I've always wanted to know more about the 'kind editor'? Is a he or a she? Are they involved with VFD? Why would they go through so much inconvenience (just read Snicket's instructions in each letter on the end of a book) to publish a book series that the author himself consider too depressing for kids? What is the gain for the editor?
I like to think theĀ ākind editorā is based on Daniel Handlerās real-life agent, Charlotte Sheedy. But in Lemony Snicketās universe, Daniel Handler becomes the fictional authorās agentā¦ So if we follow this hierarchy, Charlotte Sheedy would become the editor. We know that Brett Helquist (Handlerās illustrator)Ā and Meredith Heuer (Handlerās photographer) also exist within the Snicket universe as well. Why not Charlotte Sheedy?
It would be fitting because Lemony constantly reassures the editor that nobody would be depressed enough to read about the Baudelaire orphans and that the books should be shelved at once. This echoes real-life events: Charlotte Sheedy is the person who encouraged Daniel Handler to write childrenās literature. He first answered that nobody would like the grim, horrible things he wanted to write for children, but she insistedā¦ The rest is history.
B&W: How did you originally pitch A Series of Unfortunate Events?DH: I pitched it unprofessionally. I called the editor and I said āLook, I have a really terrible idea for childrenās books. So donāt make me write it downāI canāt behave professionally about it because itās such a terrible ideaābut Iāll meet you at a bar and then Iāll tell you the idea and then youāll say yes, thatās terrible, and then at least weāll be at a bar and weāll have another drink and it wonāt be a complete waste for everyone. And so she met me at a bar. And then she said that she liked it.[The Kids Arenāt All Right: A Conversation With Daniel Handler, Bwog Staff, 3rd of September 2014 (Link)]
Update, 2nd of July 2016:
Daniel Handler recently covered the question in a Q&A (Link). It seems I mistook his agent (Charlotte Sheedy) with his editor (Susan Rich).
Q: Can you reveal anything about Mr. Snicketās āKind Editorā, or any other kind editors you yourself have known?A:Ā Being an editor is largely a thankless business, but I try to thank Susan Rich as often as I can.
