Writing a story and Writing a Damn Good Story

What’s the difference? I suppose most of us have a gut feeling and know when we’ve done mediocre work and when we’ve exceeded our expectations.

Well, it really doesn’t matter what we think of our writing or what our critique group, family and friends think of it, does it, you ask. It’s what the acquisition editors think that counts, isn’t it – you ask.

It’s all very subjective. If a rejection comes, we try another – we know someone will like it. But…is it really ready for that step?

What we learn in reading various guidelines for various publishers is about all the same. Isn’t it? But are they the same? Yeah, sure there may be differences in formatting, differences in genre preferences or even the call for submissions, but what is that they really want. What?

Ok, so they want well edited and proofread-to-death-and-beyond manuscripts. Ha – considering most editors and proofreaders, who are being paid to catch things, miss as much as the rest of us do – why should we be so diligent? Good question.

There is no such thing as the perfect manuscript, but you must take the time to perfect your manuscript. It needs to be better than the one read before it and what comes after. The competition is fierce. If you write contemporary like I do. I want my work better than yours and you should want your work better than mine – don’t think you’re work is better and ready – know that it is. Take the time.

Question yourself. Is it the best you can do? If you think “it’s the best I can do”, then you need to go through it again. If there’s one niggling doubt that you missed something because you were tired or not feeling well when you went through a section, then you need to go back through it.

Why? Well, other than the fact that your name is going to be on the book, you want it to be something you feel good about. Another thing, anything a reviewer or a reader finds wrong will determine if they purchase or read another one of your stories.

And, your manuscript might find itself in a pickle as it heads up the line to be read. The publisher could ask that the editor become more selective in the genre you’re writing. They could be overloaded and need to balance out by acquiring more of other genres. You may still have a chance if you’re story is clean and grabs the editor right off the bat. This begins with a great intro in the body of your query. It must also be spotless and engaging.

Publishers want stories coming in and going out to customers. They want a product to sell. The editors in charge of making this happen want manuscripts as error free as possible. Their job is not to clean up your spelling, misused words, punctuation and most of all, not there to teach you when to mark a change of point of view or notice when you slipped into a different one during a scene – it’s your job to catch all those things. Their job is to find stories with fresh guts – yes, smelly raw meat – they want a fresh grabber even if it’s a new twist on an old line, something you’ll remember when the last page is turned. If the work is riddled with so many issues they should never see, they aren’t going to see the guts, much less enjoy it.

Take your time. Yes, we’re all excited to finish a story and can’t wait to turn it in to someone who’s surely going to love it as much as you do, but a first draft, a fleshing out stage and a proofread may not be enough. If you’re not positive it’s 99.4% perfect, go through it again. Otherwise, you won’t be happy to find the editor isn’t willing to offer a contract.

Your story won’t have a happily ever after until certain criteria are met.


Thanks for reading. Even though I have trouble letting go, this pep talk was for me every bit as much as for you all.

Bekki
Contemporary romance with sizzling sensuality
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