And sometimes you have to tell the truth...

This is a blog post that I’ve put off writing as long as possible. Why, you ask? For many reasons. The first being that it’s one bad spot in a year of otherwise positive happenings and I’d much rather focus on them. The second being I want to keep the blog post professional, but the feelings are very personal. It’s not just about shoddy business practices, it involved a betrayal of trust and the demise of a friendship (or what I thought was a friendship). So I’m not going to mention people by name, most will know who I’m referring too, but that’s to help me separate emotion from fact. So here is the story (bear with me, it's a long one)…

Once upon a time, star date 2014, a publisher realized she could no longer keep her business afloat. There was very little money coming in, she’d spent a shit ton of savings keeping it going, put in long hours, struggled, and things just weren’t getting any better. And if she was honest with herself, she should NEVER have been in the business to begin with. Don’t get me wrong, her heart was in the right place, she was good at certain aspects (but not so good at others), and she’d made some invaluable friendships along the way. But you can’t pay your own bills or anyone else’s with good intentions or friendship. She had good ideas, she was very good at working with people (authors, cover artists, other editors, other publishers), she was a good editor (and hopefully helped a few authors become better), she had a fantastic cover artist, help from her sister, and she actually had great math skills. But she did not have good business sense, unlimited amounts of money, or great marketing skills. Those three things are must haves for publishers, or, if you have the second, you can hire people who have the other two. She sometimes pushed book releases back, was sometimes a few weeks late with contributor’s copies, and was sometimes late with royalty payments, though she always paid them. 

So our publisher realized she would have to close up shop. She felt awful about books she’d recently released and one she was currently working on. So she looked around to try to find another publisher who might take these projects on. And she thought of friend who had just that year opened a new publishing company with a friend of his. Talks commenced and they agreed to buy (a word only, no money changed hands) her little company and make it an imprint. And then they asked her to come along and be the managing editor for the imprint. What a stroke of luck!! They were going to re release her latest projects (two novels and two anthologies), publish the upcoming ones (two anthologies and a YA novel (who's author later pulled her book)), and she had a job. Granted, the job wasn’t going to pay much, but a lot of their other employees were working for free, so yay! And her friend was going to be her boss. Problem solved. *sigh* Enter problems stage left.

Skipping back several months, the same publisher had put on her editor/author hat and come up with the anthology idea for Grimm Mistresses. She had a novella length work that had never been published, a modern take on the tale of the Pied Piper. She had an author friend who’d once subbed a modern Cinderella tale to her that could be lengthened. What if she asked three other female authors she admired to contribute modern retelling of Grimm fairy tales? What an awesome book that might be. HOWEVER, since she had a story she wanted to include, she didn’t want to be the editor, nor the publisher. That screamed “vanity press.” So she approached that same friend and his new publishing company and asked if he would be interested in the project. After all, they’d done several anthology projects together. And he was. He told her to go ahead and invite the other authors, and they had more talks and set up due dates and time lines. She invited CW LaSart (the author of the Cinderella story she already had), Allison M. Dickson, Mercedes M. Murdock, and one other author who later pulled out of the project. She discussed who they should invite to replace her and was told the publisher had someone in mind. The authors turned in their stories and assumed (yes, Dad, I do remember what you told me about assuming) that editing was underway. Meanwhile, our stories converge…

January 2015 the former publisher put on her editor hat and went to work for the company. Right away she was unhappy. She was named as managing editor of the imprint, but books were being published she hadn’t even seen. Now, maybe this is how it’s done in big publishing, and maybe she’s the one in the wrong, but she was upset that her name was on something she had no claim to and hadn't approved. And she wasn’t happy with the editing of said book. She sent the managing editor of the company a copy of errors she’d noticed in the published books. She was told they were subjective (since when is grammar and punctuation subjective?). She still wasn’t happy, but let it go. Then she was shown the publishing schedule and sent books to edit. And as she read through them she had to wonder who’d agreed to them. Because she didn’t believe in them. She asked the managing editor of the company and it turned out he hadn’t read them, nor had the other owner. They relied on slush readers and sometimes went with marketability over substance. If they thought the book would sell because of author's name, author’s friends in high places, etc., they signed it, unread. Now, this didn’t sit well with our girl, but she thought well, maybe this is how it’s done and set to work editing the material and working with the author to try to make it better.

Meanwhile, the book she was an author in was getting close to its publishing date. She finally got to read (because she hounded her friend) the other story from the author they’d chosen. And she was super pleased because while the story wasn’t really horror, it was so beautifully written that it was an asset. It would set off CW’s extreme horror, Mercedes’ gut wrenching emotionality, Allison’s sci-fi vibe, and her own story. But then all of the authors began to wonder where their edits were? Time was drawing near and no one had been sent edits to approve. Turned out that’s because no one really did edits. The pieces saw a copy editor, who everyone agreed actually put in a few errors. The authors pointed this out, cleaned up their stories and sent them back. But they were worried. Then the book was published. And our editor was dismayed to find her name in it as managing editor. Wasn’t that the very thing she’d tried to avoid? Her friend’s name was nowhere on it. But the book sold and started getting good reviews, and they did some interviews and such, and no one pointed it out, so she decided to just be happy about the book.

However, on the publishing front, things were getting worse. Her “friend” was getting tired of her pointing out things she thought weren’t right. The co-owner of the publishing company stopped answering her messages at all (which suited her fine) and she was growing frustrated. So she turned in her project (a little late, she will admit, but she was beginning to wonder if anyone else was going to even go over it anyway), and told her friend she thought she’d better leave the company. They agreed she would still turn in the two anthologies she was working on and they’d still publish those.

Fast forward a few months. Things have not gotten better. The authors of Grimm Mistresses have not received their promised contributor’s copies. The signed hardcovers of GM have not been sent to the people who ordered them. And one of the authors confesses  the publisher is late with her royalties from other books she’s published with them. Grumbling ensues. Now our editor is worried about her upcoming anthologies. Will the authors even get paid? Won’t she be partially responsible should that happen? And she begins to drag her feet on turning in the anthology that’s due. She debates on pulling it and looking for a new publisher. And then the publisher pulls a move so heinous, her decision is made.

She had been messaging her friend about the cover art. He had told her he would let her see it as soon as it’s done. A month before the book is due out, an author emails her and asks why she changed the title. What? She didn’t change the title. He says it’s on the cover advertisement on the publisher’s website. She goes to the publisher’s website and sure enough, not only is the cover art (which she still hadn’t seen) been made public, but so has a new title that was never even mentioned to her. The editor is beside herself. Why wouldn’t they have even mentioned that they considered changing the title to her? The anthology is all her’s: her idea, her editing, and they’d signed it with no discussion of a name change. So the editor thinks maybe she’s overreacting and emails the Editor of all editors, Ellen Datlow. She asks if this is standard practice, without mentioning any names, and Ellen assures her that no, this is not done, and it’s rude in the extreme. So our editor messages her friend, who gets downright snotty with her and tells her he doesn’t have time for her attitude. That he was out of town and didn’t know the other guy was going to release the cover art. But he did know about the name change and when our editor states that it would have been common courtesy to have the name changing conversation with her, he suggests they just drop the anthology and not publish it if it’s such a big deal. She agrees. (I mean, she’s having doubts anyway) and states that she thinks it’s best to pull her other anthology also. Her “friend” says “fine,” and BLOCKS her. Yep, you read that right. He blocked her, because that’s professional behavior. No, let’s reconsider what’s going on here after we both calm down. No, we are adults and should be able to work through things. And then he fires off emails to all of the anthology authors saying the anthologies have been cancelled due to “creative differences.” And our editor emails those authors as well and continues the use of “creative differences.” Because, well, what would have been the use in telling the whole story? It’s he said/she said anyway. And she didn't want to be blacklisted as an editor, or labeled “hard to work with,” because she has high quality standards and expects courteous treatment. And so our editor has no further contact with the company.

Why am I telling this story now? Because the other authors have had enough. Because they want to tell their story and mine coincides with theirs. And because I feel responsible for pulling them into this mess in the first place. And to all the other authors who worked with me and thus thought these might be good guys based on my recommendation.I'm sorry, people. Apparently I am not a good judge of character.You can read Allison M. Dickson's blog post on the subject here. And CW LaSart's here.

To bring our story up to date, none of the authors of GM have received any sort of royalties, even though the book came out in February 2015. And I do know from other authors in the publisher's stables that books released after have had royalty payments made. But, we were the noisemakers from the start. Sometimes, the squeaky wheel gets ignored. I’m told the book was pulled (at least the kindle version) as of a few hours ago.

As an editor, I never received any payment either. It wasn’t much that was owed to me, but that’s not the point, is it?

The thing I find ironic in this whole mess is that my former friend sued a publisher for just such shoddy treatment.

And the thing I find the saddest, that I can still barely believe, is not that a company (though while small, had a reputation for putting out quality work) was engulfed, chewed up, and spit out, and I had a hand in it. A company I’d worked so damn hard to build. No, what I find the saddest, is that someone I genuinely liked, had poured out my heart too, and trusted implicitly, could turn on me and then shut me out completely. That shit sucks.

I'm not posting this for sympathy. I made poor decisions and I own the responsibility for making them. I don't need 15 minutes of internet fame over it. I'm not even posting this as a warning, though I hope others will heed it as such. Or as an apology, or an excuse. I'm posting it in support of my fellow authors who are pissed and decided to go public with their stories. I want you to know that their stories are true and relevant. They aren't just crying wolf. Watch out sheep and shepherds alike, the wolves are out there, and this is just one example. 

♥Spot

I bet you thought I died or something...

Well, I'm still here. And yes, I am the worst blogger in the history of blogging. So without further ado, here's what's going on ...

On the author front, I got a new Facebook fan the other day. How on earth they found me is anybody's guess, but thanks new guy (Jason)! You made my morning. Currently I'm working on some new short stories to add to that "will be published at some point in time" collection of mine. Meanwhile, I've subbed one story lately, with two more waiting to go out. One is waiting for an image to go with it, which Rebecca Treadway is being kind enough to make for me. And the other is in beta reader extraordinaire Caren Widner Hanten's (aka C.W. LaSart) hands.

Fading Light: An Anthology of the Monstrous was released in September, and my story, "Born of Darkness," got a little bit of good attention. Thank you to all who read it and commented. People keep asking me to tell more of the story, or "What happens next?" Originally, I didn't plan on writing anything with those characters. But as the months have gone by, I've found myself contemplating the world they live in, and the lives of the other Lightbringers. It all may just have to be written down. You can click on the cover of the anthology on the right side of the page to bring it up on Amazon. To those of you who already bought it-- "Thank you!"

I'm still plugging away at Olivia's Tale, though rather slowly. Finding time to write, or even submit my own work is difficult. I know, I know, if I was dedicated I would. But, sometimes there's so much life going on that I get distracted. Also, running a publishing company and being a full time editor is kind of time consuming. About that~

Angelic Knight Press has released a slew of new books since the last time I blogged. And we've got something for everyone. We have paranormal romances in the form of the Wysteria Hedge Haven Clan series by Cindy Keen Reynders. If you like your romances a bit on the spicy, humorous, and magical side, you can't go wrong with these books. For those who like creepy southern gothic ghost stories we offer the Southern Hauntings Saga by Bryan Hall. His protagonist, Crate Northgate, a man haunted (literally) by his past, is easy to fall for. Any of you ladies who like bad boys--once you start reading about Crate, you'll be hooked. Not that they're romantic by any means. They are full on scary.

We have the gritty historical drama, Amery House, by Samantha J. Moore. Miss Nadine is yet another character unable to escape a less than perfect past. If you like Jazz, New Orleans, or historical dramas, look no further. We've also got a chilling tale about an elemental demon, possession, and gruesome murders in Tool Shed by Armand Rosamilia. Armand is well known for his zombie fiction, but this book proves he can write just as well about non-zombie horrors.

And we've released the third and final installment of the Satan's Toybox series: Terrifying Teddies. Personally, I think we saved the best for last. All of the anthologies are good, but the stories in this one are creepier. Maybe it's because Teddy Bears look so innocent? These stories will make you think twice about your choice of a fuzzy bedtime companion. My story, "Dead Nicky," is included. It's one of my favorites that I've written. So if you read the book, please leave me a comment and let me know what you thought.

Upcoming anthologies include 50 Shades of Decay, a 50 story anthology about zombie erotica. A little weird? Maybe. A little over the top? Nah. It promises to be an eye-opener. Hoping to have it available on February 14th. What's more romantic than zombies? We'll also be releasing the long awaited No Place Like Home anthology this month. You won't want to miss these tales of government gone horrible wrong. It's packed tight with great authors, both established and new. And we've just started taking subs for Fairly Wicked Tales. Think you know your fairy tales? What if they were all wrong, horribly wrong? This anthology's about to bust that world right open.

You can find links to any of these titles on the website www.angelicknightpress.com. Along with submission calls, guidelines and upcoming releases.

And just reading those last few paragraphs should tell you how busy I am as an editor. Plus, I'm still doing a few freelance jobs. But I love it. I wouldn't trade my job for any in the world. And I want to thank everyone out there, especially my team at AKP: Rebecca Treadway, Danielle Day, and Blaze McRob, for every ounce of support, encouragement, friendship, and love you throw my way. Also, my family for everything.

♥Stacey

News, updates & a photo

I know, right? I'm a horrible blogger. Which is funny because I used to be a fantastic blogger. My other blog, What Passes for Sane on a Crazy Day, was like my baby for a long time. I blogged faithfully (and funnily, so I'm told) nearly every day. For years. Now, I'm lucky if I post once a month. What happened? Did I lose my zest for blogging? Did my life become unfunny? The answer is a resounding "no" to both questions. I still love blogging, I just can't seem to find the time. And my life become unfunny? Seriously? With my family? Not likely.

So what did happen? I got busy. I know, it's a pretty lame excuse for a writer. "I was too busy to write." Um, but I am. I'm running a company. It takes a lot of time. Seriously, some days I barely have time to go to the bathroom. I know you think I'm kidding, but I swear I'm not. My bladder pinky swears. But I'm not here today to give you excuses or facilitate a conversation between my readers and my bladder. I'm here to give you news! Yay! News! No, no, not that boring election coverage news (how many different ways can they insult each other after all?), not sad news about murders, hate crimes, tragic accidents, or drought conditions (but seriously, if it doesn't rain soon and settle some of this dust soon I'm probably going to sneeze myself to death). No, news about me.

I'm hoping that some of you have been seeing the posts on my FB author page or AKP's FB page about the upcoming anthology Fading Light, which I'm ecstatic to be in. I'm sharing a table of contents with some amazing heavy hitters in the horror genre. I'm very proud of my story, though it's a huge departure from my usual writing. And to top it all off--the cover art rocks. The anthology should be available on September 1st. So start saving those pennies now if you want to purchase it. In the next few days I will be posting some excerpts and a closer look at the antho.

And--in even bigger news--I have a short story collection coming out next month. I'm equal parts excited and petrified. Excited, because, well, it's all about me. And I love the stories in it (surely hoping you do too). They are all tales of horror or dark fantasy, some previously published, some new to the public. There are also a few poems. And yes, AKP is the publisher. I know that some look down on releasing work by the staff of a publishing company. If it's all we ever did, promote the work of our staff, I could understand the criticism. But we don't. The fact is we publish a variety of works by new and established authors in multiple genres. I could have shopped my collection around, but why? AKP has a very generous royalty split with it's authors (and yes, I'm taking the same deal that we give our other authors, so that part of the royalties go back to the company). AKP has a fantastic cover artist and is getting a good reputation for quality work. So it seems like a no-brainer to me. But, in part to help silence the critics, and in part because I just think he's a damn fine editor, I have hired Rob M. Miller (you can check out his website here) to edit the collection. It would be impossible for me to edit my own collection, I don't believe anyone is that good of an editor. And I wanted someone outside of our staff to take a look at it.

I'm working with Rebecca Treadway, AKP's amazing cover artist (her new website is under construction), to incorporate a photo of my daughter, Molly Flanagan (she doesn't have a website), on the cover. Molly is gorgeous (okay, I could be slightly biased, but I doubt it), has modeling experience, and will work for books. It's a win-win. And I'm having a blast playing photographer and scouting locations. I posted some of the photos we took, but unfortunately weren't quite awesome enough for print covers (something about DPI's & ISO settings & light) on my FB page. You can see them there, but my favorite is this one:

She looks so sad.

 

 

Although, all of them were cool, in my opinion. So hopefully, we will manage to take one that does work for the cover. We're doing a photo shoot next week in a historical cemetery. Fingers crossed.

 

 

And last but not least, I'm currently reading the submissions for the upcoming anthology No Place Like Home: Tales from a Fractured Future. I will be editing the antho, but will not have a story in it. This one is strictly an editing cred. The theme is sci-fi/horror dystopian. It's an odd amalgamation, but the authors who've submitted really ran with the theme of the future gone horribly wrong. I'll have a table of contents on this one by the end of the month and hopefully, a sneak peak at the cover art (which is amazing) to share.

 

And that's what's going on in my world. How about yours?

 



♥Stacey

Are you really as good as you think you are?

I've been sitting here contemplating this post all morning. Why? Because A. it's a rant and B. a few people may figure out that I'm talking about them and it's liable to make me pretty darned unpopular in some circles. So why am I going out on a limb and posting this? Simply because I can not take it anymore. For the past several days, every time I see certain posts on Facebook I want to tear my hair out. Instead, I've messaged a like-minded individual and we've commiserated. But some things need to be said aloud. Or, well, blogged.

I'm going to tell you, as a writer, what you absolutely must have. You may not agree with me, you may not even believe me. You're welcome to take my words with a grain of salt, since I am not a best-selling author or award-winning editor, yet. But I'm absolutely convinced that I'm telling the truth. I know it would be easier for some of you to rest comfortably in your little cocoons of fantasy, but it's reality check time.

What every good writer must have is an honest critique group. A solid core of people who are willing to tell you that your current work is shite and what you can do to improve it. No, I'm not talking about your friends, the ones who "oooh" and "awww" over every word you commit to paper. I'm not talking about the other writers in your groups who promote your work as though you were the next Stephen King in the simple hopes that you'll do the same for them. I'm talking about people who will give you an honest criticism and help make you a better writer. Because, let's face it, there's always room to improve.

Maybe you're thinking I'm crazy and that you are "good enough". You're making a little dough, you have people telling you you're brilliant (are they brilliant? Because only other brilliant people should be able to make that assessment truthfully), maybe you even have a nice, though by no means huge, fan base. Well, if you're comfortable with that, then continue on your way and continue to wonder why you never "make it big". "Good enough" should never be something we settle for. We should constantly be learning, improving our craft, and working towards something better. We owe that to ourselves and we owe that to our readers. And I'm not just talking the talk here, I'm walking the walk.

I never stop learning. I subscribe to magazines like Writer's Digest and the Writer. I purchase or get from the library books on writing. I peruse articles on the web about grammar and editing. I devote as much time to learning as I do to writing. Why? Because "good enough" is a phrase I never want to hear myself utter in conjunction with my work. I also have a core group of other writers and editors who I send my work to so they can kick me in the pants. Because there is always room for improvement. Always. And by the time I finally submit a piece, I know it is the best that it can be. Does that mean I'm always accepted? No. But at least I know I sent them my best possible work.

This post was inspired by several things. As you may or may not know, lots of writers offer their books for free around the holidays or right after or to push rankings or for many reasons. I've been downloading a lot of free indie books lately. Some have been fantastic, some not so much. A few are downright horrible. Generally, you'll find this when it's a newbie writer who didn't realize that they needed an editor. But what if it's not a newbie writer? What if it's a writer who has several books out and an editor (that title is debatable, however). And what if the book is so bad that I couldn't even finish it? That's bad. And I would've just resolved to stay away from the writer's books in the future, free or not. And figured that anyone who promoted this author was either a really bad writer themselves (yes, by association) or desperate.

I was not alone in my judgement of the book. Reviewers who were not a part of the writing community tended to agree with me. And what happened then? Other writers in the community flocked to offer solace and insult the reviewer. Hmmm. And this is what made me think.

There are so many things I love about the Indie community. The way writers and small presses support each other, from sharing marketing strategies to buying and reviewing each other's books. But there are a few things I specifically do not like about the Indie community. Bad writers tops the list. Bad editors may even be worse. But enablers definitely makes the list. What is an enabler? Every single person who tells that writer that they are good. Every reviewer who does not give an honest review.  Every person who boosts this poor writer's ego by pandering to them. Stop the insanity people. If you want to be a good friend, then be honest. Help that writer grow.

Don't get me wrong, everyone seeks the admiration of their peers. Everyone wants to be the "cool kid" that gets the accolades and pats on the back from their many friends. But don't you also want to impress readers and grow your fan base? The only way to do that is take those bad reviews and learn from them. Accept that the reviewer may have a point and it may be time to change editors and re-visit your work with a keener eye and open mind. Listen to what the readers are saying, not just your friends and associates. Readers drive sales, not other writers. They're the ones whose opinion matters most.

I hope that I haven't offended anyone, but I also hope that I opened some eyes.

♥Stacey

Apparently, I can't do it all...

That's right. As much as it pains me to have to admit it- I can't do it all. Something has to give. And I don't want to place any blame here but this is the conversation I had with my husband last night~

Me: I'm sorry I snapped on you earlier, but I just don't see why dinner is always my responsibility. With the exception of the baby, everyone else in this house is an adult and perfectly capable of cooking dinner. Except Molly, who burns soup.

Mike: I don't make the rules, baby. That's just how it is.

Me: Well, Luke works full time, I get that. Molly busts her butt around the house, doing dishes, laundry and keeping it straight. Sean does whatever I ask him too, although he could pitch in more. I work full time, even though it's from home. And you work full time, but I'm not really sure what you do around the house? You used to clean the cat boxes but Molly took that over and you used to do garbage, but Luke does that most of the time. What is your chore again?

Mike: I don't know, but if you think of one, let me know so I can pawn that off on someone else too!

We really did have this conversation. And he really was joking (I think). And the level of household chores/responsibility is seriously skewed in our household. I will take responsibility, they were all babied far too long and its hard to wean them. But family matters aside, business is booming.

Angelic Knight Press has hit the ground running and we have a full release schedule. That means that I'm so busy editing, I can hardly see straight. Then there are other business related tasks to take care of at the press and trying to squeeze out some of my own writing. Its enough to make my head spin. Don't get me wrong- I love it. Absolutely love it! But as I mentioned before, something has to give. So I'm taking down the freelance proofreader/editor shingle. I will no longer be accepting side jobs (with the exception of former customers). I really still feel strongly about everyone needing good editing, I just no longer have the time to do it myself.

I would like to thank all of those who have sought my services. I've met some great people through freelancing and read some amazing books. I've been fortunate enough to have my editing credentials on some fabulous stories. Should things lighten up, I'll hang out my shingle again, but I've got my fingers crossed that they don't and the press stays busy for a long time to come!

♥Stacey

What I learned about being a writer from being an editor...

I've been a writer much longer than I've been an editor. I've been writing since I could pick up a crayon and form words. Editing, I've only been doing for a short while (in the grand scheme of things). But I've learned a lot about being a writer from my work as an editor.

Oh, of course I've learned the basic things you would expect, I edit my own work far more critically now than I ever did before. I'm extra careful to look for repetitive words, grammar errors and verb tense confusion. Oh and speech tags! Let's not forget those pesky speech tags. But beyond the expected benefits of honing my skills via editing others, I've learned to take rejection far less painfully.

I had been told (in pep talk format) that you couldn't take rejection personally. But, and I know you're all nodding your heads, that's far easier said than done. I was told that sometimes a story just didn't fit the publisher's needs. Or maybe they had other similiar stories. I never believed what I was told and imagined the editors I had submitted to as harsh, souless characters who only wanted stories from successful (ie: published) writers.

Then, enter my joining the ranks of "editor". I am not a harsh souless character who only wants published authors. Don't get me wrong, I won't turn down a published author, provided the story is good. See, that's the thing, I'm looking for good stories, regardless of the author. I read every submission that comes to us. Some we accept, some I have to turn down.

And obviously, if the story is too reminiscient of another story I've read, if it just isn't good, if its going to take far too much editing, or the writing is well, bad; I'm going to have to reject it. But what they say is absolutely true. Sometimes, no matter how great I think a story is, it just doesn't fit with anything we're publishing at that time. And sometimes, we receive two stories with the same plot lines. I have to take the best one and regardless of how well written the other one is- it gets passed over. And sometimes? It just doesn't grab me. It might be a well written piece, I just don't feel it. Editing is subjective and just because I don't like it, doesn't mean another editor won't snap it up.

And so, recently when I received a pass on a story I'd submitted to an anthology, I shrugged. Yep, shrugged. I found myself completely okay with the rejection. I know that I'll find a home for that story someday. Today, this anthology, just wasn't the right place or time. And that's ok.

So when you receive those inevitable (we all get them) rejection letters, try not to take it so personally. If the editor has been kind enough to send a personal letter and any recommendations, pay attention, they are doing you a favor. And believe the reasons they give you for their rejection. We don't make this shit up.

Happy submitting,
Stacey

PS- for the love of Bob, read submission guidelines. Nothing irritates me more than to receive a submission that makes it clear the sender did NOT read my guidelines. Its incredibly rude and will not endear you to me.

The thing about editing...

I know, I know-- I talk about editing a lot. Could be because I'm an editor, could be because it's so important. I fully acknowledge that I'm OCD about it. I cannot turn off the inner editor and too many times that ruins what might be a perfectly fine story for me. Little things like a miss-used word, too many adverbs or a lack of "flow" send me into howls of despair. And more often than not, result in me not finishing the story or book or novella. I just can't do it. I like to think I'm not the only one who has this problem. It might be genetic because my sister and my kids pick up on it too.

But I'm fully ready to admit that I do not know everything. (Well, no one KNOWS everything, even those who like to think they do.) And I too, can benefit from editing. I know this. My critique partner points it out. And if I hadn't already know it, it was recently proven to me. A facebook friend took my Friday flash, "A Whore Named Josie" and edited it for me. He managed to cut out those 150 words that I thought were absolutely essential. Did I agree with all of it? No, of course not. But I did agree with most of it and even learned a thing or three. He did what good editors do-- he took my story and made it shine. I liked it so much that I sent him another story of mine to edit and he sent me one of his. (Because the writing world should totally operate on a bartering for services basis, if you ask me.) This time? I liked most of it, rewrote the story and we were both happy with the outcome.

That's how your relationship with a good editor should work. They aren't out to rewrite your story themselves (hell, I do NOT have time for that!), they want to make suggestions and help you rewrite your story into one you are both proud to have worked on. They will find your diamond in the rough and help you polish it. Please remember this when hiring or dealing with an editor.

Sure I know that's money you could spend on other things. But working with an editor before you publish should not be optional. I just told you that even editors (who are trained to catch mistakes, plot holes and sloppy writing) need editors. No one can catch all of their own mistakes. And beta readers are great, but they are not a substitute for an editor. I'm always amazed at the things that beta readers did not catch. Publishing your book with a clean, mistake free, polished manuscript will gain you respect from your readers and other writers. Hurriedly putting something out just because you can too often results in your book not being all that it can be. You will lose readers and respect. No one wants that. And no one wants that for you.

So barter the services, spend the money or beg-- but get that book, story, novella-- edited. Because you're worth it. And so is your manuscript.

♥Stacey

PS- if an editor sends you a request for a rewrite on a submission or suggested editorial changes, try to realize that we are doing our job, not judging your work or being mean or insulting you. We want the same thing you do-- for your work to shine.