Q: A publication I write for regularly just changed editors. The new editors are just ripping my work apart, even rewriting the leads and some sections, or sending stories back to me asking for rewrites. Is this OK? Are there limits to how much editors can change my work and still call it mine? Do I have any recourse if I hate their changes? —Shannon

A: As a writer, I know how difficult it can be to accept major changes to your work. But as an editor, I know the importance of reworking a piece so that it fits the style and tone of the magazine. That’s what editors get paid to do.

In working with so many freelancers who have different strengths and writing styles, editors must tighten each piece to fit the overall message of the publication. If your piece doesn’t quite fit, it’s subject to little or massive changes. An editor can edit, rewrite and ask you to rewrite sections—or even the entire piece—if it’s not up to the publication’s editorial standards, or if your work doesn’t meet the requirements set forth in the original assignment.

After all the changes are completed, the editor should give you a copy of his edited version, also known as a galley. You should be given the chance to look it over and point out any problems you have with the revisions. Most editors try to work through your requests, but ultimately the editor has the final say as to which version runs in her magazine.

If you still feel your article is in shambles and you’re uncomfortable running your byline with it, you do have one option: Politely withdraw it from consideration and return any money the publication paid you for your work. This should be a last-case resort, as pulling a piece last-minute will not only hurt the magazine’s production schedule, but also will burn all bridges with that editor.

Brian A. Klems is the online managing editor of Writer’s Digest magazine.

Have a question for me? Feel free to post it in the comments section below or e-mail me at WritersDig@fwpubs.com with “Q&Q” in the subject line. Come back each Tuesday as I try to give you more insight into the writing life.

Q: Sometimes I see numbers spelled out (nine) and at other times I see them in numeric form (9). Which is correct?—Kevin Tracy

A: Most writers—including me—took on this artistic profession for three reasons: We’re creative, we love to read and, most important, we want to avoid numbers at all costs. Yet somehow, even in writing, numbers have found a way to sneak back into our lives. 

There are several rules of thought on how to handle writing numbers, but the most common is pretty simple. Spell out numbers under 10 (zero through nine), and use the numeric symbols for numbers 10 and up. I bought eight candy bars from the vending machine.  I average eating 29 candy bars per month.

There are some exceptions to the rule. For example, spell out all numbers that begin a sentence. Forty-seven-thousand contestants were turned down for “American Idol.” Eleven were selected. Of course, there’s an exception to the exception: Don’t spell out calendar years, even at the front end of a sentence. 1997 was the year I met my wife. And, if you don’t feel like writing those long, awkward-looking numbers, just recast the sentence. American Idol turned down 47,000 contestants.  I met my wife in the magical year of 1997.

Also, there are other instances where the under-10/over-10 rule doesn’t apply.  Always use figures for ages of people (“He’s 9 years old”), dates (February 14), monetary amounts ($8), percentages (14 percent) and ratios (2-to-1).

Again, this is a style issue and other sources may suggest different ways of handling numbers. So please, no hate mail. And let’s agree not to talk about numbers for the rest of the day—they make my head hurt.

Brian A. Klems is the online managing editor of Writer’s Digest magazine.

Have a question for me? Feel free to post it in the comments section below or e-mail me at WritersDig@fwpubs.com with “Q&Q” in the subject line. Come back each Tuesday as I try to give you more insight into the writing life.

Q: My writing course instructor insists that I should go back through my novel manuscript and use only one space after periods. I was taught that you always type two spaces between sentences. Is she wrong or am I just a dinosaur?—Anonymous

A: The two-space rule was instituted during the days of typewriters. Typewriters had only one font, so all the letters were monospaced, or took up the same amount of space. That means that the skinny “l” and wider “w” occupied the same amount of space on paper. To make reading easier, the two-space rule was born to give the eyes a break between sentences.

With the dawn of computers, word processing programs not only began offering an absurd number of fonts, but each font was programmed to space characters proportionally (“l” takes up about a third of the space “w” does). In turn, most computer fonts will automatically give you enough room between sentences with one space. So, as a rule of thumb, use just one space when typing up your manuscript on a computer.

There are a couple of exceptions—the fonts Courier and Monaco are still monospaced—but it’s better to stick with one space and switch fonts to Times New Roman or Arial rather than use two spaces.

Brian A. Klems is the online managing editor of Writer’s Digest magazine.

Have a question for me? Feel free to post it in the comments section below or e-mail me at WritersDig@fwpubs.com with “Q&Q” in the subject line. Come back each Tuesday as I try to give you more insight into the writing life.