Sunday Funnies: Those Tenacious Typos

[Link] Wisdom from the Fedora on the Mountain -- Egos Checked At The Door, Please...

by Tommy Hancock

I have been accused of wearing many hats.  

In theory, that may be true. In reality, I typically only wear one, although I do have a backup fedora and a ball cap or two for bad hair day rush trips out and about.  But, usually, that appellation is given to me because of the fact that within the Pulp/writing world, I do many things.  I am a writer.  I am an editor, not just for Pro Se Productions, my company, but others as well. I am also a publisher, a partner in the aforementioned Pro Se Productions.  

In each of those roles, and we’ll be lumping editor and publisher together this time around, I experience many things.  Ups and downs. Successes and failures and all manners of things in between.  There are moments of sheer happiness, sometimes bordering on a creative ecstasy of sorts. There are also periods, unfortunately lasting too long often to be considered moments, of depression, sadness, that ‘give up and walk away’ feeling.  What is funny is that although I know that both groups I’m addressing here have a collective narrow view of this, that only they feel this and the other side of the line doesn’t, the issues and feelings that writers and editors/publishers experience are often very similar, if not exactly the same.  They only differ in which side of the creative room the person happens to be standing on.

What I’m about to write is not intended to anger, incense, or push anyone away, although it might.  I made a commitment to myself when I renewed this blogging endeavor that I would use it in ways that would be useful to me, first and foremost, and hopefully to others as well.  What you’re about to read is useful to me in that it allows me to get things said that I feel need to be in a cumulative manner, all at once, and off my chest and out of the way.

It should also be noted and remembered as You proceed through this, that I am guilty of everything I am about to spout against and attack.  I am no better than those of you who may do some of what is about to be listed and in part, this is an exercise to exorcise some of those things from me.

Is this a Pet Peeves post? Yes, in a sense.  But it’s also about some of the biggest stumbling blocks that writers and editors/publishers have in building relationships that can be mutually beneficial.  But, yeah, these are things that get under my skin and scratch like a burr buried deep beneath a newly broken mustang’s saddle.  And, again, I have done and even at times still find myself as the example of every one of them.

It must be noted, creatives of any brand are a passionate, emotional lot.  That happens to be the best thing about us. We invest ourselves fully and wholeheartedly in all we do, if we are doing it right, and we give a chunk of our very being into the work we produce.  That is writer, editor/publisher, sculptor, dancer, and the list goes on.  But, that also means that oftentimes feelings are worn on their sleeves and we sometimes look for any reason to be offended, or to think someone is being thought of better than us, or whatever thing we need to justify the sudden onset of creator doldrums we all go through.  To hopefully limit that before probably inciting full on episodes of it, let me say that I am beginning this discourse by focusing on writers, only because that is where the process between these two sides of the same coin begins.  Editors/Publishers would have nothing to do if it were not for writers, so writers get to go first, only for that reason.

A few thoughts for Writers, first.  You are a big part of the reason that there is even a publishing industry to begin with.  The fact that people feel it is their job, destiny, and/or disease to string words together and get them put on paper, either the print or digital page, so they can be consumed by the ones, hundreds, or millions that might read them makes you a pretty important cog in the literature machine.  

But don’t forget, especially in the way the market has evolved today - You are a cog in a wonderfully colorful rainbow and storm producing machine.

Read the full article: https://www.bibliorati.com/single-post/2017/05/15/Wisdom-From-The-Fedora-On-The-Mountain-Egos-Checked-At-The-Door-Please

[Link] Editorius Rex

by Paul Bishop

First four words about editors and mentors…They are not God…

Now a few more words…Working with editors and mentors (E/Ms) can be confusing and on occasion filled with frustration. I’ve worked with good and bad E/Ms, and – thankfully – one great E/M.

Good E/Ms are the most common of the genus éditorus rex. These, generally kind examples of the species, understand what you are trying to accomplish with your novel/story, but only work with you if your manuscript is – short of a copy edit – publication ready. They are pleasant enough, but harried and easily distracted by their own problems or workload. They are like parents who raise free-range children, allowing them to run wild, hoping they will eventually turn out okay.

Bad E/Ms are like weeds in the flower beds of your prose. They are noxious, prevalent, and can choke the life out of your manuscript. Sometimes, you can feel as if this species of E/M is reveling in picking your manuscript apart, insisting on changes from left field, and they can leave you having no idea what they are talking about (I did mention frustration above). In general, these sour individuals are simply not a good match for your particular manuscript.

Continue reading: http://www.paulbishopbo7oks.com/2015/08/species-of-editors-and-mentors.html

Nuggets #6 -- Editors

When you get an editor, you aren't looking for a friend

or a cheerleader. You're looking for someone to do

the hard work of making your work stronger. 

Pro Se Productions Looking for Editors

EDITORS WANTED- Pro Se Productions is currently seeking to expand its editorial staff. Pro Se maintains two teams of Editors. These positions are outlined as follows:

CONTENT EDITORS- Content Editors are assigned to any work Pro Se produces except for the Pro Se Presents Magazine (which has its own editing staff). Content Editors are required to understand the subject matter/genre/story being told in works assigned to them and to help authors follow parameters for stories, either established by a Bible, if the work is part of a certain imprint, or simply to make sure it meets the qualifications of Genre Fiction. Content Editors review works assigned to them for continuity issues, plot holes, implausible beginnings, events, and conclusions, as well as any other content problems. The Content Editor will be the first editor assigned and will work closely with the Author as well as the Director of Corporate Operations in completing the task assigned. Although deadlines are flexible, Pro Se encourages that 30,000 word books be content edited within 30 days of being assigned to a Content Editor and 60,000 word manuscripts be content edited within 60 days of being assigned.

COPY EDITORS- Copy Editors are assigned to any work Pro Se produces except for the Pro Se Presents Magazine (which has its own editing staff). Copy Editors are required to review manuscripts after Content Editing is completed. Copy Editors review manuscripts checking spelling, grammar, sentence construction, and other issues related to presentation and clarity. The Copy Editor will be the second editor assigned and will work closely with the Author as well as the Director of Corporate Operations in completing the task assigned. Although deadlines are flexible, Pro Se encourages that 30,000 word books be content edited within 30 days of being assigned to a Content Editor and 30,000 word manuscripts be content edited within 60 days of being assigned.

COMPENSATION- These positions are currently unpaid, although each Editor will receive free digital copies of Pro Se's entire catalog upon request. Also, Pro Se will provide positive references in the form of letters and/or other form of contact for anyone who serves in either of these positions and performs well.
If interested in either position, email Morgan Minor at MorganMinorProSe@yahoo.com to receive a short piece as a test edit. Although experience is not required, it is preferred. Please list any editing experience you have had in your inquiry. Refer any questions to the same address.

OPEN POSITIONS WITHIN PRO SE PRODUCTIONS

EDITORS WANTED- Pro Se Productions is currently seeking to expand its editorial staff.  Pro Se maintains two teams of Editors.  These positions are outlined as follows:

CONTENT EDITORS-  Content Editors are assigned to any work Pro Se produces except for the Pro Se Presents Magazine (which has its own editing staff).  Content Editors are required to understand the subject matter/genre/story being told in works assigned to them and to help authors follow parameters for stories, either established by a Bible, if the work is part of a certain imprint, or simply to make sure it meets the qualifications of Genre Fiction.  Content Editors review works assigned to them for continuity issues, plot holes, implausible beginnings, events, and conclusions, as well as any other content problems.   The Content Editor will be the first editor assigned and will work closely with the Author as well as the Director of Corporate Operations in completing the task assigned.  Although deadlines are flexible, Pro Se encourages that 30,000 word books be content edited within 30 days of being assigned to a Content Editor and 60,000 word manuscripts be content edited within 60 days of being assigned.

COPY EDITORS- Copy Editors are assigned to any work Pro Se produces except for the Pro Se Presents Magazine (which has its own editing staff).  Copy Editors are required to review manuscripts after Content Editing is completed.  Copy Editors review manuscripts checking spelling, grammar, sentence construction, and other issues related to presentation and clarity.   The Copy Editor will be the second editor assigned and will work closely with the Author as well as the Director of Corporate Operations in completing the task assigned.  Although deadlines are flexible, Pro Se encourages that 30,000 word books be content edited within 30 days of being assigned to a Content Editor and 30,000 word manuscripts be content edited within 60 days of being assigned.

COMPENSATION- These positions are currently unpaid, although each Editor will receive free digital copies of Pro Se's entire catalog upon request.  Also, Pro Se will provide positive references in the form of letters and/or other form of contact for anyone who serves in either of these positions and performs well.

If interested in either position, email Morgan Minor at MorganMinorProSe@yahoo.com to receive a short piece as a test edit. Although experience is not required, it is preferred. Please list any editing experience you have had in your inquiry.  Refer any questions to the same address.

[Link] 5 Lies Unpublished Writers Tell Themselves (and the Truths That Can Get Them Published)

by Matt Mikalatos

Writers tend to be creative in many areas of life, so it’s no surprise that we can get creative with the truth. Or, as my mother said, “You lie a lot.” This is especially tempting when we are debating why we aren’t published. Before I was a published author, I embraced a few cherished lies because they blunted the pain of rejection. But the road to publication required discarding these lies and facing reality. Here are five lies I believed before I was published:

1. THE RULES DON’T APPLY TO ME.

I write amazing first drafts. If there were a contest for first drafts, mine would win every time. So I told myself, “Writing is not rewriting.” Other people might have to do multiple drafts, but my first drafts are so solid I could publish them as-is. For years I believed this.

One day I did three drafts of an article, and it became my first published article. A solid first draft is not good enough to be published. All those “rules of writing” that you read in Writer’s Digest, on blogs, and in creative writings classes are rules because they are true most of the time. So if there are some rules that you think don’t apply to you, think again. It might be the rule preventing you from getting published.

2. AGENTS AND EDITORS HAVE IT IN FOR ME.

Ah, those blood-sucking agents and editors. I’m pretty sure they have meetings in a secret underground lair where they talk about how jealous they are of my writing skills and how they should team up to keep me from being published.

This is a lie that is so prevalent among unpublished writers that editors and agents have to go to psychologists so they can feel good about themselves again. I know one editor who calls herself “Dream Crusher” to assuage her pain. Here’s the truth: Editors and agents desperately want you to be good enough. They make a living by writers being publishable. If you’re getting rejected it’s because you still have work to do. either as a writer or as a marketer.

Continue reading: http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/5-lies-unpublished-writers-tell-themselves-and-the-truths-that-can-get-them-published?et_mid=617739&rid=232422756

Competent Editors and Empowered Writers

Don't get angry. Get edited. Then maybe get angry.

by Janet Harriett

A competent editor is a liaison between the writer and the reader, making sure that what the author meant to convey is what is actually on the page. We are there to make you look as good as possible. A competent editor does not make changes unless they serve the interest of the story, and should be able to justify every change. If an editor makes a change you consider ruinous to the story, STET THAT MOTHER.

An editor's changes are not decrees carved in stone. Authors can contest them, and the editorial process should not be over until the author and editor agree on all points. I've had authors contest edits I've suggested; it's all part of the process. Sometimes, with explanation, the author realizes that what I've suggested makes the story stronger. Sometimes, the author's explanation makes me agree that their original version was fine.

If you've got a contract that doesn't require the publisher to get your approval on substantive changes like removing a whole section, that's a bad contract no matter who is editing the book.  As far as cover art, the publisher is wrapping the book in something that it thinks will make people buy the book. Ideally, that will accurately reflect the content of the book, but that's not always the case, and where the two interests diverge, marketing takes precedent over accuracy. There are persistent, problematic biases with cover art, not the least of which is whitewashing characters or sexualizing female characters regardless of their actual role in the book. That needs to change, but it's not the editor's doing, and in the end it is all about getting your story into the hands of more readers.

So, for the tips:

1. If you're engaging a freelance editor, either for a self-published work or pre-submission, shop around for one whose style matches yours. If your editor firmly doesn't believe in prologues and you write lots of prologues, you two are not a good match. Keep interviewing until you find one who is.

2. If you're working with a small press publisher, you  may be able to suggest they engage your preferred editor for the work. The small presses I know of have a stable of editors they go to, but they essentially contract the work out, and may be amenable to contracting to an editor you suggest if they can be assured that the editor meets their quality standards.

3. Engage a competent editor. Competent editors don't make changes for the sake of making changes, or to pee in the corner of your manuscript so everyone knows what a terrific editor they are.

4. Realize that the editor is working for the good of the story, and the reader. Editors would just as soon not incur the wrath of an author, because cheesed-off authors are difficult to work with and we have limited time in a day. Edits are not personal. Related: 99.2% of writers do not crap gold on either first draft. Or third.

5. STET. STET. STET. You do not have to accept the edits. If you are contractually obligated to accept the edits, get a better contract next time.

The Writer Will Take Your Questions Now (#186) -- Good Editors

What does a writer want from a good editor? What does he or she need?

When a writer looks for an editor, he or she should find someone who not only knows the basic skill set (grammar, spelling, story composition, character development, meeting a deadline, etc.), but also someone who has the fortitude and professionalism to be completely honest about the work. When you get an editor, you aren't looking for a friend or a cheerleader. You're looking for someone to do the hard work of making your work stronger.

An editor has two key functions:

1. Find what's wrong and suggest ways to fix it.

2. Find what's right and make it shine.

You don't want an editor who tells you how wonderful your work is and how perfect it is. But neither do you want an editor who has nothing but horrible things to say about your writing. A good editor will find balance between those two functions and will do the job in a way that may hurt your feelings a little (if you're overly sensitive about your work) but will also make you feel better and more positive about the finished product.