Submitting, freelancing and publishing advice and suggestions for new writers and authors.
Editors are busy people. They spend a lot of their time doing many tasks, much more than just “editing.” The best way to work well with an editor is to make their job easier and that means being a “low maintenance” writer. Whether you’ve been accepted as an author or are just in the proposal phase, interacting properly with your editors is of the utmost importance.
Time is of the Essence
Being on time, or even early, is probably one of the biggest and most important things you can do to find favor with your editor. Deadlines and timelines are always a concern. Getting in your first drafts is just the beginning of many steps in the publishing process. Be prepared for rewrites and do them in a timely manner too.
Don’t expect for understanding if an assignment or agreed upon transcript is late. Personal inconveniences and excuses can jeopardize your business relationship with your publisher and editor.
Be professional
Don’t use inappropriate tactics to get attention. Unusual means of getting attention, such as submitting your romance manuscript inside a heart-shaped candy box, won’t necessarily garner the type of attention you’re trying to get. You’d be surprised how many first-time writers think their “novel” submission idea is witty; when it truth, the unique idea ends up in the “pass” pile without a look.
The same goes for your cover letter. Don’t use cute phrases or what some imagine as unique introductory sentences (“Once upon a time….”). Stick to the professional.
Most publishers have strict guidelines and expect submissions to be sent accordingly; if you try to side-step policy, you’ll mark yourself as difficult to work with.
Communicate
Learn how each editor prefers to be contacted and when. Don’t interrupt. Allow time for them to respond. Try to condense multiple questions into one communication. If you already have a relationship with a specific editor, you’re probably learned many of your their expectations, but it never hurts to review your communication skills. If you’re in the process of querying, be sure to address all communication to the proper editor in the proper department by name. Never use generic titles or “to whom it may concern”.
Learn from your editors
If your editor sends changes or restructures your work, don’t take it personally. That is their job. Try to understand what they want and how they are changing things and follow up with the same type of format or angle in your future work. Successful writers put their egos aside and embrace opportunities to improve.
Follow through and follow up
Once you have an assigment or deadline, make sure you complete your work. Writers as a whole are very funny about their work: the polishing never stops. As Libby Fischer Hellman, mystery author and past National President of the writing organization Sisters in Crime, mentioned at a conference, "Most writers only stop writing because of deadline". We're never quite happy with our product, always see more we can tweak. Don't let that bog you down and make you late. The write's perfectionistic trait can also make us procrastinate up to the last minute or worse. Not completing an assignment for your editor is sure death in most writing circles.
Once you've sent in your work, a short note to follow up and inquire as to anything else that needs done or could be done reflects well with some editors. In others, it may be an annoyance. Again, learning how each editor communicates is crucial.
