Editorial input, was: Rowling's control, was Less than 1000 posts

[Gretchen Ting]

No: HPFGUIDX 180248

All these discussions and posts about Rowling's writing ability
and control are very interesting, but the one topic I have not
yet seen mentioned is editorial input. Writers cannot be
everything; they may not be able to be both creative muse
and critical eye. Writing, especially fiction, needs a good
editor. If anything should be criticized, it is the lack of,
or lack of strength of the editorial pen. A good editor would
have noticed the inconsistencies mentioned on this list. A good
editor might have even told JKR that DH needed to be two books
and further developed to bring it up to the level of the rest
of the series.

Now, would JKR have listened? That is another issue. I personally
believe JKR made a mistake trying to cram everything she did into
DH. Why the rush? To keep to some proclamation she made that
there would be only 7 books? I hope not.

I can only wonder why JKR did not take more time (years)
developing these books, particularly the last ones. Again,
a good editor would have seen the work as a whole and guided
the process, and although I obviously have no insight into how
the books were edited, what JRK allowed editors to do, and how
much the editors allowed the almighty dollar to sway their
choices, and I will certainly never know. I do know that I
sense a distinct lack of a strong editor, and the presence
of a strongly opinionated writer. All writers need a great
editor, and need to work to accept a critical review of their
work. I don't think , as quickly (as far as bookpublishing goes
for the depth and length of the HP series) as JKR got her books
written and published, that there was strong editing and
development going on.

Anyone have information to the contrary?

Gretchen