I tried to post on Rob's wonderful site, but it didn't work. This is what I would have posted:
I’ve been in PC (=Personal Correspondence) with many PBs editors. Don’t get me wrong- I do appreciate the feedback. But what I’d like to know (but have not voiced until this post) is how much they abhor or, conversely, want Illustration notes from the writer. I have gotten comments that the text should be trimmed because a lot of it could be done with illustrations, and comments that they need for the text to be complete without illustration notes. Sometimes from the very same editor.
As a writer, my preference is to not include illustration notes unless they are absolutely necessary. I take it for granted that when illustrated the text will lose some of its verbiage. I’m also aware that editors are different.
So if I were interviewing a specific editor, I would ask them about this.