 For Authors: August 17, 2016 Issue [#7806] |
  For Authors
This week: What Editors or Publishers Hate - Part 1 Edited by: Vivian  
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I know that the editors for my publishing company are often frustrated by some of the problems caused by writers. Sometimes the writers have no idea of the problems. Sometimes the problems are caused by unprofessional actions on the part of writers. I hear complaints from other publishers and their editors, even from freelance editors. Allow me to share some of these problems in two parts. Continue for Part 1.
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What Publishers and Editors Hate - Part 1
Anyone who deals with an editor (whether paid or a volunteer or an editor for a publishing house) or directly with a publisher need to know what irritates them. Keeping a publisher and/or an editor happy makes for a smoother relationship. So, what things do publishers and editors hate?
1. Submitters who do not follow guidelines irk anyone dealing with writers. More than one person has submitted to 4RV and sent material we do not publish with cover letters stating the story, writing, whatever was SOOOOO good that we would accept the manuscript any way. What arrogance. Editors and publishers hate when authors do not conduct themselves as professionals. If a manuscript, no matter how excellent, does not fit the form, style, or genre of a publishing house, it will be rejected. Even if the most well-written, wonderful material in the world, not every publisher will be interested.
A sub-point of not following guidelines is an author shows he does not or will not follow directions. No one wants to work with anyone who won’t follow directions.
2. Editors and publishers HATE a writer whose submission is rejected who sends a hateful attack in reply. For example, one of my imprint editors sent a very polite refusal letter to an author with suggestions for improvement. He wrote an email attacking the editor, calling her inept and blind, saying that her “vanity press” would never matter, and a few other choice words. In his email, he revealed that he had stolen the idea for his manuscript from a popular children’s book from some years ago. As I told him, the publishing community is small, and if he wanted to be accepted by any publisher he needed to 1. Write better; 2. Work with others better; 3. Learn how to use rejection to become better; and 4. Never be rude. I also informed him that we weren’t a vanity press, that we paid for everything and the authors for nothing, and that as the people paying the bills, we could refuse anything submitted that we didn’t like.
3. Unprofessionalism can also be found when a writer asks a writing expert to give an opinion and sends a rough draft, and, yes, writers even submit rough drafts to publishers. Anytime someone sends a manuscript to a professional, the material should be well-written and well-edited.
Other turn-offs for publishers and editors include the following:
4. Publishers and/or editors hate manuscripts that are not completely edited. Bad punctuation, spelling, and grammar: traits of a writer with no experience or one who hasn’t taken the time to learn or research correct needs of writing sentences, much less a manuscript. Editors hate when an author doesn’t even run spell-check or try to correct grammar and punctuation. Yes, the major part of a submission is the story, but punctuation, spelling, and grammar mistakes distract readers from understanding what the author wants to convey.
Other editing problems include lack of coherency, cohesion, clarity, completeness, and conciseness.
5. Unbelievable dialogue is disliked: Dialogue should flow and not sound stilted, needs to be realistic. Also incorrect punctuation around dialogue.
6. Publishers and editors hate scenes not set. No, an author doesn’t need to give detailed descriptions, but enough information is needed so readers have an idea where or when the scene takes place – at least a general idea.
7. Cardboard characters “turn-off” editors/publishers. Characters should be 3 dimensional, and someone for the reader to care about. Don’t let characters be predictable and don’t give a character’s back story all at once. Providing a back story is not the same as creating and developing a character that comes to life. One is telling, and the other is showing. Make characters believable with motivation for actions.
8. They don’t like novels too long or too short. Over 200,000 and under 50,000 words are unacceptable for common publishing standards.
9. A poor plot: Every story needs a plot that begins with a hook and keeps the reader interested. The plot should not have inconsistencies in the story, characters, or timeline.
My next issue, I will continue with Part 2. Please realize these are not all the possible complaints by publishers and editors, just a sample of the main ones given me.
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Words from Our Readers
From a newsletter in June:
Carol St.Ann 
Viv --
This newsletter on crime in fiction and nonfiction was wonderfully presented and chock full of great information.
It was referenced in "The NEW Novel Workshop " , and subsequently put into our reference and resource index. Thanks so much!
From the July 20 newsletter:
liveaboard
Viv - I really enjoyed reading the newsletter. I certainly agree with most of the fingers on the chalkboard comments. I'm curious about one thing that is the grammatic difference between "I could care less." and "I couldn't care less." I have never heard anyone say the latter. Is it just that the first is a colloquialism? Thanks!
The difference is the difference between could and couldn't. If someone could care less, he still cares a little at least. If a person couldn't care less, he cares not at all.
In my last newsletter I addressed some of the grammar and speech problems I find on TV, especially news, and in writing, meaning in the text or narration, nothing about dialogue. Apparently some readers didn't understand.
toddjkelly
Shall I add one more, if it's dialogue, it's far more believable to use double subjects, bad grammar and other stupid things people say. We live in 2016. Write for it. Teach for it.
toddjkelly
However, a majority gets the idea, (you and I will speak, no one else will know). Scholars will scoff, but writing isn't about writing beautifully, it's about conveying a message effectively. It's all about communication, not technicalities. Frankly my dear, no one gives a damn about being super proper... people care about the message and the emotion. That's how politicians get voted in. BY EMOTION. Lastly, I wouldn't agree that the statement sounds as bad as the other statement. The latter is clearer in grammatical error faster than the first.
vivacious 
On the other hand, depending upon the character's education and region (New Yorker's don't sound like North Dakotans, after all), those "errors" are oft used, and can add some authenticity to the story.
I always figure a lot of grammar rules can be broken when in placed inside quotes. If every character speaks in perfect English, the writing soon becomes stilted, and even boring, because they all end up talking the same way.
Note, the newsletter dealt with grammar in text or narration, not in dialogue.
Thanks for joining me again. Next issue I edit, I will finish what publishers and editors hate.
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