: Re: Do editors rewrite? I write fiction, I guess you could say experimental fiction, but I just feel I am more of a stylist. Every story of mine that's been accepted was taken as is. Now, for

@Connie138

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It changes from editor to editor and from writer to writer.

There are stories where the original manuscript was completely turned upside down by the editor. A very famous case in Italy had the young writer submit a novel written in first POV, and the editor changed the whole thing into a teenager diary (in agreement with the writer, of course, not behind her back). It was a massive hit and a literary case, a best seller.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez said that in the end of his career, his novels were taken just as they were, not because he got famous, but because, I quote him, "I am more experienced and I know how to do my job". So even in his case, at the beginning, the editors would help.

So the answer is yes, editors sometimes rewrite. Their job is to help the book come out in all its potential and to serve well the publishing line of the house. As in every job, there is a way to do it right and a way to do it harshly and heavily, so sometimes editors can be not helpful, but it's not the purpose of this answer to judge each person's job.

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