Comments for pinkpetalbooks.com http://pinkpetalbooks.com Sat, 27 Mar 2010 05:18:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on Friday Editorial: It’s the Little Things, Or Is It? by Janice Seagraves http://pinkpetalbooks.com/?p=62&cpage=1#comment-30 Janice Seagraves Sat, 27 Mar 2010 05:18:07 +0000 http://pinkpetalbooks.com/?p=62#comment-30 Morgans are good sound horses, but it the quarter horse that many ranchers rely on when herding cattle, at least out here in California. I like broccoli, but I won't service it in a ms because most people aren't very found of the vegetable. Janice~ Morgans are good sound horses, but it the quarter horse that many ranchers rely on when herding cattle, at least out here in California.

I like broccoli, but I won’t service it in a ms because most people aren’t very found of the vegetable.

Janice~

]]> Comment on Friday Editorial: It’s the Little Things, Or Is It? by Lisa Lane http://pinkpetalbooks.com/?p=62&cpage=1#comment-29 Lisa Lane Fri, 26 Mar 2010 20:17:16 +0000 http://pinkpetalbooks.com/?p=62#comment-29 I agree completely. There are some details that just don't matter. No one is going to love every descriptive choice an author makes, but no one loves every detail about real life either--and thus a healthy variety of description makes the characters more real. I agree completely. There are some details that just don’t matter. No one is going to love every descriptive choice an author makes, but no one loves every detail about real life either–and thus a healthy variety of description makes the characters more real.

]]> Comment on Friday Editorial: It’s the Little Things, Or Is It? by Kari Thomas http://pinkpetalbooks.com/?p=62&cpage=1#comment-28 Kari Thomas Fri, 26 Mar 2010 18:26:09 +0000 http://pinkpetalbooks.com/?p=62#comment-28 Great post, Mary! And Ive got to share one of mine: I had an editor threaten to "hold my release date" until I deleted a certain scene in my book ----because her "New York" mind couldnt grasp the reality of it. The book takes place in Tucson on a ranch. I had one pasture filled with green grass and grazing cattle. The editor kept insisting green grass didnt exist in desert Tucson! I KEPT repeating to her that not only does it exist ---but the ranch was my family's!! I should know if green grass was there or not! Long story short, I canceled my contract and published the book with another publisher. (Who, never once commented on the green grass!) Anyhoo! That incident left me always aware of the "little things, the details" authors worry about. hugs, Kari Thomas www.authorkari.com Great post, Mary! And Ive got to share one of mine: I had an editor threaten to “hold my release date” until I deleted a certain scene in my book —-because her “New York” mind couldnt grasp the reality of it. The book takes place in Tucson on a ranch. I had one pasture filled with green grass and grazing cattle. The editor kept insisting green grass didnt exist in desert Tucson! I KEPT repeating to her that not only does it exist —but the ranch was my family’s!! I should know if green grass was there or not!
Long story short, I canceled my contract and published the book with another publisher. (Who, never once commented on the green grass!)
Anyhoo! That incident left me always aware of the “little things, the details” authors worry about.
hugs, Kari Thomas
http://www.authorkari.com

]]> Comment on Friday Editorial: It’s the Little Things, Or Is It? by Lena Austin http://pinkpetalbooks.com/?p=62&cpage=1#comment-27 Lena Austin Fri, 26 Mar 2010 11:27:54 +0000 http://pinkpetalbooks.com/?p=62#comment-27 You are so right, Mary. The thing that "sells" a book is the blurb, not tiny details. Yes, I know, when an aspiring author submits their "baby" to a publisher, every detail is important to the author. Yes, they are nervous and panicky. Yeah, I remember. (I still get butterflies when I turn something in, so don't feel bad newbies.) I've heard this over and over that a blurb giving the intriguing details (A character in a situation who has a goal, something stands in the way of that goal, and what disaster will happen if the goal is not achieved) is good enough. Editors know most authors suck at blurbs. As long as the blurb gives enough detail to give them an inkling of the story, it's probably enough to make them look at the full synopsis and maybe ask for more. That's it. That's the big secret. You are so right, Mary. The thing that “sells” a book is the blurb, not tiny details. Yes, I know, when an aspiring author submits their “baby” to a publisher, every detail is important to the author. Yes, they are nervous and panicky. Yeah, I remember. (I still get butterflies when I turn something in, so don’t feel bad newbies.)

I’ve heard this over and over that a blurb giving the intriguing details (A character in a situation who has a goal, something stands in the way of that goal, and what disaster will happen if the goal is not achieved) is good enough.

Editors know most authors suck at blurbs. As long as the blurb gives enough detail to give them an inkling of the story, it’s probably enough to make them look at the full synopsis and maybe ask for more. That’s it. That’s the big secret.

]]> Comment on Friday Editoral: The Editor-Author Relationship by Carol http://pinkpetalbooks.com/?p=52&cpage=1#comment-26 Carol Sat, 09 Jan 2010 01:34:03 +0000 http://pinkpetalbooks.com/?p=52#comment-26 Mary, what a wonderful blog! I always enjoy hearing the business end of writing from both sides, and this was an informative blog. Oh, heck, I always love your blogs! Mary, what a wonderful blog! I always enjoy hearing the business end of writing from both sides, and this was an informative blog.
Oh, heck, I always love your blogs!

]]> Comment on Friday Editoral: The Editor-Author Relationship by Jennifer L http://pinkpetalbooks.com/?p=52&cpage=1#comment-25 Jennifer L Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:54:59 +0000 http://pinkpetalbooks.com/?p=52#comment-25 Like you, I've worked both as author and editor. An editor's job is always made easier when the author wants to work with them and is understanding when errors get pointed out or minor changes need to be made to clarify, but it is never the editor's job to write the book for the author. And it's also easier when an author understands that an editor doesn't suggest changes to destroy or hurt the book that the author has worked so hard on, but to help clarify things where they might be fuzzy. Like you, I’ve worked both as author and editor. An editor’s job is always made easier when the author wants to work with them and is understanding when errors get pointed out or minor changes need to be made to clarify, but it is never the editor’s job to write the book for the author. And it’s also easier when an author understands that an editor doesn’t suggest changes to destroy or hurt the book that the author has worked so hard on, but to help clarify things where they might be fuzzy.

]]> Comment on Friday Editoral: The Editor-Author Relationship by Faith Bicknell-Brown http://pinkpetalbooks.com/?p=52&cpage=1#comment-24 Faith Bicknell-Brown Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:49:34 +0000 http://pinkpetalbooks.com/?p=52#comment-24 I've been on both sides of the fence too. It can be really tough to balance the two. Even now with my private editing service, I encounter writers who say their publisher tells them not to use or do such and such, and I end up gathering info for the writer to study to prove that the grammar the publisher said to do is wrong, or the punctuation, or whatever. I commend PP for following proper grammar, punctuation and the like. The rules are there as a guide and a foundation for the language. Without it, it becomes a mess, there's misunderstanding, and it's poor work, period. Language must be preserved. And prose is its foundation, its roots. Nice blog post! I’ve been on both sides of the fence too. It can be really tough to balance the two. Even now with my private editing service, I encounter writers who say their publisher tells them not to use or do such and such, and I end up gathering info for the writer to study to prove that the grammar the publisher said to do is wrong, or the punctuation, or whatever. I commend PP for following proper grammar, punctuation and the like. The rules are there as a guide and a foundation for the language. Without it, it becomes a mess, there’s misunderstanding, and it’s poor work, period.

Language must be preserved. And prose is its foundation, its roots.

Nice blog post!

]]> Comment on Friday Editoral: The Editor-Author Relationship by George Allwynn http://pinkpetalbooks.com/?p=52&cpage=1#comment-23 George Allwynn Fri, 08 Jan 2010 16:15:12 +0000 http://pinkpetalbooks.com/?p=52#comment-23 Thank you for writing the editor side of things. It was encouraging to read such positive point of view. I have editors interested in my stories (reason- voice and style, as they have read some of my work posted on the Internet.) I have several completed novellas finished, yet I chose to sit on them. Why? I guess I am afraid of success. (you can stop laughing now) While I'm being honest, I have to admit, I do get a little anxious when thinking about sending my MS to a publishing house because of some of the horror stories I have heard about editors. Believe it or not, it isn't the corrections, suggestions or rejections I fear. It's the thought of being be assigned to 'The dreaded editor from hell'. You know the type. He/she is a peaceful, sweet, proffessional, best in the business until.... They have your MS in their hands. Suddenly, they morph into the scariest creature an authors mind can conjure. These editors immediately loathe you because your pen name sounds too close to their ex's, they sport the personality of Attila the Hun, complete with sharp, pointy fangs and a hunger to feast on the delicate morsel spirit of a novice writer. Worst of all? Once transformed, these editors shred your work, piece by piece, all the while you are standing naked before them. They look up from the MS, laugh and point. Brrrrrrr! I know. I have a helluva imagination. And I need to grab myself by the balls and get a life. I'm working on it! Sending my stories out is a BIG part of my goals for 2010. (In fact, two are due out by Sunday - one of them going to your company for the Dark Chocolate M/M Valentines story.) In the mean time, I'll have the MS blessed by a priest and a Buddhist monk. And if the moon phase is right, I might even call in a Wiccan priestess. One can never be too careful when dealing with editors who MAY eat assigned writers with their Wheaties. (*grin) Thank you for writing the editor side of things. It was encouraging to read such positive point of view.

I have editors interested in my stories (reason- voice and style, as they have read some of my work posted on the Internet.) I have several completed novellas finished, yet I chose to sit on them. Why?

I guess I am afraid of success. (you can stop laughing now)

While I’m being honest, I have to admit, I do get a little anxious when thinking about sending my MS to a publishing house because of some of the horror stories I have heard about editors.

Believe it or not, it isn’t the corrections, suggestions or rejections I fear.

It’s the thought of being be assigned to ‘The dreaded editor from hell’. You know the type. He/she is a peaceful, sweet, proffessional, best in the business until….

They have your MS in their hands. Suddenly, they morph into the scariest creature an authors mind can conjure. These editors immediately loathe you because your pen name sounds too close to their ex’s, they sport the personality of Attila the Hun, complete with sharp, pointy fangs and a hunger to feast on the delicate morsel spirit of a novice writer.

Worst of all? Once transformed, these editors shred your work, piece by piece, all the while you are standing naked before them. They look up from the MS, laugh and point. Brrrrrrr!

I know.

I have a helluva imagination.

And I need to grab myself by the balls and get a life. I’m working on it! Sending my stories out is a BIG part of my goals for 2010. (In fact, two are due out by Sunday – one of them going to your company for the Dark Chocolate M/M Valentines story.)

In the mean time, I’ll have the MS blessed by a priest and a Buddhist monk. And if the moon phase is right, I might even call in a Wiccan priestess.

One can never be too careful when dealing with editors who MAY eat assigned writers with their Wheaties. (*grin)

]]> Comment on Friday Editoral: The Editor-Author Relationship by Margie http://pinkpetalbooks.com/?p=52&cpage=1#comment-22 Margie Fri, 08 Jan 2010 16:08:33 +0000 http://pinkpetalbooks.com/?p=52#comment-22 Thank you for reminding all of us writers that editors are not trying to make our lives difficult on purpose. Your goal is the same as ours, to produce high quality books that sell! I will try to remember this when reading the comments left on my manuscripts from here on out. Thanks again for reminding me that editors and writers are on the same team. Only by working together can we win the game :) Thank you for reminding all of us writers that editors are not trying to make our lives difficult on purpose. Your goal is the same as ours, to produce high quality books that sell! I will try to remember this when reading the comments left on my manuscripts from here on out. Thanks again for reminding me that editors and writers are on the same team. Only by working together can we win the game :)

]]> Comment on Friday Editoral: The Editor-Author Relationship by Hales http://pinkpetalbooks.com/?p=52&cpage=1#comment-21 Hales Fri, 08 Jan 2010 15:57:28 +0000 http://pinkpetalbooks.com/?p=52#comment-21 What a great blog topic. I am new to publishing and just now learning all aspects of this industry. I have a great editor. She holds nothing back and pushes me to dig deeper and harder. Hales What a great blog topic. I am new to publishing and just now learning all aspects of this industry. I have a great editor. She holds nothing back and pushes me to dig deeper and harder.

Hales

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