Edits while still under consideration?

Posted by: @pdblake

I've posted this over at AW forums and just thought I'd ask here too.

I've just been informed that one of my stories has made it to the final round in the selection process for an anthology. That's great, but the same email says that they now need to winnow down the last pile to fit the word count and that they'll be asking for edits, which could be major or minor, before they make their final selection.

I don't mind making edits, especially if they make the story better, but is it usual to ask for and expect edits to be carried out before a formal acceptance?

No, it is not. Heinlein’s Rule only applies here if they’re offering to buy your story, and they ask for a few editorial changes before they do so. In this case, they gave you their acceptable word count, right? And you stayed within it? Then they should be saying, ‘We would like to buy your story, but would like to see a few changes.’ Not, ‘You did everything right, now do it over and we’ll throw you back into the ring and decide.’

So you must decide. They have given you no promise they would buy your story. So how much is this opportunity worth to you? And will this edit substantially change the story you wish to tell? 

@wulfmoon To, be honest, I'm really not sure. It's not their first anthology and they seem legit, I guess I'll decide when I see how much editing they want and whether it sits right with me. At worst I can always revert to the original, but I'm not sure I want to go through a whole lot of editing just for them to say no anyway. If it's just a matter of changing the spelling to US, then that's not such a big deal I suppose.

And yes, it's within their word count.

I'd definitely treat this as a 'wait and see what they say' kind of situation. Not all places ask for edits before acceptance, but some places do (Beneath Ceaseless Skies, for example). Once they send you editing suggestions, look them over and see if they work for you or not. Best suggestion I've got on the matter.

Having read the email over again I'm not sure whether they mean me doing edits or them editing things to fit to be honest. So it's wait and see either way.  

Posted by: @pdblake

Having read the email over again I'm not sure whether they mean me doing edits or them editing things to fit to be honest. So it's wait and see either way.  

They'd have to run any edits by you--but probably it means they'd email you with suggestions for potential edits if they're inclined to buy the story, yeah.