Most writers heave an enormous sigh of relief when their manuscript is finally finished and sent off to the editor. There's a satisfying sense of accomplishment to be savored, worthy of a grand celebration. There also is the sometimes complacent anticipation of enjoying a well-earned rest from your labors, knowing that, after weeks or months of being tied to your computer, you're finally free. Then you get the notes from your editor.

This can be quite disconcerting for first-time authors. Everyone knows that editors will have feedback to offer, but in practice such feedback, even if tactful and diplomatic, can sting like a whip, especially when you're still feeling drained from your initial effort. Far from being free and able to relax, you are being forced to go back to work, whether you want to or not. Very often, you won't want to; even when you know your manuscript is good, you can become heartily sick of it by the time you're done with it, and an editor asking you to make changes can be akin to a zookeeper asking you to hold a poisonous snake.

The good news is that the negative emotional reaction usually passes in a day or so, if you know how to deal with it. You still have to work with your editor on the rewrite, and you probably will have a very limited time in which to make the changes. But your reward this time is a better manuscript and a more complete sense of accomplishment.

Stay Professional

Feedback on your final manuscript can feel just as hurtful as a rejection, and it can dredge up the same feelings of inadequacy and anger. Give yourself time to recover from those feelings before you respond to feedback; your perspective can change greatly in just twenty-four hours. Comments that seemed devastating when you first read them almost never look quite so menacing after a night's sleep.

After you've had a chance to step back from the natural reaction to feedback, look at the comments from the editor's point of view. Remember that the editor's job is to help make your manuscript the best it can be. Even if the editor's tone or approach grates on you, which sometimes happens, the intent behind the comments always is to improve the final copy. Your responsibility as the author is to work with the editor toward that common goal in a professional manner.

Choose Your Battles

Some writers feel they have to fight every suggestion for changing their copy, even if it's minor. Egos and bad impressions aside, the bottom-line truth is that not every word is worth fighting for. Your integrity isn't at risk if the editor wants to replace the word “eczema” with “rash.” You might think it's a silly change, but it's not worth arguing about.

There's an old two-part joke that aptly illustrates the difference between editors and writers:

Q. How many editors does it take to change a light bulb? A. Does it have to be a light bulb?

Q. How many writers does it take to change a light bulb? A. Does it have to be changed?

Keep this in mind next time you see notes from your editor, and approach the suggestions with a smile.

As a professional author, you have to make a conscious effort to separate the genuinely important battles from the skirmishes that don't matter in the long run. This can be difficult to do, but it's essential to the success of your career. If you challenge every little suggestion from your editor, you'll quickly earn a reputation for being difficult to deal with at best and an egotistical prima donna at worst. If you reserve your energies for the things that really matter, on the other hand, the editor will know when an issue really is important to you, and your objection will carry more weight.

Negotiate Deadlines

The publishing business is full of impossible, or at least wildly improbable, deadlines, and this holds true for revisions as well. Sometimes a hitch on the publisher's end will delay the editor in getting your manuscript back to you with her notes, and that will put extra pressure on the original design and printing schedule. The result may be that your editor will ask you to make changes or corrections incredibly quickly.

Sometimes that fast turnaround is feasible; sometimes it's not. Much depends on how extensive the corrections or changes are and whether they require substantial rewriting or additional research. Another factor is your own schedule. If you need more time than the editor has offered to make changes, let her know — politely and professionally, of course — what your situation is and try to work out a reasonable arrangement. Don't make excuses; calmly discuss what schedule is realistic for you, and do your best to accommodate the editor's needs. As noted earlier, open lines of communication are most effective in eliminating or at least diminishing potential areas of conflict, and most editors will work with you to find a compromise if they understand the circumstances.

If your editor doesn't give you a deadline for finishing the revisions, ask her when she would like to have them. Establishing a due date on revisions helps both of you stay on course. You know how much time you have to do your work, and the editor knows when to expect the final draft.