Rewriting

[Gary Leach]

The subject of rewriting (not translating, as some have erroneously  
referred to it) has always been a touchy one. Those who find it  
disagreeable that rewriters add things to stories that aren't in the  
original versions have my sympathy, for I've found some of that to be  
rather disagreeable, too. However, as a rewriter myself, I've  
committed similar offenses, so I'm probably not one to talk.

But I will anyway, because Don Markstein and John Lustig pointed out  
what rewriting is about. Don boiled it down nicely: "My sole mandate  
in this work is to make it entertaining." I'll punch that up by  
saying that this isn't a mere mandate, but what Gemstone absolutely  
requires. We don't pay people to make things readable - any competent  
editor can do that - but to do whatever they can think of - whatever  
it takes - to make 'em crackle, make 'em sing, make 'em everything  
they can possibly be. And just so rewriters aren't twisting in the  
wind out there by themselves, not a word of what they produce gets  
into print without the approval of Gemstone's editors, who have the  
same job every editor on the globe has - making sure the material IS  
everything it can be.

Gary