Improbable Press Blog — Reference

Oh the boons of age! You've learned Some Things. You do fewer Unwise Things. This means you can maybe say, "Hey, dear writing friend! What you just did in front of me and my sandwich? It's Unwise! I used to do it and suggest you don't!" The thing I'm talking about, the unwise thing, is asking editors to tell you why they rejected your work. Why Your Story Was Rejected: 2 Reasons an Editor Won't Tell You I know it doesn't feel great not knowing. Yet as a working editor I also know there's at least two good reason we...

Secret time: We don't always love our book's cover right away. As a writer for whom covers have been created, and an editor who commissions covers for others, I know this is so very true. Book Cover Expectations: Let's Go Back In Time When I was a teen, Casey Kasem hosted a weekly top 40 radio show; I listened for years before I finally saw a photo of Kasem himself, and: No. Nope. Nada, that's not what Casey Kasem looks like. Except. Except what did I think he looked like? I don't know. I'd had no idea I even had...

By Atlin Merrick A writer recently asked what I mean by 'I'm editing your book,' and it's a great question, so here's a bit on the nitty gritty of how the editing process goes. How We Edit Your Book You've sent your completed novel to your editor. Though they've never seen those words before I promise, they're excited! Though the precise process depends on the editor, this is roughly how it goes: We read your manuscript, making note of big things like 'this story starts too early… begin the book at chapter three' or 'this scene was great, would love...

By Atlin Merrick Just…just go around me. I'm going to be here awhile, stretched out on this grass, staring at the fluffy clouds while I tell youngsters to get off my lawn. Which is to say I am a tiny bit exhausted. O so weary of others doing what I used to do, and now I just want to squirt everyone with this hose I'm not holding and holler "Learn from my mistakes for heaven's sake! I also didn't follow submission guidelines! And do you know what it got me? Don't you walk away while I'm yelling at you!" Submission...

By Atlin Merrick First: I hope you have a fantastic writing career, full of exciting challenges, wondrous peers, and the respect of a dozen editors and publishers. Now let me tell you how not to have any of those things. How to be Sure Your Writing Career is Short Be rude. That's it. That's the whole post. Be rude to your editor or publisher and it's the best way I know to make sure you have a really short writing career. I'll refine what I mean by 'rude' by saying first that no your editor isn't out to get you....