Growing up in Cochrane, Alberta, Logan Watt’s dream was to play in the National Hockey League. But he was passed up in the annual NHL Entry Draft, so Logan took on a new project for the summer, the rehabilitation of the family farm. After some time on the farm with his father, Logan began to accept that he may never make the NHL. That was until he received a call that would change his life forever. www.cacoethespublishing.net www.amazon.com *The pictures and music in this video are in no way affiliated to the author or publisher of this book. No copyright infringement is intended.

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Our destination today is Publication Plaza, the heart and soul of Slush City.  Every piece of work—from initial submission to final manuscript—passes through this place on its journey towards publication.  Just how far a submission gets depends on a combination of factors, from the story’s construction right on up to its potential marketability.  But who decides whether or not the work is worthy of publication to begin with? 

The editor, that’s who. 

“Yes,” you say, “but what exactly are these ‘editors’?  Where do they come from, and what qualifies them to pass judgment on my masterpiece?” 

Well, for starters, they are much like you:  carbon-based life forms that opted for careers in the literary arts.  An editor’s qualifying characteristics, on the other hand, are fairly subjective.  Every publication is different, and so too are their professional requirements.  Some call for their editors to be certified; others rely less on accreditations and more on proven skill.  Regardless, the editors they employ are all qualified in their own way.  There are exceptions, of course—you may very well run across a “bad editor” at some point in your career—but as a general rule, those who don the editing hat are quite good at what they do. 

They have to be, or they don’t get paid.   

Okay, I see we’ve reached the Plaza.  If you would please step off the bus and line up in an orderly fashion, we’ll head on over to the Zoo to see some real, live Editors in action.  To help you understand these quirky creatures a little better, let’s start by taking a look at the various species, beginning with the first type you are likely to run into:  the Acquisitions Editor. 

Sometimes referred to as a Submissions Editor, these surly, black-hearted beasts essentially hold the fate of your manuscript in their pre-arthritic paws.  Their job is to read and evaluate submitted works, correspond with authors, make recommendations to the Publisher, and issue acceptance contracts or rejection notices.  Note their furrowed brows and deplorable posture.  That is the result of countless hours spent sifting through stories, synopses, and sample chapters in search of publication-worthy material.  

At first glance, Acquisitions Editors may seem pretty tame—a bit temperamental, maybe, but relatively harmless as publication-types go.  Yes, well, don’t let the permanent squints and vaguely confused expressions fool you.  They are wilier than they look.  They will catch every convoluted sentence, every passive paragraph, every plot hole your manuscript contains.  Style and grammar will be noted, storylines scrutinized . . . and then they will begin to calculate the piece’s potential for publication. 

Confession #1:  A submission’s fate is ultimately determined by basic mathematics, not the editor’s personal preference. 

What, you thought we only accepted the stuff we like?  If that were the case, there would be a whole lot less to choose from at your local bookshop.  Acquisitions Editors are semi-human; they have certain likes and dislikes, same as everyone else.  They just can’t allow those prejudices to cloud their judgment during working hours. 

And this is where the math comes into play.

It is a simple matter of ratios:  the more “issues” a manuscript has, the less likely it will be to see publications.  The best story in the world hasn’t a snowflake’s chance in Hell of getting published if the manuscript is rife with passive phrasing and grammatical errors.  Likewise, the most perfectly constructed piece isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on unless the storyline is original and engaging.  It is the Acquisition Editor’s responsibility to conclude whether the manuscript contains more problems or plusses, and make a recommendation based on those factors.  More problems equal a rejection.  More plusses equal a move to the Acceptance file. 

Simple, impartial, effective.

We will discuss the various tricks for tipping the ratios in your favor at a later time, but for now let us move on to the next exhibit:  Copy and Content Editors. 

Less intimidating than their Acquisitions counterparts, Copy and Content Editors are there to help writers revise and polish accepted manuscripts before they go to print.  While the duties of each may be fulfilled by a single person (heck, most editors do all three—acquisitions, content and copy editing), we will address each title individually just to clarify their roles in the publishing process.   

Copy Editors focus on the manuscript’s construction:  spelling, grammar and punctuation errors, passive phrasing, etc.  Their job is to ensure the final manuscript is structurally sound.  Notice the worn copies of The Elements of Style**peeking from their back pockets.  It is believed this mystical tome serves as a source of comfort and clarity for them in times of indecision.    

As humble as these beings may appear, they do sport an unusual array of armaments . . . and they know how to use ‘em.  Redundancies, improper word usage, grammatical faux pas—all will fall before the Copy Editor’s weapon of choice:  the strike-through.  Watch as they wield this editorial tool with almost surgical precision, removing faulty verbiage and repairing fragmented sentences while leaving the meat of the manuscript unscathed. 

Not too shabby for a bunch of grammar geeks, eh?

Content Editors, on the other hand, concern themselves with the manuscript’s plot, continuity and overall presentation.  See the hand ax holstered at their hip?  This unconventional utensil is used to deter the presence of plot bunnies—those unnecessary side-stories that tend to interrupt flow and detract from the main plot.  Nasty critters, plot bunnies.  Left unchecked, these hideous little beasts can multiply exponentially, turning a simple storyline into a schizophrenic nightmare of conflicting chaos.  It is the Content Editor’s job to cull the bunnies from the manuscript, note transition problems between chapters, and work with the author on required revisions. 

 “Whoa, wait just a darn minute,” you say, “You mean we’re gonna have to rewrite the story after it’s already been written?  That’s jank!”

I understand your distress.  You worked hard on the manuscript and feel it is top-notch stuff.  That may very well be true, but as the saying goes, ‘There is always room for improvement.’  Improper punctuation, omitted words, misspellings or homophone swaps (many of which can be blamed on Word’s auto-correct feature—thanks, Microsoft) can be found even in the most meticulously edited draft.  But just because a manuscript needs additional editing does not mean an entire rewrite is inevitable.  Eight time out of ten, the edits are minor and do not require the author to do anything more strenuous than hit the Accept Changes button.

I will admit working with an editor for content can be a bit disconcerting, especially for first-timers and super-independent types.  After all, these strangers are dissecting your creation; removing pieces of it willy-nilly and replacing those lovingly constructed bits with their own ideas . . . why, they’re butchering your work like a promiscuous teen in a bad slasher flick.  If they make any more changes, it won’t even be the same story!  Aaaaaaaahhh!

Well, before you blow a gasket, allow me to ease your paranoid mind.    

Confession #2:  Editors aren’t out to change your story or dampen your creative flair.  Really. 

They are simply doing the job they were brought in to do:  make your manuscript as tight and as readable as possible.  Creative style doesn’t mean diddly-squat if your target audience can’t muddle their way through the prose.  The editors’ suggestions and requested changes are there to help fine tune any problem areas and ensure your readers are presented with a polished gem instead of first draft dross. 

Preferably, a polished gem that is not infested with plot bunnies.  

Once the manuscript has been through the revision process, a proofreader (usually one of the editors) gives it a final read-through.  At this point, they are looking for nothing more than typos and formatting errors, which they may change with or without notifying the author.  Once they are satisfied the manuscript is as clean as it is going to get, they send it to the publisher to be laid out for print.  The layout process will be addressed later on, but right now, what say we break for lunch?  I’m famished!

We will continue the tour after you have had a chance to refresh yourselves.  Next stop:  Publication Plaza’s Submissions Repository—the spiritual center of the City.  Plenty of opportunities to improve the flow of your writing Chi there!  Discover a plethora of positive reinforcement techniques with the inspirational Holy Crap, I Can’t Believe That Got Published lecture.  Or learn how to prepare your submission for maximum impact at the popular How to Not Piss of the Acquisitions Editor seminar.  The choice is yours (no, really—it is; make your preference known in the form of a comment).   

In the meantime, I would advise finding a bit of sustenance.  You are going to need to store as many carbs as possible to survive the rigidly enforced ‘No Food or Drink’ rule enacted throughout the Repository. 

~Myrrym

**If you do not already own a copy of Strunk & White’s The Elements of Style, I recommend getting your mitts on one.  Its advice on grammar and word usage is indispensible.  An excellent addition to any writer’s reference library (and relatively cheap at $10 a copy, new).

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(originally published; July 18th, 2009)

There comes a time in many a writer’s life when they feel that a debt is owed. For some, that time does not come until late in their careers and for others – like myself – it comes at the start, when you begin to feel the mounting weight of the debt you've already begun to accumulate. Owed in part to those who came before you and might have passed down some advice (through "on writing" books, classes or correspondence) and to those who will come after you. Perhaps I am being presumptuous to assume I have anything useful to add on the subject so early on in what will hopefully blossom into a career, but I find I have started to get asked the question of what advice I would offer new writers.

I am at a point where I have roughly between 25 and 30 short manuscripts accepted or published, a decent entrance into the field for roughly three years of actual submitting, a 20% ratio that I am proud of and I wouldn’t have gotten that far if not for the help of other writers who have offered their advice or opinion. The most recent such person was Nate Kenyon who kindly took the time to allay some of my fears as I enter a new stage in my writing. He didn’t need to, as I am sure he is a busy man with his second novel out, the first being the Stoker nominated BLOODSTONE, which I highly recommend to anyone needing a lesson in solid pacing. Another writer who offered me excellent advice about the value of professional organizations was Jonathan Maberry, whose three books dealing with the town of Pine Deep will appeal to readers that enjoy an 80s style horror epic that tickles the nostalgia bone with a dose of the blues and a horde of classic monsters. There have been others. People I never would have thought could have found the time of day to talk to a newbie fledgling who asked them the same questions they get asked at every convention and writer’s talk. But they did. More often than not, my messages were responded to within no more than a couple of days. It gave me a sense of community to have them share their knowledge with me. I cannot thank them enough. I cannot respect them enough.

I’ve developed friendships online with writers that I would otherwise never have the chance to meet as funds don’t exactly allow me to travel to the UK or even out to Manitoba (if you’re reading this, you know who you are) and that adds to the feeling that I’m not alone in my struggles to do what I’ve wanted to do since I was a ten-year old boy with dreams of grandeur. We help each other when we can and as time and health allows. We call on each other when we think something might be right for someone. I worked on a great little collaboration novel called THE EDWARD BALLISTER PROJECT as a result of this kind of friendship. I also think I receive entirely too high of praise for my contribution to it. I was just having a good time with a wonderful basis for a story. This kind of friendship developed after I submitted to another equally ambitious and fruitful anthology called COURTING MORPHEUS and I’ve been very proud to be included in its offspring, THE NEW BEDLAM PROJECT, an e-zine that has already attracted some high caliber writers to its streets.

I wouldn’t trade any of these friendships for the chance to get published. Without them I wouldn’t be as far down this road as I am. I’ve witnessed more than a few writers stab others in the back over false allegations in the hope of bettering their own chances. I’m not that kind of person and I wouldn’t suggest that any new writer take that way either. Rejection is a fact of this life. For every two stories I send out that get picked up, I have another eight-to-ten passed on. Form rejections suck. But I understand from the editor’s viewpoint how hard it can be to give a personal response to everyone. It isn’t always like that though and the first personal note you get is a good feeling and as more come rolling in with hand scribbled notes or full-out explanations of why it wasn’t right for them you can mark your progress as a writer. Sometimes the waiting is the worst thing. I have two stories out there right now going on nearly a year of hanging in the ether. I hope they don’t, but if they get rejected, I’ll go over them again and then submit them somewhere else and start the waiting game again.

Joining writer’s groups can help you get over these setbacks. You’ll hear other writers tell you about their rejections or acceptances and that helps a huge amount, believe me. Graveside Tales’ forum has been my favorite. There is a talented and caring pool of people there. Many, I call friends. They are also the kind of people who are happy to share news of new markets that open up. They have gone and read my work (as I have theirs) and offered critiques as well as encouragement. They give me a laugh when I need it. After my wife and my mother, they are the first people to hear my good news and bad news.

The point is, without friends in this business and the kindness of others it can get very lonely, very quick. My first step in paying my debts is to offer this advice to new writers:

  Network through sites like MySpace, Facebook and writer’s forums.

  Be respectful to your fellow writers.

  Be a friend because next time you might be the one who needs one.

Providing my health doesn’t limit me too much I’ll hopefully be able to keep posting about the good and bad choices I’ve made on my journey along with passing on the advice I’ve learned and been given. I’m starting to submit novels now so I’m pretty sure I’ll have a lot of material to gripe… erm… talk about in the near future.

Take care friends,

Brandon Layng

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I created this column/virtual tour for three reasons.  One, Dale Murphy threatened to have me blacklisted from the North American Grammar Nazi Association (NAGNA) if I didn’t.  Two, I wanted to show people what life is really like behind the slush pile (it is nowhere near as glamorous as you may have heard; I have yet to buy a vacation home on an exotic island or jet to Paris for brunch).  And three, I wanted to give unpublished writers some practical advice on preparing their work for submission. 

To further this noble enterprise, we’re going to take a little trip—a virtual pilgrimage, if you will—through the Holy Land of Editing.  We’ll hit all the major attractions along the way (Format Springs, the Isle of Grammar, etc.), and at each stop I will regale you with a series of confessions.  Some of these soul-cleansing declarations will be about the inner workings of the editing biz.  Others will pertain to the art of writing.  All of them will offer helpful hints on dealing with editors and making your submission more reader-friendly. 

So, don those snazzy Bermuda shorts and grab your camera.  In the next installment, we’ll head on over to the commerce center, Publication Plaza.  I think you’ll like it there.  The architecture of the Submissions Repository is quite stunning, and there is a wonderful zoo where you can see Editors and other publication-type people in their natural habitats. 

The tour bus leaves at nine a.m. sharp.  Until then, feel free to wander the streets, sample the cuisine, and discover Slush City’s hidden charm (the Garden of Misspelled Words is particularly lovely this time of year).  Just, uh, don’t taunt the surly, misshapen creatures you see huddled behind the computer monitors.  Those are Submissions Editors, and believe you me, you do not want to mess with them unless you are 100% sure they’ve had their daily dose of caffeine. 

Just sayin’ . . .

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