Book Alchemy
The Secret Library Podcast
#147 : Trusting Your Editor | Martine Fournier Watson
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#147 : Trusting Your Editor | Martine Fournier Watson

What happens when your editor asks you to change a major plot point? Martine Fournier Watson was faced with a curveball late in the publishing process with her first novel, The Dream Peddler. Even after selling the manuscript to a major publishing house, her editor had notes that involved changing an important part of the plot. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to pull off what they were asking, but decided to trust their instincts and go for it. In this conversation, we go behind the scenes and review the impact that the rewriting had on Martine, and on her book. Thankfully, she was up to the challenge and realized that undertaking it has made her a stronger writer. Most of us believe that a book is virtually set in stone once it's sold, but that's not the case. I hope this conversation sheds light on one way things can unfold inside the publishing process and how the collaboration between writer and editor can open up entirely new possibilities. Fans of L.M. Montgomery will be particular fans of this episode- Martine has a real soft spot for her writing, which was a central source of inspiration for the Dream Peddler.


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Book Alchemy
The Secret Library Podcast
Most people believe that books are created in cabins all alone, where authors pound away on some manner of keyboard. Then they hand this masterpiece off to a publisher and it feels very much like it goes down a tube and comes out the other side as a book. By speaking to authors and other book lovers, I'm diving into the mystery that is the book world today.