Paula, it’s a shame when you do everything you can and the person’s attitude gets in the way. Not much more you could have done, I don’t imagine. I’ve had editors like that — luckily long ago. I wrote one article that took seven edits. No article needs seven edits. Two, maybe three. After that, it’s not really the writer, but the editor. Either they’ve not made the assignment clear or they can’t stop touching the content.

Seriously, though, I had a similar experience within the past year with a high-profile first-time client. It left such a bad taste in my mouth that I NEVER want to cross that so-called editor’s path again. About eight years ago I had another experience when a new-to-me editor changed the scope so much that I had to re-write and find all new sources. Even after that she totally re-worked my copy to the point I didn’t recognize it, and it was so bad 1) I wish my byline weren’t attached, and 2) I can’t use it as a clip.

Luckily, those were the exceptions. Most of the time my copy is run nearly verbatim.