Facing the Feedback: How to Handle an Editor's Edits

I’ve edited over 100 books. But this past summer was the first time I worked with an editor on my book. (Releases mid-March, 2025! Stay tuned!)

It wasn’t easy, but I knew what to expect going in, and that made the process a lot smoother. I want to give you the tips I knew and some of the advice I give my authors so that when you do face that feedback, you can handle it like a pro.

Obviously, going through an editor’s edits can be challenging. Writing is personal; it’s so close to our hearts. Hearing critique or anything remotely negative about something we worked hard on can be really difficult. Beyond that, there can also be a technical challenge of dealing with Track Changes and going through comments if you’ve never done that before. (So. Much. Red!)

That’s what this blog post is for. We’ll go through the tools and tricks you need to deal with the feedback and come out with a stronger, more engaging book—without ruining your relationship with your editor in the process. ;)

Step One: Prepare for Feedback

Realize that your book is not perfect. There’s a reason you hired an editor in the first place—so they could make your writing better. That means they’ll point out things that need work and things that need to be cut or added. Simply acknowledging that the critique is coming will help you accept it better when it comes. There will be things to fix. That doesn’t make you a bad writer. That makes you like every other writer.

Step Two: Read, Then Rest

Go through the editor’s comments. (See Track Changes video below so this is less overwhelming!) Feel all the feelings, think all the thoughts.

“Hmm, okay, good point.”

“Wait, what?! That is NOT what I meant.”

“Okay, fine.”

“I detest that suggestion.”

Read through it all.

Then step away from it. Seriously—do not go through those edits when you’re feeling all defensive and fiery. Because after a day or so, your emotions will cool, and logic will step in to give a slightly more objective perspective on whether that suggestion was truly awful or had a grain of salt to it.

Also, if you respond in the moment, you’ll likely say something you’ll later regret, and the author-editor relationship can turn sour.

Step Three: Remember Your Rights

You are the author. You have the final say. If the editor totally missed the mark on the point you were trying to make, tell them. If they’re urging you to go for different wording, and after some consideration, you honestly don’t think their suggestion works, then reject it.

Every edit is a suggestion. Take those suggestions seriously (you’re paying for them, after all, and your editor is a professional, after all), but if you feel really strongly about something, you can say so.

However, before you put your foot down on anything, here are two pieces of advice: Number 1: Make sure you allow the editor to explain their edit before you disregard it. It could be the comment they left wasn’t clear but the idea behind it had merit. But also, the editor did put time and effort into this edit for you, and simply disregarding their suggestion can sometimes feel put-downy or like you don’t respect their experience. So Number 2: When you do put your foot down, make sure to do so politely and with respect as opposed to “Well, I’m paying you, so you have to do this my way” or “That edit was totally wrong. Fix it.” Respect is needed on both sides.

Step Four: Book the Call

I, like many editors, have a 60-minute call with my authors after the first round of editing. That’s when we go through any questions the author has and brainstorm ideas for revisions. If there’s feedback you didn’t understand (or felt the editor got wrong) or a plot point you’re struggling to resolve, this is the time to tackle those things before starting on revisions.

Most importantly, this is when those iffy “gray area” edits can be discussed. Let’s say you didn’t like a certain change; this is when the editor can fully explain the reasoning behind it. Often, that dialogue brings greater clarity and connection and resolves the issue. I can honestly say these calls are my favorite part of the process—even more fun than the actual edit!

Step Five: Revise!

See the “Track Changes” video below if you’re not familiar with how to use that in Word.

You’re now going to go through each edit and Accept/Reject as you see fit. It is very important to do this so that when you return the revised manuscript to the editor, the only Tracks on there are yours, not the editor’s! (It can get very confusing otherwise, and it creates a lot of trouble and headache for your editor.) When you revise, remember to keep that “Track Changes” button ON.

If you have big-picture stuff to tackle (structure, character arc, plot holes, etc.), then my advice is to always tackle those first and the smaller stuff second. It’s just more practical, as that smaller stuff might be changed/cut during the bigger revisions. No use wasting time! This is why editors first do a big-picture edit before a sentence-level one.

And remember: If you get stuck, let your editor know. They’ll likely have some golden tips to help you move forward.

You’ve got this. One edit at a time.

Questions? Leave a comment below!

How to Use Track Changes in Word