I have been writing fiction for seven years. For the majority of those years I've had my sights set on one major publishing house and one editor in particular. Over the years, she has read my three adult novels in full (either by requesting each full M.S or receiving them through an agent) and this March she requested to meet me. I was full of excitement. At the meeting she told me that she is being very cautious buying new authors and that she would have bought my book (EYES OF A BOY) five years ago, but not now. However, she made suggestions for a re-write and said she'd read the book again but even if I did everything she suggested there is no guarantee she'd take me on.
Her suggestions involve making my novel more commercial. She suggests taking out, Zohra, one of the three main characters (the Afghan wife), and using the extra space to further develop the other two, an Irish single mother and the Afghan husband. She said to make the male lead 'a hunk' so that female readers will want to go to bed with him, she also suggested 'focusing less on the theme of Islam and more on the romantic relationship which blossoms between the Irish single mother and her Afghan neighbour. Those of you who have reviewed my novel EYES OF A BOY will know what I'm talking about. She also gave me a novel to read that is soon to be published, and said that is the type of thing she is looking for.
I've since read the novel and found it boring and dishonest with unlikable characters (who the reader is supposed to sympathise with). I realise now that this editor is interested in publishing highly commercial chick lit, and my book doesn't really fall into that category. And I don't like reading that genre very much.
I've worked very hard on this novel. Doing a lot of research into Afghanistan and Islam. I had an agent in London up until last year, but left when the M.D. of the agency said this novel was too controversial to sell (because of the religious element). It was a tough decision but I didn't want to give up on the book. Since then I've attracted the interest of another agent who has read the book and made suggestions for revisions. I agree with his suggestions, (one of which is to give more space to the third character the editor wants me to remove). He is also very keen on the religious elements.

It's been one month since I've met with the editor and I am paralysed by indecision. I really want to get published. So, so much, like everyone else, but I'm not sure about doing the publisher's suggested re-write. It's a lot of work and my heart groans at the thought of it. It's strange to have come so far, and to now lose my motivation. I just seem to have run out of steam, and am heartily disappointed by this editor's response and suggestions for my book.
Or is this what the life of a professional writer is like? Should I just knuckle down and do it, even if I think the book will be less interesting without the third character? (Her subplot takes place in Afghanistan and New York - the rest of the book takes place in Dublin).

Like most people, my aim in life is to be happy and I thought that getting published would make me happy, but how far should a writer compromise their work to achieve that aim?
I have sent this book to a couple of other publishers and not received any positive responses, so it doesn't look as if there is much choice out there. My other plan is to keep the novel the way it is and publish it myself.

If any of you have any thoughts or advice on this, I would be grateful to receive them.


Many thanks in advance!

First of all congratulations, the fact that you hve been noticed by an editor in the first place is a real accomplishment.

There will be lots of people who will tell you you should stick to your principles and that your writing is sacred etc. However I would imagine that when you are actually there it must be an extremely difficult decision. You could say that the story is too important to you and you do not want to water it down, but then maybe no one will see it anyway? Or you could 'sacrifice' this story to become a published author so that you are able to wield more clout in the future about how your stories look.

It is a difficult decision, and ultimately I think that you probably already know the answer. I would say that considering you have got this far that self publishing is not the way to go.

Good luck with whatever decision you make. .

Hi Tempy,

Thanks for your quick response. You're right I have wasted my and the editor's time. She used to publish the type of books that I like to read (seven years ago) but since then I've ignored the fact that her taste has changed.
Thank you for also pointing out that there are other publishing houses out there. That makes me feel hopeful. The agent who is interested in representing me, says he will send it to only a handful of publishing houses, and if it doesn't sell to them, he'll do no more. So I guess it will be up to me then.

Good question, Miller.

Who am I writing for??

Hmm. I'm writing for me.

Then, you have the answer to your question(s), I suggest.