Yes! I have worked with several editors. In fact, editors are important. Every book has an editor. The book is like a bridge, over which a story travels from the writer to the readers. The editor is like the inspector who makes sure there are no rough places or holes in the bridge. So sometimes an editor will suggest a small change that is needed; other times there may be no changes. Sometimes you just may need an editor to encourage you when you are discouraged and at a loss about a book.
Let me tell you how I worked with an editor on You Can Make a Collage that was published by Klutz Press in the Fall of 1998. My editor for that book was John Cassidy, who is also the publisher.
This was a “how-to” book and it is something I had not done before. I started it the way I start all my books—by thinking and drawing and doing dummy books until it began to feel right. But when John looked at my dummy book he made a lot of suggestions. He would say, “You don’t need this,” or, “What if you tried this?” I knew how to make picture books, but didn’t know much about “how-to” books. John is an experienced creator and editor of “how-to” books. It was very exciting to work with John who knew something that was new to me.
