Working for An Incompetent Editor

As a writer, I have worked with a number of bosses (mostly editors) who love to put a lot of red marks on my paper. While I welcome any suggestion for a rewrite, sometimes the edited result doesn’t resemble good writing.

This Peanuts comic strip summed up my feelings on a poor editing job:

Click on the image to view the whole strip.

Through the years I have come to terms that not all editors deserve their position. That there are those who became editors out of luck (I can’t think of any other reason) and not by sheer talent alone. But they are still bosses and if I were to have my work published, I have to please my editor first. And if I have to do just that, my output would be abysmal.

So what’s the best way to do if you think your editor is less than competent? Bail out. Find another place to write. Find another editor, someone who can be a mentor and contribute to your growth as a writer.