Did the headline grab your attention?
Author George R. R. Martin (known to many as the author of the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, which are the basis for the hit TV series Game of Thrones) intended for it to do exactly that.
In 1979 (!), Martin gave the Guest of Honor speech at Coastcon II in Biloxi, MS. In his inimitable style, he discussed the feelings that writers have for their editors – and you can imagine that he didn’t mince any words.
Here’s a quote:
Left to their own devices, writers talk about only three things; the three most important things in the world.
They talk about money, they talk about sex, and they talk about editors.
Money and sex are things that most writers want and never get enough of. Editors are things that most writers don’t want and get all too much of. I’ve often heard writers ask other writers why there have to be editors in the world.
Of course, his point was that editors are the “invisible people” who do the hard work, while the writers get all of the credit. He bemoans this fact, and calls for people to give editors the recognition they deserve.
Want to read the whole speech? Click here.