Last night I Googled my novel and discovered that it's now up on Amazon.com. I suppose that by the time I've gone through the publishing process several times (I'm an optimist) I won't even be bothered to Google new releases, and I won't feel that spurt of excitement when I first spy the titles online in stores. Since this is my maiden voyage, you'll forgive my enthusing over every little thing, right? So I'm moving on to the other big first that has me grinning like an idiot right now...
Galleys! They arrived today, and when the courier guy put the box into my hands I almost dropped it. Heavy stuff, these galleys, I thought. When I opened the package I understood. In addition to the printed pages I discovered about 150 book covers. Huh? I'm assuming that these are for use in my own promotional forays - but I've e-mailed the production supervisor and asked, just to be sure.
I glanced at the last pages and found that my sexy closing scene has been knifed. What's left is... well, not much of it is left. And my scintillating final sentence? Gone. Vanished. Poof. **sob... wailllll!!!!!!!!** Who knows what other surgery has been performed in the innards of the book? Now I have to brace myself and repeat 100 times: The editor knows best. The editor is always right. The editor knows best. The edit...
Showing posts with label editors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label editors. Show all posts
Tuesday, 8 April 2008
Saturday, 23 February 2008
Rejection
The editor who was interested in my non-fiction gift book for writers has... rejected. No, I'm not devastated. Rejection is part and parcel of this business. As a matter of fact, it's the norm; acceptance is the exception.
So, does knowing this make it easier? Maybe. There's a bit of a letdown, of course, but it does not go to the heart. I've examined his comments; some were positive, stuff like "good choices" and "well researched". Others were not, such as "repetitive and forced", referring to two chapters in particular, one on the craft, the other on stumbling blocks.
I disagree absolutely with his assessment. As I told the agent in a subsequent e-mail, 'the craft' and 'stumbling blocks' are distinct, major issues for writers, judging from the books on writing I've read, from my interactions with writers, and from my reading of their blogs and websites. The chapter on the craft focuses on the actual craft of writing: on the language. The one on stumbling blocks deals with the psychological hurdles and pressures, the ones imposed by the writer as well as the external pressures. The real irony is that the editor in question has seen nothing of these chapters but the chapter titles. For a non-fiction proposal only three sample chapters are required. The chapters he mentioned weren't among those sent in the proposal package.
Doesn't matter, though, whether I'm right or wrong; that editor isn't buying the book. Maybe another one will; maybe not.
The toughest thing I've had to survive in this life was a bruising rejection from someone I loved. Editorial rejection isn't even in the same arena. It's much, much easier. Life goes on.
It's business as usual.
P.S. This is too good not to share; it's all about rejection. Thank you, Kevin.
So, does knowing this make it easier? Maybe. There's a bit of a letdown, of course, but it does not go to the heart. I've examined his comments; some were positive, stuff like "good choices" and "well researched". Others were not, such as "repetitive and forced", referring to two chapters in particular, one on the craft, the other on stumbling blocks.
I disagree absolutely with his assessment. As I told the agent in a subsequent e-mail, 'the craft' and 'stumbling blocks' are distinct, major issues for writers, judging from the books on writing I've read, from my interactions with writers, and from my reading of their blogs and websites. The chapter on the craft focuses on the actual craft of writing: on the language. The one on stumbling blocks deals with the psychological hurdles and pressures, the ones imposed by the writer as well as the external pressures. The real irony is that the editor in question has seen nothing of these chapters but the chapter titles. For a non-fiction proposal only three sample chapters are required. The chapters he mentioned weren't among those sent in the proposal package.
Doesn't matter, though, whether I'm right or wrong; that editor isn't buying the book. Maybe another one will; maybe not.
The toughest thing I've had to survive in this life was a bruising rejection from someone I loved. Editorial rejection isn't even in the same arena. It's much, much easier. Life goes on.
It's business as usual.
P.S. This is too good not to share; it's all about rejection. Thank you, Kevin.
Thursday, 24 January 2008
Evil Editor's Launch Party
In case there are actually writers in the blogosphere who have never heard of Evil Editor - and I doubt that any such exist - he's an anonymous editor who runs a blog that helps writers polish their query letters, and he does it in hilarious fashion. He's been around since April 2006 and I discovered him through my love affair with Miss Snark, an anonymous literary agent whose blog was dedicated to educating new writers about 'the business', also in hilarious fashion. Learning was never so much fun as when those two... But I digress.
Evil Editor's launching his fourth book, Novel Deviations 3, and Church Lady is hosting a launch party on her blog today. The Evil One himself will be dropping by there frequently to participate in the festivities. You can still make it; it doesn't end until 9PM Eastern US time!
Evil Editor's launching his fourth book, Novel Deviations 3, and Church Lady is hosting a launch party on her blog today. The Evil One himself will be dropping by there frequently to participate in the festivities. You can still make it; it doesn't end until 9PM Eastern US time!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)