You’ve probably heard the names Ernest Hemingway, Tom Wolfe, and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
But do you know the name Max Perkins? He was the editor for some of the most influential American writers of the 20th century, including the ones we just mentioned.
When Fitzgerald wanted to change the title of his most famous novel, Perkins got him to back down by writing, “I always thought that ‘The Great Gatsby’ was a suggestive and effective title.”
Over half a million books were published by traditional publishers in 2023, according to Publisher’s Weekly. You can easily find the author’s name on the cover of these books, but you’ll probably never hear about the editor who spent months, sometimes years, helping them make the book that reaches us.
Today, we give those who shape a writer’s voice a voice themselves. They are the invisible force behind books: editors.
The post Ask a book editor (Rebroadcast) appeared first on WAMU.
Published Date : 2025-09-12 19:07:00
Source : wamu.org
