Writing Questions for Josh Showing 4,251-4,300 of 4,753

[Aleksandr]

I've heard that about Loose Id, but the book I did with them had massive dev. issues that should have been caught.

[Lillian]

Josh wrote: "Lillian wrote: "Curious to know what you guys do about submissions. Do you pick a publisher and just send it to the one place, pinning all your hopes on it getting accepted? Or do you try the scatt..."

Or do it yourself :D

I think targeting your top pick for publisher seems to be the most common response.

I must admit when I submitted the story I'm now irrationally fretting about I did consider the other stories they publish and the number of British authors of gay romance they regularly published. It certainly swayed me in their direction.

I have a, very short, list of other options.

[Lillian]

Tina Kay wrote: "Any opinions of which m/m romance publishers are best with the editing process? I keep hearing nightmare stories of poor editing."

I've found Ellora's Cave to be very good. I've never noticed any comments about poor editing on one of my stories.

[Josh]

It's nerve-wracking submitting to a new publisher! My game plan moving forward is to do a 50/50 blend of self and publisher releases. But I also feel like I've saturated this market, so I'm submitting to more traditional romance houses.

At least for this year. By next year I could have a completely new game plan.

[Lillian]

Aleksandr wrote: "Outside Riptide, Carina and Samhain."

Am I right in thinking Riptide don't take general submissions from author's they don't already publish.

[Aleksandr]

We have regular submission calls and get some stuff through agents. We also take recommendations from house authors. So, I'd describe the model as 'semi-open'.

[Lillian]

Josh wrote: "It's nerve-wracking submitting to a new publisher! My game plan moving forward is to do a 50/50 blend of self and publisher releases. But I also feel like I've saturated this market, so I'm submitt..."

It's good to be fluid :D

[Josh]

Lillian wrote: "It's good to be fluid :D
..."

It's a life skill in this game! ;-D

[Aleksandr]

Always. :)

[Lillian]

Aleksandr wrote: "We have regular submission calls and get some stuff through agents. We also take recommendations from house authors. So, I'd describe the model as 'semi-open'."

Ah, okay. I thought as much, although I didn't know about recs from house authors. Best keep that quiet or those poor people will be pestered within an inch of their life.

My list of prospective publishers for this story is getting shorter by the minute!

[Aleksandr]

You can shoot me an email (synopsis, full text) at Aleks@riptidepublishing.com. I have a little time at the moment.

[Lillian]

Aleksandr wrote: "You can shoot me an email (synopsis, full text) at Aleks@riptidepublishing.com. I have a little time at the moment."

Thanks.

[K.Z.]

Editing is a unique skill-set that fewer and fewer people seem to have, and even the best editors don't function equally well at all levels: acquisition, content, line, proofreading, etc. It's an industry-wide problem. I've seen obvious oversights in books from NY publishers as well as epubs touted as having strong editorial staffs.

One of the biggest mistakes a newbie can make is relying solely on his/her publisher to polish a manuscript. My advice is to do as much as you can with any help you can get before submitting your work. Then, if it's accepted, continue to tweak and massage the text right up to the galley stage (and I don't mean putzing around with trivial stuff).

[Aleksandr]

KZ - Absolutely. Most of that stuff can be learned from books, though I appreciate a good dev. editor as some kind of 'outsourced sanity check'. Some books should simply not be acquired since their only merit is 'explicit cock action'.

[Tina]

K.Z. wrote: "One of the biggest mistakes a newbie can make is relying solely on his/her publisher to polish a manuscript. My advice is to do as much as you can with any help you can get before..."

I think there's a lot a writer can learn from a good editor both for writing and self-editing skills. Since this would be the first piece I've ever sent to a publisher, I'd love to have someone who knows what they're doing look at it. Due to inexperience I feel like I only know so much, and my self-editing at this point is based more on instinct than any skill I've been taught. Editing is definitely an art in itself.

[Tina]

Thanks for the responses on publishers. It's always nice to hear from authors who have had direct experience.

[K.Z.]

Tina Kay wrote: "I think there's a lot a writer can learn from a good editor both for writing and self-editing skills."

Oh, I agree. But I meant running your ms. past beta readers, critique partners, author friends, and just about anybody who's willing to give you feedback and/or make simple corrections.

[Tina]

K.Z. wrote: "Oh, I agree. But I meant running your ms. past beta readers, critique partners, author friends, and just about anybody who's willing to give you feedback and/or make simple corrections...."

I better find some of these. :-D

[K.Z.]

Aleksandr wrote: "I appreciate a good dev. editor as some kind of 'outsourced sanity check'."

Hell yeah, good developmental and content editors are worth their weight in gold. But damn, they're hard to find! I think I'm the best line editor I know (at least for my own books ;-)), but I don't trust myself when it comes to either an overview of the story or picking up small errors, like dropped words. Can't tell you how many times I've blessed proofreaders!

"Some books should simply not be acquired since their only merit is 'explicit cock action'."

:-D It's too bad so many publishers don't have discerning acquisitions editors.

[Aleksandr]

:-D It's too bad so many publishers don't have discerning acquisitions editors.

They don't have to. They produce so cheap, selling 30-50 copies is enough to recoup their investment. They are in the money from copy 51, and everybody can sell 50 copies over a number of years. :)

[K.A.]

Some people like 'explicit cock action' ha ha :D

But it is sad how some publishers go into publishing as much as possible instead of relying on quality.

[Aleksandr]

Hey, I like explicit stuff, and I really enjoy writing it, but I much prefer if some other stuff is going on, too.

[K.A.]

Yeah, that's true. :) 'Explicit cock action' is best when there's some cool background to it and when you know the characters.

I suppose that's why I'm such a sucker for long books. I want to get to know the charas, be taken on a roller-coaster ride.

[Susinok]

Aleksandr wrote: "Hey, I like explicit stuff, and I really enjoy writing it, but I much prefer if some other stuff is going on, too."

I like explicit if there is a bit of intelligence behind it. Otherwise I tune out.

Of course everyone's explicit stuff HERE falls under the intelligent category, if ya'll were worried. :)

[K.A.]

I'm a sucker for silly/asshole/dastardly characters as long as the rest of the story shows that it's done on purpose.

[Aleksandr]

Developmental editor/content editor. Somebody who looks at the actual story structure, way before a line-editor/copy-editor fixes the style. :)

[Aleksandr]

It really depends. Most e-pubs only have one editor (and maybe a proofer, if you're lucky). Passes: at Riptide, as many as it takes (I've seen manuscripts go back and forth ten, fifteen times). There were also pubs where I only had one or two passes, but I think the work showed it.

[Dev]

Na wrote: "What is a 'dev. Editor' ?"

Ah, I thought you were talking about Dev's editors ;) Who really are worth their weight in gold.

My experience is that one of the differences between publishing with a good publisher and self-publishing is in the developmental editing. I found it difficult to find people who were willing to be tough on me when I was paying their fee. I think it's human nature to step gently when you might offend the person who writes the check.

I've been really lucky with my editors so far. A few embarrassing typos got through with my Carina story, but since it was an ebook, they were fixed easily and quickly.

[Lillian]

K.Z. wrote: "Aleksandr wrote: "I appreciate a good dev. editor as some kind of 'outsourced sanity check'."

Hell yeah, good developmental and content editors are worth their weight in gold. But damn, they're ha..."

Those missing words are a pain, because, as the author, you read them whether they are there or not.

I alway appreciate someone who can point out that the motivation isn't obvious. I think sometimes characters spend so much time in out heads that we forget that just because we know why they've done something/feel that way, that reason isn't clear to the reader unless we show them.

[Lillian]

Tina Kay wrote: "K.Z. wrote: "Oh, I agree. But I meant running your ms. past beta readers, critique partners, author friends, and just about anybody who's willing to give you feedback and/or make simple corrections..."

You want someone who is happy to rip your work apart before helping you put it back together again. Some one not scared to wield a red pen, or in our case 'track changes'. And the more opinions you can get, the better.

[Dev]

I've found that some of my writer friends are the most fearless when it comes to ripping my work apart. I think because they understand the process and know how important it is to get the story right.

[Tina]

Lillian wrote: "You want someone who is happy to rip your work apart before helping you put it back together again. Some one not scared to wield a red pen, or in our case 'track changes'. And the more opinions you can get, the better. ..."

Yes. I agree and would love to have this. I love learning and bettering what I do. I don't mind if someone tells me something sucks if they can give me constructive criticism as to why.

And of course I'd also like to hear that things don't suck. :-)

[K.Z.]

That's exactly the right attitude.

[Tina]

K.Z. wrote: "That's exactly the right attitude."

:-)

How many people normally review your work when it's going through the editing process?

[Lillian]

Tina Kay wrote: "K.Z. wrote: "That's exactly the right attitude."

:-)

How many people normally review your work when it's going through the editing process?"

I use many as I can get. Four for the last novel (all published writers) plus a couple of readers at the very end when I have my 'ready to submit' copy finished.

[Josh]

Na wrote: "Thank you. :)
So those two editing processes are done by different persons ? Is it preferable to do so ?
How many editing phases is done for a book ?"

Three passes with three different editors is standard op in mainstream. Even in indie publishing three passes is common -- at least from the better indie pubs like Carina, Samhain, Loose Id, BEB...

[Josh]

Tina Kay wrote: "K.Z. wrote: "That's exactly the right attitude."

:-)

How many people normally review your work when it's going through the editing process?"

You work with "your" editor (meaning your developmental/acquiring editor) through the course of the manuscript. In theory the editor is there to talk you through difficult plot points, bounce ideas off, etc. Once the work is complete and on to copy and then line edits, your editor is still there to act as intermediary if necessary.

[Jordan]

Hj wrote: "Susinok wrote: "As a reader, I really HATE when they Americanize a British author. I want to listen/read to the native English which I'm very familiar and comfortable reading or listening.

And on ..."

I'm American and I'll second that statement that Brit slang should stay in the book. :-) I like reading "new" slang and accents with my characters.

[Josh]

Jordan wrote: "Hj wrote: "Susinok wrote: "As a reader, I really HATE when they Americanize a British author. I want to listen/read to the native English which I'm very familiar and comfortable reading or listenin..."

Yeah. I agree. I hate that whole attitude of we have to dumb it down for the Americans. It's really not that hard to figure out what the "boot" is when the characters jump out of the car, go to the back, and open the...BLACK CAT? FOREST? OH WHAT COULD IT BE?

[Johanna]

Josh wrote: "Jordan wrote: "Hj wrote: "Susinok wrote: "As a reader, I really HATE when they Americanize a British author. I want to listen/read to the native English which I'm very familiar and comfortable read..."

:-)

[Susinok]

Josh wrote: "Yeah. I agree. I hate that whole attitude of we have to dumb it down for the Americans. It's really not that hard to figure out what the "boot" is when the characters jump out of the car, go to the back, and open the...BLACK CAT? FOREST? OH WHAT COULD IT BE? ..."

I know most British slang anyways. I grew up with Monty Python and British comedies on PBS and now BBC America. It's an accent and a few differently spelled words, not rocket science!

[Josh]

Susinok wrote: "Josh wrote: "Yeah. I agree. I hate that whole attitude of we have to dumb it down for the Americans. It's really not that hard to figure out what the "boot" is when the characters jump out of the c..."

It's part of the fun, right? It's part of the learning new stuff, which is something most of us enjoy in fiction. If it isn't necessary for visual media viewers, why would the powers that be think it necessary for readers?

[Jordan]

As I've probably said too many times before, the only time Brit slang bugs me is in fanfic when it comes out of the mouths of my Very American TV characters.

But I haven't read fanfic I years so I really can't gripe too much these days. :-)

[Anne]

Josh wrote: "Jordan wrote: "Hj wrote: "Susinok wrote: "As a reader, I really HATE when they Americanize a British author. I want to listen/read to the native English which I'm very familiar and comfortable read..."

And think what us non-American, non-Brits have to cope with, both American and Britsh slang ;)

[Josh]

Anne wrote: "And think what us non-American, non-Brits have to cope with, both American and Britsh slang ;) ..."

True! :-)

[Josh]

Jordan wrote: "As I've probably said too many times before, the only time Brit slang bugs me is in fanfic when it comes out of the mouths of my Very American TV characters.
..."

Oi! Wotcher mean, mate?!

[HJ]

Josh wrote: "Jordan wrote: "As I've probably said too many times before, the only time Brit slang bugs me is in fanfic when it comes out of the mouths of my Very American TV characters.
..."

Oi! Wotcher mean, mate?!..."

Spot on, my love. (Thus mixing two different classes, another pitfall for the unwary.)

[Josh]

I don't think we've talked about this yet, have we? What do all think about Amazon's plan to publish fan fiction?

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.z...

[K.Z.]

I wish I were enough of a fan of something to write fan fiction. People do seem to have an awfully good time with it!

Nothing Amazon does surprises me anymore.

[Josh]

Hj wrote: "Spot on, my love. (Thus mixing two different classes, another pitfall for the unwary.)
Josh wrote: "Jordan wrote: "As I've probably said too ..."

Yes! Ha! Obviously you are a Yank trying to pretend you're a Brit. Otherwise you would surely know that should read: "Oi! Spot on ME love."