Editorial Letter and Next Chapter Plan

Right? Half chapters don’t seem to be adding much to the story for me. I still read like I can’t get enough I just feel like I want something different.

I feel like this you been doing fine great wonderful without anyone putting their two cents in why change that i would so rather have had another chapter instead of this unwanted (by me) opinion so good your trying to better your writing? idk why u did this but i like the chapters the way you sling them out its got us all hooked so you know what they say if it aint broke......paitently waiting until Tuesday

Jennifer Toledo

I think a Disney cartoon series like what they did with star wars would be best. Far to much to fit into an tv series and can do a lot more episodes with cartoons :)

luke eustace

Yeah it's been pretty easy for me to follow along dialogue wise as well. I really like the method they've been using

nicole edwards

I’m honestly

I’ve never had issues with determining whose perspective is in play, or who is speaking/thinking. I don’t think much needs to be changed in relation to tags. I’m actually concerned that attempts to do so now will affect pacing and personalities when forced, and also concerned our favorite she-Pirate... Piratequeen, uh Ms Aba will overthink this while writing now. Just having the suggestion pushed on her might tickle her subconscious while writing and trip up her flow. Time will tell I guess.

longhairdfreak

I ABSOLUTELY agree with your entire comment! Well spoken and true to the point! Fabulous

Alicia Wojdygo

I have to say, I am not enjoying the new idea of editing or the live writing. I fell in love with the story, characters, and amazing writing style of pirateaba. I have also really enjoyed the original format of reading the chapter. I completely understand that at this stage in pirateaba’s career she is trying to gain new skills by introducing editing to her work but I personally feel that it completely changes the tone and raw emotion that I have so grown to love about pirateabas writing. I am sincerely worried that we are all fixing to lose pirateaba’s Wandering Inn to the corporate entities that stifle true and raw writing.

Alicia Wojdygo

The problem i see with your problem is i often see people point out character and plot inconsistencies that I flat out disagree with. People have different perceptions of characters and different understandings of story beats and I believe the kind of issues mentioned here are not likely to be helped by more voices. I like the idea of people keeping track of the world building and trying to provide good resources to the author about that.

Will Murray

+1 to biggest problem I see in TWI are the occasional plot and character inconsistencies, which sometimes are quite big and frustrating.

crusaderstar

First of all, Rebeca did a great job! This was very insightful. Thanks for posting her thoughts. I feel like most interactions you write directly reflect the characters voice and manners in how they speak. This is wonderfully done, Aba. I‘d say that about 80% of Dialog doesn’t need explicit dialog tags. They would be more of a hindrance to your flow.

Frosty Rene

Wow. My wife is an author and I do both beta reads for her and will also reread her drafts after they come back from her publisher with the editor's comments. They sound EXACTLY the same as the ones in your letter. Not only is the tone the same, but so are the suggestions. I’ll certainly agree with two: Setting the scene and making it clear who is talking. These are things which may be clear in the author’s head as they transcribe a scene that is playing out on their internal TV. However they do need to be spelled out more for us readers, both to avoid confusion and to create a richer experience. On the other hand… The damn obsession with beginning in media res. Come on… It’s not always necessary, just because it’s the one Latin term that editors remember from high school Lit class. Plus, in this chapter, you are beginning in the middle. It just takes us a bit to learn that Erin has already been through this cycle many times. Beginning at the beginning of a cycle helps set that framework. Also, editors just don’t seems to give readers enough credit when it comes to understanding how a character is FEELING. If the character is well-established and the author is writing them true to form, we should be able to guess how they will react to a given situation. Their actions should show how they feel about what is going on around them. Constant repetition of their mental state is clunky, jarring, and comes off as overwrought. I always enjoy your stories and personally don’t think that you need this sort of editing for your work. A spreadsheet junky who is very familiar with the story, lore, and worldbuilding of Innworld, who can help you avoid plotholes and inconsistencies would be a better use of money and a more worthwhile cause of delay and rewrites as the story gets ever more complex. If you're looking for feedback like you’re getting in that letter, again someone very familiar with the story so far (and where you want to take it…) whose function is just to ask you “Are you sure that’s how Relc would react to this?” or “Shouldn’t you start setting up Magnolia’s change of heart now, if you don’t want it to look artificial in six chapters?” would, again, be more useful. Your writing style can stand on its own, but Innworld is just getting too large for one person to hold it in their head.

Not a fan of the obtrusive dialogue tags, I can understand if you're making a screen play but in this... No. I like the alternative she suggested though. I must admit that I am afraid of what an editor will do to change your work, afraid that they will change your voice and make it feel the same as every other book. I love your work for what it is, I love how it is different and I love how it grips me and shake's me to my bones, how your words can make me angry, happy and cry. I love how you guide me to feel different ways about each character and how you make those feelings develop or change. Not all change is bad though, this could just lift the Wandering Inn to the next level with a little tunning rather than dramatic rewrites. I thank you for involving us all in the process and not just forcing the change on to us, take it or leave it. I hope that you continue to give us access to the non edited versions for those of us that like it raw. And I look forward to the future of the Wandering Inn. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

T34Z0MB13

@Tanner that's precisely why I'd recommend some of the stand alone side stories rather than telling people to start at the beginning. The Flowers of Esthelm arc is probably the best place to point people imo.

Sean Coker

Well I didn’t know back when she said she was looking for editor. And she could have if she thought it was best for her. So I do not know what she would suggest. So relax mate

Caanbo

I too am praying for a series or movie someday, something immense and sweeping a la Peter Jackson. I’m just nervous they’d bungle it up and omit important details or fail entirely, casting the series into shadow. However, TWI is so good I think even that would bring incredible publicity and opportunity to Pirate.

Kate Shhhhhh

The editor isn't here to make pirateaba use "big words" or force flowery speech. The editor is just trying to make her writing the best it can be.

Brandon Findlay

????

Caanbo

???

OrangeBasket

As long as you're not gonna start writing you're a book in flowery words I'm OK with this lady. Because those kinds of books are confusing. And I just get lost in it. Looking up the words it is sooo tiring. I think dialogue tags can be annoying.

Caanbo

But isn't that the scary part. This isn't even Pirstabas final form!

Gabe Canada

I know exactly zero about Pirates long term plans. So everything that follows is just supposition. To everyone commenting about volume 1. What pirate has said about the high rate of pay and the context of thier rapid live writing and high word count approach to publishing is that this is about finding someone who is a good fit for Pirate professionaly. Because TWI at a quarter a word would cost many many many many quarters to edit fully. Getting someone who can work well with Pirate and gets rewarded early for establishing that rapport might be more flexible tackling a huge project like revising older volumes or even say writing a novel with the intent to publish it physically. With the speed Pirate writes you could potentially draft and edit a full 60-100k paperback during just the breaks for TWI. Not that I'm advocating MORE work from Pirates poor hands. The point is an industry best editor or editing team is something that can stay with Pirate for the long haul for TWI or other projects and help break into mainstream publishing circles without a middleman. A truly envious position for a lot of authors and proof of Pirate having a commitment to making the story as good as it can possibly be. I think that's amazing.

Gabe Canada

I find the idea of thinking your work needs editing humourous. Your writing style is miles ahead of the majority of writers I read who work with publishers.

Pike

You dream big. I agree with wanting the first volume to be edited for the more modest goal of getting people who I recommend into it rather than being put off by the rough start.

Tanner R Garrett

Mostly I say this because I want the hook to be so good that an HBO series gets made. not gonna lie

Zageron

I kinda feel like the first book is what should be edited the most, compared to the current chapters. I feel like pirate's writing has improved so much that spending the time revising the older work and re-releasing would be better? The first volume is good, but this is the kind of series where, in general, every chapter is better than the last.

Zageron

Haha, generally the editorial letter is a bonus. The actual inline editing is what is paid for.

Zageron

Honestly speaking my gut reaction was "you paid for this?" but I will refrain from judgement until I've read the edited version as well, no matter how doubtfull I may be

It is now canon: pirate loves buts. I'm sorry, but someone had to say it.

Tanner R Garrett

I am also in the ‘hates dialogue tags’ camp, and one of my favorite things about your writing style is that you make the story work without them. That said, I think the action-descriptor idea would definitely add a lot more clarity to scenes with 3+ people yapping without sacrificing the writing style we all love!

Zoltan

Patreon readers can benefit from this too. As was mentioned in the letter there is a lack of dialog tags, even though it can make certain scenes confusing to read, because pirateaba dislikes using them. The editor read the work and suggested a possible alternative to using those tags while also helping to clarify who the speaker is in that moment. If that continues going forward it alleviates a problem some readers have.

Scruffleupagas

Oh I liked this. I didn't even notice that you don't use dialogue tags. I do agree with some of the scene and description comments, but the dialogue tags I think you don't need. Said would fill up your pages so thickly because of the amount of dialogue you have. :D look forward to rereading the chapter!

Zageron

Rebecca Brewer was editing for this chapter only, not joining as a long-term editor of the series. There will be another chapter in June edited by Diana Gill, judging by the announcement, along with another edited by the contest winner/winners in September.

Gorexn

I’m not sure live editing chapters adds much to my experience. I do not enjoy re-reading content, most of the time, and I am doubtful I will re-read any significant amount of 8.11E. I would argue that web novel readers, by nature, have pretty relaxed standards and your work is not one I take editorial issue with. I would further that argument by stating that although you may not find immediate value in pointing your editor at your older chapters, you would likely see significant longer term benefits by setting them to format and release old work in book form on wherever. Book readers are your audience who benefit from editors, not Patreon subs. That said, I’d like you to continue to writing at your current pace or at a minimum continue the story in general, so you do you.

M

This is neat and it's hilarious to me the edit might actually be longer by virtue of expanding the emotional focus or adding establishing shots like the letter suggests. If it isn't longer it will still be more impactful by using better economy of words where there is repetition or shorthand that has better options you can use in a rewrite that would trip you up in a first draft. I love seeing this advice and the whole process. Especially after seeing the live writing process for more than a year now. Thank you both for such a wonderful window into your creative process.

Gabe Canada

Will your editor be going through early chapters or will she be starting entirely from now on? I'd love to see the early books get some treatment to allow more casual readers to get into the series and experience this amazing story!

Aidan Holland

Wow, I was kinda worried honestly. I was like "oh no is it gonna be bad" but huh, seems pretty nice.

Rikk Silirion