6 Days and 40 Manuscripts Later: Musings of an Editor Reviewing Submissions

If you’ve ever wondered what an editor thinks when they’re reviewing manuscript submissions, check out the following thoughts I’ve had these last six days of reviewing over forty manuscripts. My thoughts are a bit jaded because my publishing company still receives unsolicited submissions for our copublishing imprint, and even though I work with royalties-only imprints and authors, they have me take a look at the unsoliciteds because I may discover a diamond in the rough that can be published through our traditional models, which I have not after almost seven years of reviewing them. I have found a few golden writers, but the one thing they lack is an audience. That disappointments me greatly. I really want to see the skilled and passionate writers published, but I have to succumb to the overriding question in all of business—will it make money? So I share my thoughts with the whole paradigm in mind.

I want writers to be successful. I want to see them take ownership of their gift—research more, practice more, train more, hone and fine-tune more, go back to the drawing board more, be critiqued more, and think more about the industry as a whole. This is not so much directed to the writer who attends writers’ conferences or who connects online with agents, editors, and other writers through Twitter chats, writing communities, and Facebook groups. This is to the ones who may be talented but consistently reject the advice to do all of the above. This is to the ones who probably are not online reading blogs and perusing publishers’ Web sites. This is to the ones who may do all of that yet need just a little encouragement that they are on the right track and the good feeling that they are part of the upward moving minority that may actually see their dreams come true.

My thoughts…

When a Book Is Not a Book

Coming off of a couple of days of reviewing unsolicited manuscripts, I am always inspired to say something. I don’t always know what to say, because the rate of good projects compared to the bad leaves me speechless. But I am hopeful nonetheless that this only reveals the path that even a rejected writer can take. I believe that if one door doesn’t open for me, I wasn’t supposed to go that way. This releases pressure off of me and gives me fewer choices to make. I like that about life. It’s not about the closed doors; it’s about exploring the ones that remain open.

I see this about writing and book publishing all the time. So many want it, but so few are actually supposed to get in.

Some of the pieces I review seem like they were drafted under much duress and struggle yet still never came to much. Almost like the writer forced it out. I have this one thought a lot, “You know, you really don’t have to write a book.” Yes, I understand things may have changed in the economy and that you may have been told your life story is amazing, but everyone is not meant to be an author or to have their story told. Economically speaking, a writer’s life can be pretty rough. So don’t let money be your motivation—at all. Writing is art. Art follows passion. And sometimes money and fame follow passion. But passion should be the driving force, not economics.

Rules of Grammar Are Made to Be Broken--Sometimes

This post is inspired by a post by Jessica Faust on her BookEnds LLC blog. I remember laughing at the audacity of this English teacher questioning Jessica on how in the world she could have become a book editor if she had not done so well in her grammar class. I loved Jessica's response, because there is so much more than grammar to consider when editing a love story or a self-help book that has to continue to engage readers. Editing is not as simple as enforcing the rules of grammar you learned in high school or your college freshmen comp class. They do provide a foundation, yes, but rules are not meant to box you in.

I am grateful to have been copyeditor and now a developmental editor. It gives me an eye and argument for both sides of the literary aisle--grammar rules vs. flow, creativity, and voice. I wanted to repost my answer here to help reiterate or "revoice" the importance of a team effort in book editorial and the ever-so-delicate balance between technical merit and readability and impact. I remember being so fired up by the end of Jessica's blog, that I just wrote and wrote in her comments section. The whole time I was writing my response, I felt bad because my answer was long enough to be it's own blog post. So check it out.

I've found that even in copyediting one must be flexible with grammar and style based on the genre and audience. If you can't edit within that context, don't do it. Grammar is suppose to encourage and protect readability and relatability, not sterilize it and make it sound too different than the way the intended audience communicates. 

Grammar rules provide boundaries; yet, they are not concrete. An editor can ruin a beautiful narrative or dialogue trying to stick strictly to grammar rules.

I often leave notes in the manuscript for the copy editors to let them know when something should be left as is for effect, tone, or voice of the author. I don't want to make a manuscript suite my personal tastes and preferences. I want to make it standout as coming from this particular author.

And then, even the most stringent copy editor makes mistakes or misses something. So a little fluidity when applying and promoting grammar rules can enhance teamwork and reduce irritation (and judgmentalism) between editor and writer.

I always like to create a team environment around the projects I edit: writer, editor, copy editor, and even production. We can go so much further with respecting each one's position and expertise. Even more, the editor is there to serve the writer and propel his/her message to the widest audience and in the way the best represents the author. Grammar is only one element in all this.

Now tell me, what have you experienced in writing or even editing that contradicts what you learned in your high school grammar or college composition class?

8 Ingredients of a Safe and Sound Release Form

In a previous post (Trials, Traumas, and Tragedies, Oh My), I went on and on about the difficulties of writing (and editing) a book based on your personal testimony. I mostly focused on the importance of getting the subjects in your story to sign a release form. So after all that, I knew it wouldn’t be right for me to talk all that noise about releases and not talk about how to draw up a quick and easy release. Here goes a simple list of things to put in your release form.

1. Make a statement saying that the story is being told in your own words.
2. Include a line that allows the person to declare that what is being said about them is true.
3. Have something saying that the person is giving you permission to use their story in your book—and name the book.
4. Ensure that a word is said about the story being edited for grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
5. Let it be said that there could be a possibility that their story may not make the final edit and may be left out of the book when all is said and done.
6. Inform them that they will not be compensated for their testimony appearing in your book.
7. Have a statement that lets them know that they have the option to decline the opportunity to be in your book.
8. Finally, enclose all the pages of the book (or manuscript) that tell their story and even the ones that just make reference to their story.

Now let me just say this: it is always wise to run your releases and stories by an attorney who specializes in libel issues. Let me also say that having a release may not always keep you from being liable for any damage caused by your storytelling, but it can minimize your risk.

Trials, Traumas, and Tragedies, Oh My: The Editorial Nightmare of the Personal Testimony

I once edited a book that had about fifty subjects who all needed to be hunted down so that they could sign a release form allowing this one author to talk about how he interacted with them in a significant way and their lives changed for the better. The author had no knowledge of libel or the risks he was taking by mentioning both public figures and private citizens. So, yes, the chore fell to me.

Can you imagine organizing that? I don’t know what other editors do, but it is my goal not to have some loose end come knocking on my (or the author’s) door several years down the road with a subpoena in its hand. No, sir!

Because the author had lost touch with some of the subjects, I had to get my private investigator suit on. I used every communication medium available to me at the time—fax, e-mail, copiers, scanners, snail mail—trying to reach these people. I don’t think I’ve ever googled so much, searching for addresses and points of contact. It was… It was… Kind of cool, really. But highly unadvisable. Do not do that to your editor. I made prints and copies galore of release forms and excerpts of the book. I was on the phone trying to schmoose my way into the offices of some of the public figures he mentioned to get them to sign releases. It was crazy, but I was determined not to leave anything out there that would later get my author, my company, or me sued.

I believe my mission was accomplished, and the story has won over many fans. The author still calls me from time to time to tell me about how the book is impacting people. The best part is that there’s been no legal backlash.

The goal should be to limit your risk yet still tell a compelling story.

Yes, writers, people can sue you and your whole publishing house for writing about them, even if it’s true, even if the main story is about you, and even if you try to give them different names. If you leave any identifying details about them in a story, you’ll need to seek their permission. They have the right to protect their identity, and they can say no.

The Best Book I Ever Edited

Of course I’m not going to call out any names. That wouldn’t be fair. What I can say is that there are those few authors who just know what they are doing. They take their writing on professionally and take responsibility for the elements they want in their books, and they’ve thought about the reaction they want to get from their audience. I immediately fall in love with these people and become a raving fan. What kind of books do these authors send in?

1. The kind where complete sourcing is provided
2. The kind where the author understands the dilemma of using copyrighted material and has already sought permission and print licensing
3. The kind where the paragraph style is normal and the font is twelve-point New Times Roman throughout
4. The kind where all the stories involving real people are obscured or are composite sketches AND they have provided signed release forms for each person
5. The kind where edit time or costs are not an issue; I just keep reading and editing
6. The kind that shares practical, doable, and uncommon answers for common questions
7. The kind that change my life
8. The kind that make me want to edit well
9. The kind that I talk about outside of work
10. The kind that cause me to roll up my sleeves and call up some previously shelved talents—I like to get a little dirty (which can sometimes negate all of 1 through 9)

It may seem far-fetched but, yes, I have edited books with all these characteristics. I am not sure who makes authors who write books like these, but they are a joy and a refreshing treat. I love to read and learn from them. I love to edit for them. I love that I can have a hand in helping these books blossom. I love to see others love these books the way I do.