Quote:
Originally Posted by RHWright
I think there is a tendency in self-pub to rush product out without covering the basics, both in terms of writing and production. In years past, the traditional route may have provided enough challenges and feedback to help authors improve before finding publication. I doubt this is any longer the case, if it ever was more than an isolated practice.
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I think it completely depends on the editor. I know trad authors who say their editor rubber stamps everything, I know some who say their editor goes the extra mile to help them improve and discuss ideas. Some agents perform that role. I've had short stories published where almost EVERY single line had a suggestion and I've had several published that had no lines changed. In one case, I had to write in later and ask that a line be updated because of a typo. Editors are just like writers and any other profession. Some are more skilled than others and some take more time than others. Some projects are going to get more time maybe because the author is more willing to work on projects or maybe because the editor loves the book more.
That said, in this day and age, I think the idea of an editor and/or agent who spends developmental time with writers is fast going the exit route. Some of it is time and some of it is training. Being a partner or beta reader for the author is not quite as expected as it was. I see it in the overall quality of some genres. There's always been mistakes in books; it's part of the nature of the beast. But in the last 10 years I see mistakes of a different nature--cars in two places at once, something contradicting a previous paragraph--things that I think some editors would have caught. They simply aren't caught as often anymore.