Unfortunately I have reached the point in my career where I am being made painfully aware that authors don't aways understand the role of an editor and don't always know what to expect when their piece comes back from a professional edit. Let's take care of that now:
Expect:
*a manuscript containing suggestions to help YOUR voice be heard. Using an editor does not mean that you are no longer the author. You choose whether to accept changes or not.
*most (90%) of spelling and grammatical errors caught. This does not include colloquialisms from different countries. This does not include corrections to proper names (unless they are widely known). This does not include every error (after all, editors are people too :)
Do Not Expect:
*data entry. If there is material missing, it is the author's responsibility to provide the editor with the full manuscript
*artistic commentary. It is not the editor's job to give writing advice. They specialize in grammar and spelling. If you have chosen to get what we call a "Content Edit", you receive commentary on the story, including pace, flow, continuity, character and storyline consistency (or for non-fiction, organization and logical flow)
Hope this helps you in your writing career!
Tuesday, 7 June 2011
Wednesday, 1 June 2011
Rejection Letters
Having applied to my fair share of publishers, I have many rejections to show for it. (I also have non-answers, which are simply just spaces in the excel spreadsheet that I keep for that purpose.)While I was accepted by one traditional publisher, that relationship ultimately faltered.
My point is that I have learned so much from the rejections that I have received. They have been at times encouraging, complimentary and some with invitations to resubmit. Although it is difficult to understand that they don't want to publish the brilliant novel I have written, when I slow down to read their wording, even form letters contain clues to help make me a better writer and literary business person. The two are not the same thing. Something that I continue to learn.
In terms of the literary business, one of the things that I have learned is the meaning of "Simultaneous Submission". I understood this term to mean "don't send us more than one thing". What it actually means is that the publisher doesn't want you sending your submissions to anyone else until they've had an opportunity to decide if they will publish it. WHOOPS!
Actually, I sent out about 25 submissions with single click of my mouse. Those that listed "No Simultaneous Submissions" are the ones from which I did not hear. Having learned the hard way that the industry is miniscule, I now know how to put my rejection letters and non-responses into a more appropriate context. This helps me look at the situation and strategize about how to make my next approach better. My response is no longer rooted in my own fear of the "No Talent" judgment I used to hear rustling under the words of the latest rejection letter.
I encourage everyone to view their rejections (if you have any :) as a learning experience and as part of the literary business of getting published. Comments?
My point is that I have learned so much from the rejections that I have received. They have been at times encouraging, complimentary and some with invitations to resubmit. Although it is difficult to understand that they don't want to publish the brilliant novel I have written, when I slow down to read their wording, even form letters contain clues to help make me a better writer and literary business person. The two are not the same thing. Something that I continue to learn.
In terms of the literary business, one of the things that I have learned is the meaning of "Simultaneous Submission". I understood this term to mean "don't send us more than one thing". What it actually means is that the publisher doesn't want you sending your submissions to anyone else until they've had an opportunity to decide if they will publish it. WHOOPS!
Actually, I sent out about 25 submissions with single click of my mouse. Those that listed "No Simultaneous Submissions" are the ones from which I did not hear. Having learned the hard way that the industry is miniscule, I now know how to put my rejection letters and non-responses into a more appropriate context. This helps me look at the situation and strategize about how to make my next approach better. My response is no longer rooted in my own fear of the "No Talent" judgment I used to hear rustling under the words of the latest rejection letter.
I encourage everyone to view their rejections (if you have any :) as a learning experience and as part of the literary business of getting published. Comments?
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