This chat was held in the America On Line Chatroom "Field of Dreams" in January 2003, exclusively for the members of the America On Line Community's WRITING RIGHT members.
Elizabeth Delisi, a professional author, is one of the Hosts.


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BettyAmorelli: Morning
KMacLEOD323: Good Morning. I'm waiting for our host.
HOST WPLC MmeLiz: Hi, Karen, glad you could be here and be our guest!
BettyAmorelli: Morning, Liz
HOST WPLC MmeLiz: Hi, Betty, good to see you.
BettyAmorelli: Good to see you too :)
KMacLEOD323: Morning.... I believe in being early.
HOST WPLC MmeLiz: Oh, you're an early bird, eh?
HOST WPLC MmeLiz: I'm generally a "just in time" bird. ;-)
KMacLEOD323: I don't like being late for scheduled appointments -- let's put it that way.
HOST WPLC MmeLiz: We'll give everyone a few more minutes to arrive, and then we'll get started.
LadyScarhand: I just left another workshop, or I would have been here sooner.
HOST WPLC Rosa: Has everyone set their writing goals for this year?
BettyAmorelli: Kinda, sorta
LadyScarhand: I have, Rosa
HOST WPLC Rosa: If so, stop by Realities of the Paranormal tomorrow night and do some predicting :)
RBOZO55: Yeah, to finish novel two. To re write novel One.
HOST WPLC MmeLiz: Hey, I'm keeping my resolution so far, to show up at the Writing Right chat on time!
RBOZO55: So are we going to cheer each other on? A good cheerleader is always good. :o)
BettyAmorelli: I'd dearly love to get an agent
LadyScarhand: I don't need an agent, all the pubs I'm going to try won't use them.
RBOZO55: I like the idea of someone else handling the publishers for me.
HOST WPLC MmeLiz: Hi, Patti. Okay, I think it's about time to get going. Our guest is Karen MacLeod, Editor for NovelBooks Inc. and Editorial Consultant for Sime~Gen, Inc.She will answer your questions about editors and the editorial process. And she has a recommendation about agents! So with no further ado, please help me welcome Karen. (And remember, now we're in protocol.)
HOST WPLC Rosa: Welcome Karen, thank you for being here :) PattiJ7: Welcome Karen ;)
LadyScarhand: welcome Karen
KMacLEOD323: Thank you for inviting me. I see someone has already asked about agents. I know one who is quite diverse, and in addition to representing Sime~Gen, which is science fiction she just sold a technical book for a friend in Australia.
HOST WPLC MmeLiz: She sounds terrific. Can you give us the contact info?
KMacLEOD323: Sure can. It's Sharon Jarvis, and I've done an interview with her on the web. She owns Toad Hall and Belfry Books
HOST WPLC MmeLiz: Question, Patti?
PattiJ7: Is Jarvis an E-book agent or print, or both?
KMacLEOD323: The url for her interview is:http://www.simegen.com/writers/spotlights/nonfiction1101/sjarvis.html
KMacLEOD323: She seems to be doing all kinds of things. Originally Ms. Jarvis was an acquisitions editor for Doubleday and Ace
PattiJ7: I thought the name was familiar, thank you.
RBOZO55: What genre of books does she handle?
KMacLEOD323: It seems Sharon handles all kinds. She publishes obscure things, and recently placed a book on computers with O'Rilley -- I think that's how it is spelled.
HOST WPLC MmeLiz: LadyS, you have a question?
LadyScarhand: I have a book, that I love, by a Sharon Downing Jarvis, is this the same person?
KMacLEOD323: Read her interview -- if you can't find it, the search engine on Simegen.com can help you find it. It may well be....
BettyAmorelli: Is she looking for new clients?
KMacLEOD323: You'd have to ask her. Feel free to use me as a reference.
RBOZO55: I have a question about a letter I got from an agent. It was ten pages of suggestions on how to improve my novel. Is that a good rejection?
KMacLEOD323: Suggestions are always helpful. As an editor, that's basically what I do. I SUGGEST improvement for the author's work. I don't want to change the author's tone, or their story, I only want to clarify what they are telling.
BettyAmorelli: Is Novelbooks looking for new submissions?
HOST WPLC MmeLiz: Betty, question?
KMacLEOD323: Their website would have that answer. www.novelbooksinc.com (Novel Books closed in January 2005)
HOST WPLC MmeLiz: Karen, can you tell us a little about how you go about editing a book? Do you have a method or just dive in?
KMacLEOD323: Well, in addition to working with Novelbooks, and Sime~Gen, I freelance. Often someone wants to polish their work before submission. Generally I copy edit for grammar, spelling, punctuation. Then I check for continuity errors. I then start to work with the author to polish what they are trying to say. If something "feels wrong" I can check with any of 30+ people I know in various fields of work. For example, I did a Novelbooks piece which had a private plane in it. The feel was wrong, so I checked with a pilot I know, and together we repaired the technical aspects with the author. That's some of what I do.
HOST WPLC MmeLiz: That's pretty impressive. I guess you need a broad education to be an editor! So what kind of authors do you enjoy working with most? i.e., what kind of attitude, how should an author interact with their editor?
KMacLEOD323:Actually... best advice is to read anything and everything you can get your hands on. My education is only 3 years of college, but 25+ years editing. First with fan written fiction. Actually, the editor should guide the author, but the final decisions on changes are up to the author, who will hopefully use the editor's suggestions.
HOST WPLC MmeLiz: Do you ever work as an acquisitions editor, Karen?
HOST WPLC Rosa: Welcome to Writing Right! Today's guest: Karen MacLeod,
NovelBooks, Inc. Editor and editorial consultant for Sime~Gen, Inc. Your questions about editors and the editorial process will be answered.
KMacLEOD323: The author is my " boss" so to speak. No, I don't have that kind of contact with Novelbooks. I do have that kind of experience with fan fiction and our amateur fanzine on Simegen.com. Many from that have gone onto professional writing careers.
BettyAmorelli: How do you see the future of e books? What role are they going to play?
KMacLEOD323: Right now, e-books looks very promising. However, they have tobecome more portable, and the hand helds used to read them come down drastically in price. I don't, however, think print will die off.
HOST WPLC MmeLiz: nbsp;You can get an e-bookMan now for about $30 after rebates. If anyone wants the info (which I *think* is still good), e-mail me.
RBOZO55: I love the feel of a real book in my hands. Even the smell of it. Guess I'm strange.
KMacLEOD323: After rebates there's the problem. The initial outlay can be expensive. No, you're not strange. Believe me, you're not strange.
PattiJ7: Many authors using POD publishing process have problems getting their work to stores. This is a real problem. Also small houses are not distributing books as they should, what can we do?
Suspensewriter: RB, you can always print out the e-book, give it to a binder, and put it in the attic for a while
KMacLEOD323: Novelbooks makes their releases available in many formats. Books have to be listed in certain catalogues. The publisher should aim to get them there. Ingrams and Taylor is one such catalog.
HOST WPLC Rosa: I realize that not everyone has a PALM, but for the businessperson that travels alot it is a godsend, not only do I have all the tour information I need, but I can load approximately 20 e-books on it also to take with me. I wouldn't want to carry 20 books with me on a tour
KMacLEOD323: The distribution is primarily the responsibility of the publisher, to get them listed in these catalogues. Of course the author must also market and promote.
HOST WPLC Rosa: So for the traveler/business person I think e-books will only get more popular
KMacLEOD323: Nod, Rosa. I can see your point there. I took 6 paperbacks on a trip in September because I don't yet have a Palm.
PattiJ7: Adam-Michael James' book Undo the Deed was published by AmeRica house and he can't get his soft back book in book stores, any idea for him. It's on Amazon though.
KMacLEOD323: He should try to get it listed in the catalogs, such as Ingrams and Taylors. He could also give a few copies on consignment to local stores. Set up a website to promote it, run a contest....
Arrange for booksignings, go to conventions where his genre is popular.
PattiJ7: Excellent ideas, thank you.
KMacLEOD323: An author must be creative to get the books out if the publisher hasn't listed them.
PattiJ7: I lead a writers' workshop and they often get discouraged. Publishing today is very difficult, any advice for new novelists on getting published?
KMacLEOD323: Make your manuscript the best it can be. Have people critique it. Tighten it up. Check for flow, continuity.... then submit it, but follow the publisher's guidelines....If they ask for EXCLUSIVE SUBMISSION you must do that. I do an editing column for Writer's Village University which helps with guidelines.
PattiJ7: The largest problem is getting an agent to read the Ms. Even with a good story, clean ms, rejections are the rule
KMacLEOD323: You can find Writer's Village University on Google, I think. I also help with the Worldcrafters School on Simegen.com. The agent is not necessarily the publisher...the acquisitions editor usually finds things a house wants to publish. What reason do you get for your rejection?
PattiJ7: My group receives anything from form rejections, no reasons, or encouragement but with rejection Without previous experience (clips) these new novelists are having a hard time.
KMacLEOD323: Shaking head. With my amateur fan work, I always wrote personalized responses, suggestions, and DID read the submission. Then perhaps they should start in "fan" writing, which is a valid credential. My fan editing experience got me noticed by NovelBooks and other places. It takes time to build a portfolio.
PattiJ7: Yes, it does, but try to explain that to an on fire new novelist ;)
KMacLEOD323: A critique group is helpful. You have to start small to later become Stephen King.
HOST WPLC MmeLiz: Betty, you have a comment?
BettyAmorelli: I get not taking on new projects at this time. Sort of nebulous things like that.
LadyScarhand: (who wants to be Stephen King?)
KMacLEOD323: Unfortunately that's not helpful to a writer. Perhaps what you submitted doesn't meet the needs of the market right now.
KMacLEOD323: I'm not a Stephen King fan, but lots of people like his work.:-)
HOST WPLC MmeLiz: I want to have Stephen King's paycheck. <g> Comment, Duff?
TheDuffer: The publishing industry has changed drastically over the years. Unions terminated, and pub houses no longer employ special readers for unsolicited scripts.
KMacLEOD323: Round Robin-ing a manuscript for comments from readers, is a good way to get feedback and improvement for your work. That is true, Duff.
TheDuffer: Computers and desktop publishing had all to do with it.
KMacLEOD323: Some houses don't even employ editors. You have to pre-edit before submitting.
PattiJ7: Exactly right
TheDuffer: Amen, Karen.
KMacLEOD323: Desktop didn't kill editing -- if anything it makes it easier, and I've been editing for 25 years.
PattiJ7: What is the trend today? And won't it change before we could get a novel written to meet that trend? ;)
KMacLEOD323: There's where you go on the web, and see what publishers are taking submissions. Find out what they are looking for, and give them that. Novelbooks doesn't take erotica, for example.
PattiJ7: That's good for short novels, but not for longer ones which can take more than a year to write.
KMacLEOD323: You may have something "cooking" for years, that you can adapt to the market. The market is fickle. What is popular now, may not be a year from now.
PattiJ7: Exactly my point.
KMacLEOD323: Right now, Jacqueline Lichtenberg and Jean Lorrah, most of their books were released in the 1980's, are experiencing a revival in their careers...Due to Simegen.com, and the internet, most of their work will be re-released during 2003-4 and on. Yet, they were "mid-list" books back in the 80's.
HOST WPLC MmeLiz: Duff, comment?
TheDuffer: I sure agree with that, Karen, and you're evidently very competent. I'm an editor myself with a forty year background with Merkle and Publisher's Inc., and others. All under contract.
KMacLEOD323: Nod.... I have a contract with NBI, and I do freelance.
HOST WPLC Rosa: Then if I understand you correctly, I should be able to turn my already done mms that is a paranromal into something the publisher is looking for?
KMacLEOD323: Perhaps. If you can find a publisher that wants paranormals you're already ahead. The internet might help there in your search.
HOST WPLC Rosa: ok, thank you
PattiJ7: Would the topic of reincarnation be considered paranormal? I mean a novel that includes that topic.
KMacLEOD323: Before you submit, you must find a site that has guidelines to the type of work you have written. I truly don't know. Some people are put off by reincarnation. I'm not, though. It MIGHT be considered paranormal...but your mileage may vary depending on who reads the manuscript.
PattiJ7: Also, on the subject, City of Masks by Daniel Hecht is paranormal and a great book.
HOST WPLC MmeLiz: Any last questions before we end?
TheDuffer: I have to go, but thank you so much Karen. Best of all to you in this new year.
KMacLEOD323: Smile. Glad to be here.
HOST WPLC MmeLiz: Thanks so much, Karen, for being our guest. Round of applause!
TheDuffer: Edits to do, darn it.
KMacLEOD323: Remember, your editor is NOT a book doctor. They don't rewrite your work, but try to help polish what you have.
PattiJ7: Thank you Karen, you've answered many questions
BettyAmorelli: Very good chat !
KMacLEOD323: Been there...I've got a book on chess (from 1907) to hand edit for Toad Hall.
HOST WPLC MmeLiz: Everyone stop by Rosa's chat tomorrow night.
KMacLEOD323: My pleasure. Check out the writing school on Simegen.com, too.
HOST WPLC Rosa: Thank you Karen for coming and sharing. We do appreciate
your insight and helpfulness
PattiJ7: Any of you free at 11:a.m. Wed. (tomorrow) come back to Field of Dreams for Daytime Writers workshop
HOST WPLC MmeLiz: Next week, Vicki M. Taylor, author of FOREVER UNTIL WE MEET and the forthcoming NOT WITHOUT ANNA, and President of the Florida Writers Association, will explain her method of "Overcoming the Fear of Writing the Synopsis"
HOST WPLC Rosa: Betty the paranormal chat is at 9 eastern tomorrow night same room :)
PattiJ7: Bye all, and thanks again Hosts and Guest
JWilso5584: Hi are you all finishing up?
HOST WPLC Rosa: ttfn folks