Smart Bitches, Trashy Books

Ask the Editor: Questions and Answers, Part IV

by SB Sarah | December 21, 2011 | Wednesday at 12:35 am | 16 Comments

The editor I kidnapped is still in my basement, though I've moved a wine cellar and some fruitcake down there so  my sequestered editor has plenty to eat. And she's consented to answer more questions for you, in the fourth edition of "Ask the Editor."

Taylor L. asked:

What tips a book from the maybe pile to the yes pile as far as acquisitions go? How much more scrutiny do you give a first time author than an author you’ve worked with for a while?

 

Ask the Editor:

Voice, honestly. And how much more scrutiny? I hope I’m being equally hard, but I know in some cases I haven’t been. (Because there’s the ‘trust me, you know I can deliver’ factor.)

Kim asked:

There’s a big name author that signed a 3 book contract in 2004. She published book 1 under the contract in 2005, but the second one has been repeatedly delayed. How much time does a publisher give an author to complete the terms of the contract before they ask for part of the advance back?

 

Ask the Editor:

Depends—depends on how much good will the author has built up. How much his/her editor likes her. If she’s delaying it to work on books she’s going to sell elsewhere, perhaps that sales bump will help the first publisher. And perhaps the first publisher will hear about what she’s doing through an indiscreet Tweet and cancel her contract. I just did that, so I’m not kidding.

But a Thomas Harris is rare (a person who takes a long time between books)—we like momentum. Harper did a huge purge in 1996 or 97, I think—contracts 10s of years in breach that they hadn’t ever tracked.

S.A. asked:

What do editors think when their authors get into a “flaming war” with readers or reviewers online? Do you step in because it reflects on the publisher or do nothing?

Ask the Editor:

In most cases, I’ve seen the editor intervene to ask the author to stop. I haven’t had an author do that, but I do know a good friend who has. We felt bad for the author and were incredibly angry at both parties for participating. Also, time spent on a flame war is time not spent writing. Or eating or tending to family, but that’s another story.

Marleen G. asked:

I received a good rejection from an editor at a mid-size publisher. I recently noticed another editor at the same publisher was looking for my genre. Is it alright to send the second editor a different manuscript? (Not the same book rewritten, but another book.)

Ask the Editor:

Yep, just let us know in the pitch letter you’d sent something to another editor at the same house.

A. asked:

How much do a writer's past sales really matter when considering acquiring a new book? I've heard that if your sell through is bad on previous books, you might as well change your name because no editor will touch your new stuff, no matter how much they like it, is that just a horrible exaggeration or the sad truth?

Ask the Editor:

It depends—boy, I seem to write that a lot. But it’s true. If your sales have been in decline, and the submission you’re sending to this new house is the same kind of book, you’re going to have a tough time selling it absent some clear reason—the marketing staff all were fired when the first books came out, the author changed editors 5 times, etc. Let me say, on a personal note—we’ve all heard these many times over, and have lived through book-failure-instances ourselves, so we both believe you and take it with a grain of salt.

But if you’re changing genres or types of story (from contemporary to historical, 3rd person to 1st person) then the case can be made that this is a STRONG fresh start. It’s also a sign that the author is paying attention to their career.

B. asked:

I'm a nonfiction writer/closet aspiring romance novelist, and I have a question that has bothered me for a long time. The romance genre gets a lot of flack for its purple prose and stock characters, which is not always undeserved (IMHO). Now, I love a good romance novel, and there are some brilliant people working in the genre. So I am ASTONISHED by how much weak writing still makes it to the romance shelves. And judging by the reviews on the Bitches website, I'm not the only one. (Lora Leigh, anyone?)



So my question. I have been working on my book for years, and I know there are some plot points that are plausible, but perhaps unlikely, and require a wee stretch on the part of the reader. There are also a few passages where the writing doesn't sparkle, and maybe I need to cut some dialogue to keep things moving forward. But it seems to me, based on some of the books that make it to publication, that a publisher must be buying a book for its concept and marketability, not necessarily the writing or the execution of that concept (Yes? No?)

So how polished does my book need to be before I shop it around? And if I decide to unleash it on poor unsuspecting editors before it is sparkly and shining, what sort of things should I look for to ensure I don't end up with a publisher who puts out work of the Lora Leigh variety?



In my industry, I'm used to working with editors who have my back - meaning, they'll tell me when my stuff is crap, and they'll also tell me when it's so good that I need to leave it alone. But perhaps this is expecting too much hand-holding in the book industry. Thoughts? Comments??



Ask the Editor:

[begin rant] I know it’s hard to get inflection across in writing, so I went back and re-read your question several times, because the first time I read it a red sea of rage floated across my eyes. What I’m hearing is—why should I bother to polish my work if publisher X doesn’t seem to polish theirs? Setting aside for the moment the fact that you do not work at publisher X and have no idea what shape the manuscript was in when it arrived, why should we not all seek the bottom? That’s certainly why I get up in the morning to come to work—to ruin books and careers.

I’m so angry at the thought that people are sending me stuff they don’t care about that my hands are shaking as I type. I didn’t apprentice my way up to this position so that I could work with people who are cynical about it—please care about this genre and this work as much as I do or find a different field.
[end rant]

In a good editor relationship, there’s honesty (and consideration) and a good give and take about revisions needed.  As far as submitting goes—you should be comfortable about your book. If you see places it needs tweaking, then tweak by all means. There’s no rush to submit the book—you have time to revise if you need to. And if you don’t like the work a house puts out, don’t send your submission there. It’s your career and your choice to make. 

As for what we look at in acquisition—voice, good storytelling, fresh concept and successful execution. Bad, sloppy writing can ruin all of that.

C. asked:

Why are most of the historical romance novels set in Regency England or Scotland? I'm bored and need some new settings.

Ask the Editor:

They sell well, but there’s quite a bit new coming out—Jeannie Lin’s are a new discovery for me and I’m loving them.


SAO asked:

What is the balance between finding gems and generating cash? Do you buy stuff you are personally less than thrilled with because you think it will sell? And when you have an author who wrote great stuff, became a bestseller and has lost all originality and spark, but still hits the bestseller list, are you thrilled because you’re making a ton on money or a bit disappointed because you know it’s dreck?
Are you paid a straight salary or get a commission?

Ask the Editor:

Let me say that no one buys a book they don’t think will sell. (Maybe poetry editors, but I don’t believe that’s the goal there, so don’t ask me!)
Buying a book you don’t care about is pretty much the recipe for having it fail. If the editor doesn’t like it, it’s never going to have an in-house champion, never get pitched strongly to the buyers, etc. There are not enough hours in the day to buy books we don’t care about when there are so many submissions we do love. We don’t love it, we don’t buy it.

In the case of bestselling authors, often they are bought by the publisher and assigned an editor—you’ve got to have the belief that you might make a difference in this person’s career. Some authors don’t care as much anymore and will politely decline editing, but then there are those who are ready to fight for it. So you’ve got to be optimistic.

We get paid a straight salary. Some higher level eds (think Exec Ed and above) have contracts, and those can include bestseller bonuses.

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There's more from the captive editor, who believe me, is very comfortable. I think I hear her yelling for more wine and a pencil sharpener for her red pens. Have questions? Feel free to leave them in the comments or email me at sarahATsmartbitchestrashybooks.com with "Ask the Editor" in the subject line.