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| SFReader Forums > Writing > Gripe! > On being an editor | Forum Quick Jump
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Nicholas
Adept
      
Date Joined Jun 2006
Total Posts : 909
| Posted 5/30/2008 1:01 AM (GMT -4) |   | | | |
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Nicholas
Adept
Date Joined Jun 2006
Total Posts : 909
| Posted 5/27/2008 4:21 AM (GMT -4) | | The most bizarre submission my co-editor and I ever got back when we were doing MOOREEFFOC Magazine--well, I'm not even sure you could call it a submission, exactly...More of a query with a demand for upfront money.
It was a list of poem titles, along with a cover letter explaining that if we wanted to see any of them, we had to send the author a deposit (it was pretty hefty, too, if I recall correctly, something like forty dollars--way beyond what we paid for poems). Not only did we scoff at the weirdness of the proposal, but we also derived much amusement from the list. The titles were all strangely generic: "The Haunted House," "The Ghost," etc.
I wonder if anyone, ever--just out of curiosity, maybe, and with money to burn--actually sent a deposit to this odd person for the opportunity to read one of those poems.
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ScrewMoonshine
Adept
Date Joined Aug 2005
Total Posts : 843
| Posted 5/25/2008 5:11 PM (GMT -4) | | I only reply to rejections if I want something clarified. And by clarified, I mean a question in the form of "Do you mean this or that?", not "What do you mean by this?" The latter question, for me at least, is usually nothing more than subconsciously challenging the editor's reasons for rejection, which is naturally a big no-no. Even if it's not intended that way, it could be interpreted that way. I've never regretted asking an editor for clarification on a point.
If I feel like informing an editor that one of my submissions has been placed elsewhere, I save it for the cover letter of the next submission I send him. That way there's no chance of it being interpreted as gloating. Naturally, I always thank the editor in my cover letters if he has given me helpful suggestions before, regardless of whether or not said suggestions helped in placing the story elsewhere.
Robert Orme
Out now:
"More Than One Way to Protect" in Lords of Justice (www.carnifexpress.net/)
"Time in a Capsule" in Unparalleled Journeys II (www.journeybookspublishing.com/)
"On the Tree Top" in Ultraverse vol.3 #5 (www.ultraverse.us)
"The Scab, the Man, and the I.V." in Mount Zion Speculative Fiction Review #3 (www.mountzionpress.com)
Coming soon:
"Replacing Someone" in Aoife's Kiss #26, September 2008 (http://samsdotpublishing.com/aoife/main.htm) | | Back to Top | | |
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SilviaMG
Stablehand
Date Joined Feb 2008
Total Posts : 43
| Posted 5/23/2008 9:59 PM (GMT -4) | | "Heck, if it's Jason I might just do some gloating! :-p"
Now, now no gloating. | | Back to Top | | |
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SilviaMG
Stablehand
Date Joined Feb 2008
Total Posts : 43
| Posted 5/23/2008 9:45 PM (GMT -4) | | "Even if that's not what's intended, it would be very easy for someone to take that the wrong way."
I think it depends on the editor. Nick Mamatas appreciates it. I think Realms of Fantasy is also happy to hear from slushies (Douglas Cohen calls them his secret slush survivors) who made it somewhere else. If an editor gave me some very good feedback that helped me place that story in another good place I would send them a thank you note and let them know about it in a very polite and friendly way. The reason is good customer service. We complain about editors a lot but sometimes we forget to let them know what a good job they do. I think in an exceptional set of circumstances like a very nice sale and very good comments it would merit a thank you to that special editor who helped you polish your story.
Of course, it comes down to a personal decision. Silence is always the easiest course. | | Back to Top | | |
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SilviaMG
Stablehand
Date Joined Feb 2008
Total Posts : 43
| Posted 5/23/2008 1:54 PM (GMT -4) | | "I have question to the editors out there. If you (the editor) sent a personalized but rejected email, should the author respond ? I thought it was some sort of taboo but I want to thank him for the insight."
Don't respond. They already have a lot of e-mail to deal with. When you sub again, include a little line that says "Thank you for your feedback on my last story, it was very helpful." Same thing if an editor said something like we hope to see more work from you. They usually mean it. So don't be afraid to mention that when you sub again. Something like "As per your last e-mail, I'm sending you some of my other stuff to look at."
The exception to the above rule would be if you manage to make a very good sale of the story. You might want to tell the editor who gave you helpful comments. Something like "Hi Bob. I just wanted to let you know your comments about my story "Such and So" were incredibly helpful. It will appear in Pro Market X next summer. Thanks." | | Back to Top | | |
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R. L. Copple
Acolyte
Date Joined Mar 2007
Total Posts : 205
| Posted 5/11/2008 10:48 PM (GMT -4) | | Bill's right. Being an editor, even though we don't have thousands or even hundreds of submissions, I only have so much time I can devote to it, I'm doing it on a volunteer basis. The bottom line is, if a submitter is serious about the editor taking a look at his or her work, they will make it as painless on the editor as possible, by following the rules. It simply gives one a better chance of success. I certainly wouldn't have time to google everyone's submission.
But, and the other not mentioned thing, as an author, I wouldn't want to request they google my name. Not because I have anything to hide, but because they'll get other stuff, maybe someone else who isn't me but matches the name somewhere down the road. No telling what might turn up that gets misunderstood. As a writer, I think that would leave too much open to chance. Best to include any needed info in the submission so they don't have to go looking for it, because they won't go looking for it, they'll just move onto the next one at the worst or ignore it at best. If it is in the cover letter, then they may read it. The only time I go googling or clicking on links in a submission is if I suspect plagiarism, or that it is a reprint they failed to tell us it was.
R. L. Copple
blog.rlcopple.com
www.raygunradio.com
www.haruah.com
Infinite Realities available at Amazon.com | | Back to Top | | |
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Lyn
Adopt
Date Joined Sep 2007
Total Posts : 1278
| Posted 5/10/2008 6:05 PM (GMT -4) | | | | |
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von Darkmoor
Dancer
Date Joined Dec 2005
Total Posts : 2865
| Posted 5/10/2008 2:03 PM (GMT -4) | | | Regarding the 20k piece, you are right and I meant to say the same. Receiving a query about something like that and giving me the editor the chance to at least know about it in advance makes a huge difference. I'm totally open to that.
And I also agree with you in the sense that the less an editor/publisher pays and/or does for its authors, the less demanding he/she/it should be. To a degree. That is a hard line to stick to, though, when you are a small press editor who would love to be able to afford to pay more to his authors but there just ain't money to do it with. When submissions are pouring over the windowsills though, as they continue to pile up in droves, it's rather hard for an editor not to reject reading the 20k manuscript in favor of reading the five 4k manuscripts on either side of it simply out of an "You've got to be kidding me!?" mentality. It all comes down to practicality and time, and I'm often out of both 
I believe I side more often than not with "the writers" than "the editors" - Though I'm enjoying it, I'm the latter by accident and still trying to become the former. I believe that the better I do my editing/publishing/promoting tasks, the better I serve the authors who come to me. I believe that the more quality product I can put out the better it will be for my authors. So I believe the better FSP becomes, the better off its authors will become.
~~~~~~~~~~
Jason M. Waltz
Managing Editor, Flashing Swords Press (site soon to come)
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