tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31584548.post1896520467687238281..comments2024-03-27T00:36:03.357-04:00Comments on Alice's CWIM Blog: Alice Popehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11245441447426418033noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31584548.post-67471204423417323542009-03-02T10:38:00.000-05:002009-03-02T10:38:00.000-05:00What a great post! Refreshing.What a great post! Refreshing.Andi Carterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18237514613040645768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31584548.post-51879775405867752742009-03-01T22:03:00.000-05:002009-03-01T22:03:00.000-05:00Thanks for a great post, Hope. I enjoyed all the ...Thanks for a great post, Hope. I enjoyed all the follow-up comments too. The expectation these days that writers do much of the promotion and marketing of their books--in addition to writing them--is something I'm grappling with. The time (and expense!) of doing both is definitely an added burden. As others have already said, your "Dos and Don'ts" are spot on.Suzanne Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17581197639590268329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31584548.post-4415145807694264852009-02-28T07:41:00.000-05:002009-02-28T07:41:00.000-05:00Great post, Hope! I agree that editors or agents d...Great post, Hope! I agree that editors or agents don't owe writers feedback unless they have a relationship, and we shouldn't expect it. However, I also agree with Joni that a comment about an unbelievable character gives the writer a jumping off point. And some editors are wonderfully gifted at pinpointing specific problems immediately and a single comment can change the direction of manuscript. Newbies might interpret a comment about the writing needing polish to mean that it only needs some surface revision. While "unbelievable character" indicates major flaws, like "you might want to take this back to the drawing board". As writers, we do look at the whole collection of feedback as directional clues. I know I don't want to keep subbing something that has major plot or character flaws. After all, polishing a turd doesn't make it any less...well, you know. But, overall the point to editors to be kind is appeciated, and the point to writers not to expect editorial letters is perfect. Thanks, Hope!<BR/><BR/>KellyK.A. Barsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09859642126518596230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31584548.post-22213229431603001472009-02-27T13:24:00.000-05:002009-02-27T13:24:00.000-05:00Joni, I agree that very pointed feedback is most h...Joni, I agree that very pointed feedback is most helpful, but I don't think editors or agents owe this to writers they haven't worked with yet. My "agents dos and don'ts" post from today has a bit more on that subject. That some editors and agents do give more detailed feedback speaks to their dedication and to the spark of something worthwhile in the writing. Thanks for weighing in.Hope Vestergaardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10162790216646616574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31584548.post-50915735398864152022009-02-27T11:30:00.000-05:002009-02-27T11:30:00.000-05:00I agree, terrific post! Though I have to disagree ...I agree, terrific post! Though I have to disagree on the feedback point, at least with the examples. "The writing needs polish" doesn't give most of us quite enough direction. "The character wasn't believable" does. I'm a big believer in fewer euphemisms and more bluntness in the words that express why a piece didn't work for that editor. The author can still choose to disagree or get second opinions.Jonihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05132659374248687734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31584548.post-52319236068825025682009-02-26T15:01:00.000-05:002009-02-26T15:01:00.000-05:00Excellent post, Hope!Excellent post, Hope!Kelly Polarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10968381456100611120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31584548.post-69467932901544460752009-02-26T12:51:00.000-05:002009-02-26T12:51:00.000-05:00I want to thank you for voicing the whole book mar...I want to thank you for voicing the whole book marketing and promotion issue so well. It's really frustrating to feel the full responsibility of your book's success on your shoulders. When is there time to work on new projects? And how much can you really influence book sales with what you can do in that extra time that everybody has lying around?Aileen Leijtenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17537283251610998170noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31584548.post-76858962006166782112009-02-25T14:33:00.000-05:002009-02-25T14:33:00.000-05:00Spot on! I realize not all editors are like this -...Spot on! I realize not all editors are like this - perhaps most of the aren't - but I think all of them should read your post. Thanks!Stellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15321805301687762360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31584548.post-51379614151301904682009-02-25T14:07:00.000-05:002009-02-25T14:07:00.000-05:00Terrific advice for editors, Hope! I've been lucky...Terrific advice for editors, Hope! I've been lucky enough to have one editor and a great one most of my career, but other writers I know and love haven't been treated as well as they deserve given their talent and diligence.<BR/><BR/>Val HobbsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31584548.post-77904392560060748982009-02-25T13:46:00.000-05:002009-02-25T13:46:00.000-05:00I enjoyed this post! Am looking forward to Do's an...I enjoyed this post! Am looking forward to Do's and Don'ts for Agents.Heather Ayris Burnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14165769191910279198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31584548.post-47273485706161153972009-02-25T13:42:00.000-05:002009-02-25T13:42:00.000-05:00Wow - It's empowering to read a writer laying out ...Wow - It's empowering to read a writer laying out some Dos and Don'ts for editors! Right on, Hope!Christy Raedekehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08263316476947361971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31584548.post-17185240758557928752009-02-25T13:21:00.000-05:002009-02-25T13:21:00.000-05:00Thanks, guys. Jane Yolen makes a good point about ...Thanks, guys. Jane Yolen makes a good point about the "not all" group giving the others a black eye. I should say that the vast majority of editors and agents that I've worked with have been diligent and thoughtful! How else would I know the difference and feel confident asking for high standards across the board? ;)Hope Vestergaardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10162790216646616574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31584548.post-5989324468024679042009-02-25T13:08:00.000-05:002009-02-25T13:08:00.000-05:00This was really excellent! I look forward to the n...This was really excellent! I look forward to the next post from Hope!Suzanne Younghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09513999796820177367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31584548.post-36327927656658848672009-02-25T13:04:00.000-05:002009-02-25T13:04:00.000-05:00Great post, Hope! You said all those things us wri...Great post, Hope! You said all those things us writers are *thinking and muttering* in the quiet of our "offices", but never *say* out loud. ;-DKimberley Griffiths Littlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03269829969442171522noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31584548.post-67023769885510020622009-02-25T12:30:00.000-05:002009-02-25T12:30:00.000-05:00You know--if the publisher would cut out HALF the ...You know--if the publisher would cut out HALF the meetings (a lot can be sorted out in email) then the editors could get more done. I know because when I was an editor NO ONE ever waited for more than a few weeks for word from me. And stuff I didn't want got sent back in a day.<BR/><BR/>Because authors are not in the position of power, it behooves editors to treat them with care and understanding. Many already do this. But not all. And it is the "not all" group who get talked about and give the rest a black eye.<BR/><BR/>Great post.<BR/><BR/>Jane Yolenjaneyolenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15396863710083180775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31584548.post-31291926667669857672009-02-25T12:25:00.000-05:002009-02-25T12:25:00.000-05:00Thanks for your insightful advice, Hope.Thanks for your insightful advice, Hope.The Postcard Projecthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00619140386486017525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31584548.post-11264659948080438382009-02-25T11:42:00.000-05:002009-02-25T11:42:00.000-05:00Wow! This post was spot on! I've been a writer-edi...Wow! This post was spot on! I've been a writer-editor for the past 30 years (27 years as a technical editor-writer for the corporate world and 30 years as a freelance writer-photographer for newspapers and magazines)--and these suggestions would be helpful for not only book publishers but also for magazine and newspaper editors.<BR/><BR/>The publishing world is changing - where once the publishers would handle the marketing and distribution of new writers' books, now even though they *say* they want to handle it, they also want more "footwork" from the writers as well. Catch-22. With electronic submissions... comes electronic production and distribution. eBooks. Kindle. I'm an editor not associated with any publishing house--I just help authors get their book manuscripts into a better condition so that they are more easily readable (I fix the grammar, typos, things missed by spell-check, and organization). I've been a freelance editor now for many years as well. More and more of the authors I'm working with are bypassing the standard publishers altogether and after getting their work cleaned up a bit are self-publishing-either through subsidy publishers or through venues such as lulu.com or cafepress.com or some of the other online publishers. This enables the authors to get their work out without the hassles of the "traditional" publishers. Yup... times are changing.<BR/><BR/>Again... thank you so much for posting this commentary.DaveGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05544768323833583042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31584548.post-52907290380766174852009-02-25T11:35:00.000-05:002009-02-25T11:35:00.000-05:00Good post, Hope.Good post, Hope.Andrew Karrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17618713436530721797noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31584548.post-87389410732392752002009-02-25T11:27:00.000-05:002009-02-25T11:27:00.000-05:00As a writer myself, I found this post very refresh...As a writer myself, I found this post very refreshing--and right on the money. Thanks! :-)Julia @ Hooked on Houseshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04937060849774403002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31584548.post-44006592139468277472009-02-25T11:23:00.000-05:002009-02-25T11:23:00.000-05:00Alice- I really loved this post. LOVED it. thanks...Alice- I really loved this post. LOVED it. <BR/><BR/><BR/>thanksVodka Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04734323418017847775noreply@blogger.com