'm worried that if they send it off as is then their chances of publication are much smaller.

Now I have a group of friends who I studied with, who are, for lack of a better phrase, my writing circle. This is great because we know that when we give criticism that we are each trying to be constructive and helpful. We also know that we can say pretty much anything, for example if the work is really bad then we can say 'it's awful!' and laugh it off, without causing a rift. So what to do with friends outside of this circle? I always want to be able to help people acheive the things that matter to them, but perhaps this time I am better 'not being available?'

Death of the Author

Sylvia Plath commited suicide, Agatha Christie once dissapeared for a week and no one is really sure what happened to Edgar Allan Poe.

I am sitting in a coffee shop drinking my third cup of tea when I overhear a snippet of conversation which intruiges me. A balding man carrying a red clipboard which clashes with the colour of his tie announces:

"BRITISH AUTHOR DIES IN CRASH!"

Suprisingly this is met by a roar of laughter by the other three people who are happily sharing his wine. "Probably the best thing a writer can do for his publisher" Says the man who is lucky enough to have hair, even if it is receeding. "Sometimes I think I should write all the poems that God has given me, leave them on my publishers desk and then go and drive a car into a lampost!" Again more laughter follows, and I am now listening much more intently than your avarege evesdroper. I find myself sidling along my seat so that I can be closer to the group.


"So. You're poems Sam? Is there a collection yet?"


"I'd say so."


"And are they ready?"


"Are they ever?" More laughter. I want to talk to them, show them some of my own poetry even though I know it has it's limitations. Maybe I should ask them if they are looking to publish any short fiction. Unknown by anyone else in the room, Mrs Yettman sits down next to me. She feels very strongly about what I should ask the group. She assures me that talking to this random group of people may indeed jeopordise my integrity as a writer, because all I am going to do is throw myself at them, in much the same way that a married middle aged woman might throw herself at an also married, but nonetheless slightly happier Garry Barlow in fresh veg aisle in Morrisons.



I know from her constant badgering that she wants these stories to be a success more than anyone. They are, after all, her road to the acknowledgement which she so desperatley wants. her presence only causes me momentary distraction and pretty soon I am already deep in thought, wondering if perhaps if it might benefit my bank balance (in which I am knee deep in overdraft) if I was to die?

"AUTHOR KILLED BY WEAK BOOK SHELF!"

"AUTHOR FOUND DEAD SURROUNDED BY MANUSCRIPT"

"AUTHOR SUFFERS SAME FATE AS NOW INFAMOUS CHARACTER!"

No. Somehow none of these seem quite right. Mrs Yettman nods in agreement. I should probably keep on living at least as long as it takes to finish the collection.