If you're talking about the average editors, then 2 out the 3 characters cut out should NOT have been - with excellent editors, 1 out of 3. It's the curse of any collaborative creative process. I don't know how often you've dealt with it, but you don't get to stand up for your creative decisions until you have at least 10-12 credits under your belt, or 4-5 with the same editors or one that was so successful that you earn one "fuck you" card to play (I think... I've never actually possessed that card and am not quite sure about some of the creatives I know who claim to have). Keep calm and carry on. Or carry on like it's the weekend.

how can I be sure I'm doing Y character right? - Cuz Y character wasn't cut.

Only one of the editors was in a place to actually remove characters without me pitching a fit. The big deal was time, we've only got a hundred few pages and our outline was pretty, big. The big thing was I agreed with a lot of it and I, myself cut most of the characters and side plots cause they didn't really interact with the main story enough and now I'm second-guessing the stuff I left in cause uh well I nixed that maybe the stuff I left in is JUST AS BAD but I can't see it.

You're the last person who can evaluate your own work right now. I kind of agree with onesweelfoop that, if your editors are good, they basically made good decisions. Let it go. A little further down the road, you can look back and get a sense of whether these decisions were right or wrong on aesthetic grounds, and adjust your future work accordingly.

how can I be sure I'm doing Y character right? - Cuz Y character wasn't cut.

Well, yes? I'm probably being paranoid and insecure. Character X got thrust into a bigger place cause it was all "Uh she's really good and totally fits into these scenes and is a good foil for Y."

That makes me feel less crazy person.

The best part of creation is that no idea has to die forever.

On the other hand it was nice to have editorial hand say "yeah the audience cipher perfect character? Yeah he needs to die cause the other Mary Sue needs an excuse to go CRAZY". And an official approval of hysterical hallucinogenic fantasias.

And yes, part of the crazy is cause it's a graphic novel and has a set page limit, so it's more like film then prose, cause in prose I could just just write another 50 pages for this particular side character but now I've got to go "well it's probably best if he drops out after 20 pages cause we need to focus more on the relationship of the primaries or it's not gonna work."

At AWP two years ago, a writer described how she capitulated to B&N when they told her that her book wouldn't be put on the new release table unless she changed cunt to groin.

If you're wondering if you cut the wrong characters, based on the 'too long' reason for cutting, sounds like you have the start of an entire other story to pitch.

could just just write another 50 pages for this particular side character

The upside of writing "weblit" is that I can go off on a tangent about a character for weeks at a time, and then return to the A story. The downside is that, when it comes down to it, I'm still an amateur and no one reads anything I write.

I'd love to hear about pitching a graphic novel, though. I'd love to write one, but I'm not skilled enough to draw it out. Do you get an artist assigned to you or do you pick a guy (or lady) you know first?

Do your editors get your work? Then trust them.

I'd love to hear about pitching a graphic novel, though. I'd love to write one, but I'm not skilled enough to draw it out. Do you get an artist assigned to you or do you pick a guy (or lady) you know first?

I have an agent. (That still sounds weird) And the artist is also the co-author so it was a package deal. We put together a pitch after a DC deal and then spent the entire summer hammering it into shape.

I've been dealing with that whole total-lack-of-confidence thing for several years now. I know it's the result of almost thirty years of working as an in-house designer for several different firms, and finding myself subject to the creative whims and tastes of an unending succession of sales people, middle-managers, secretaries, etc. blessing themselves to act as creative directors. You can be told you're wrong just so many times before you start doubting yourself and your talent completely.