September is Be Kind to Editors and Writers Month, and we’ve planned our blog and our Third Thursday event accordingly. We’re kicking off the month with the return of our own spicy Southern writer and editor Jan Parker. Around here, you know her for her whipsmart Eddy Says posts that dole out editorial wisdom to writers looking to get published. Out in the world, she’s an award-winning author, the former Trustee for the NC Writers Network, and the fiction editor for Main Street Rag. Come out to Reed’s in Morehead City on September 21 from 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm to ask Jan your most pressing questions.
Regardless of the type of editing one performs professionally, when an editor wakes up in the morning, they are just like most everyone else: a frumpy-haired, sleepies-in-the-eyes, foot-shuffling, belly-scratching, gotta-pee person, who doesn’t even remember the dream that woke them, much less the fact they have to go to work, laboring on assorted manuscripts, the authors of which are waiting with bated breaths to discover the acceptance or rejection of their manuscript by the latest hot new journal, or the best-of-the-best online mags, the reputation of which may be obtained through a website, often times for no subscription rate at all, or be investigated through the services of The Giant Provider of All Things Buyable, in the book section, by clicking on the Look Inside! button and perusing the first fifteen pages of any book it sells, to form an opinion of any author’s work and or publisher’s authenticity.*
That said, when approaching an editor, it is recommended that one never boldly claim to be more clever, smarter, wiser, educated, experienced, et cetera, than the editor to the editor’s face, in person or digital communication—at least not in the beginning of their relationship.
It is recommended, however, that writers approach an editor politely and with the understanding that editors work long and hard to find excellent work for their publication. They read millions of words (some even handcrafted) to discover talent which will make their publication shine the brightest of them all in this highly competitive world, never mind AI coming in to play; in other words always say Please and Thank you—twice if you need to—it’ll go a long way toward your being remembered favorably by the editor.
*Challenge: Is the first paragraph above a run-on sentence or a cumulative sentence? And how do you know?
Hope to see you all at our next meeting, An Editor’s Insights on the Publishing Path, September 21 at Reed’s!
Bring all your questions! I’m glad to share what I know!
Signed,
Your friend, Eddy
