Honestly, if this post nearly made you quit freelancing, you are taking a lot of things way too personally, especially since this wasn't about newbie writers anyway. And if you've read anything beyond this post here, you know that I encourage questions and I'm doing this whole blog as a resource for you.

Come out from behind the anonymity. Ask questions. Listen to the answers. Saying things like this post is the reason you nearly quit freelancing isn't exactly warming anyone to your cause. But I'm listening.

I wouldn't work with her, either!

It's a novel. People SAY things, and since it all happened in the past it was SAID.

Needless to say, I don't work with her anymore.

Paula, that's so true! Just say "I messed up – sorry." That's so much easier than debating it, pointing fingers, trying to cover it up…

And my desk, right now, is so clean. I should take bets on how long that lasts. 🙂

A couple years back I realized after sending in an article that I'd inadvertently left out an entire source. (The transcript was lost amid the mess on my desk.*) I e-mailed the editor immediately, admitted the oversight and she gave me an extra day to work it in – which meant trimming some other sections to stay within my word count. I had the changes made the same day.

*One day we all need to send in photos of our desk without cleaning it up prior to the photo. I'm sure mine will be the worst.

Just a follow up to your point on learning things from editors.

I HATE it when an editor points something out, I quickly get irritated (to myself), and then after I stew for a little bit, I have to admit, "Oh, good point."

Damn those competent editors!

I have to admit that sometimes editors make me produce better results. It pains me to admit I'm not perfect!

Gabriella, I love that you see where the one editor may have a point. I had one encounter in which I thought "You can either freak out or learn something." I learned a bit more caution and to think out each sentence more clearly. The result – better copy in subsequent projects.

Cathy, I suspect your writer was stretched to capacity. She should have pushed back on deadlines rather than screw up the content. And since you're perfect, I now have company. LOL

Wendy, that's been my experience on both sides of it. I remember a colleague on the verge of losing her mind because the editor kept changing things four revisions in, and the changes were stupid and rampant at that late stage. She doubted herself when it was clear to me who the real problem was.

The Faker! Oh hell, Jake – I've met that one, too!

Paula, you have had some doozies! The Incompetent Editor is pretty common, too. But you've hit the top one with the Indecisive Editor! I have writer friends who have pushed back and said soemthing akin to, "No, THIS is what you ordered, this is what I wrote. Check, please." That's how you stop that in its tracks.