I'm in the process of having my book published, and they are asking me to change A LOT. Would you listen to them?

@GwydionFrost Yes. It's a good publisher. I did a lot of research into that before I agreed. The thing is, they told me they were interested in my book because of how different it was, but the changes the are trying to make are very predictable.

@lauriethecolourful They showed interest in your book but want you to change key elements. I'd be highly suspicious.

@NativeOregonian I think they said that to get me in the door then decided to spring changes onto me.

If they have a good editor, then changes can be for:

1. Pacing corrections. Story sometimes stumbles, instead of racing along at an even clip. This is where stripping a story to essentials helps. What can you remove, and still tell the story...?

2. Plot holes or a prickly plot. Plot holes are self-explanatory. Prickly plot is when your story has so many subplots, the reader can't tell you which is the main plot, because it feels like it's going in every direction.

3. Too many things. You have characters who only do one thing. Shrink the cast by combining non-conflicting people into stronger singular characters. Too many objects, locations, etc. Readers can only comfortably track so much before throwing up hands.

There could be more, but lack of who the publisher is, nature of the changes, reasons given, and story details, makes any real analysis limited.

@lauriethecolourful I would be telling them accept the book as is, or stuff it. You spent countless hours figuring out piece by piece of your puzzle, they should not be trusted.

@NativeOregonian I 100% disagree. You do that, and you will only self-publish the rest of your writing days.

As someone who has been a publisher and editor, I promise you, I don't spend money on nothing that didn't happen like I wanted. You want to fight? Get someone else to pay for it.

See, there's an expression in the writing world-- kill your darlings. What that means is that you have to be willing to remove the best romantic dialogue scene ever written, because it doesn't belong in your epic heist story-- the greatest plot ever written, especially during a climactic chase.

Writers miss these things because they love how they turned out. Problem is, that breaks stories. And instead of amazing masterpieces, we get sloppy, self-indulgent ego stroking dreck. Look at any film that is written, directed, produced, and starring someone. Majority suck. Just saying.

So, no. A GOOD publisher will work and craft with you. It's their money that's being gambled on you.

@GwydionFrost Then you suck shit as an editor/publisher, most likely one one of those scam publishers like Publish America that scammed my late fiancee. No self respecting writer will compromise their hard written and thought out book.

@NativeOregonian Publish America was a pay to print "publisher", more interested in charging you fees to prepare your book for publication. Real publishers don't charge you for the story they are buying to produce. They also want you to commit to promoting it. Signings, tours, cons.

But hey-- don't take my word for it. Talk to the writers on the bookstore shelf. ANY of them.

Good luck to you getting published if you listen to N.O.!

Sounds like he's got a bunch of successful author friends who are happy to have worked with him.