Thread by @BatgirlEditor

(Thread) Something I take for granted b/c of my own history but realize some editors might not: please think through before calling out content in a manuscript as “not believable” when characters act against grain. For instance, when parents seem overly cruel on the page; or—

—when an abused character continues to crave love from the abuser, or acts against self-interest. Because simply saying it’s “not believable” in a vacuum for someone to act that way can often be invalidating the lived experiences of an author. Instead:

Try to frame the note as needing to earn believability for readers who may not have gone through this by showing all the nuance on the page of how it can happen. And if you are that reader, be thankful & keep empathy close as you edit, & remember your lens informs your read.