Comments on: Editor’s Desk - Presentation IS Important! http://aspenmountainpress.com/blog/2008/02/12/editors-desk-presentation-is-important/ Adventure, Mystery, Passion: Aspen Mountain Press eBook Publisher Thu, 17 May 2012 06:05:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: Editor Maura http://aspenmountainpress.com/blog/2008/02/12/editors-desk-presentation-is-important/#comment-65 Editor Maura Sun, 17 Feb 2008 23:19:10 +0000 http://aspenmountainpress.com/blog/2008/02/12/editors-desk-presentation-is-important/#comment-65 Sharon, In house style or what people were taught as generally accepted never bothers me. As long as it's clean and in the best shape possible. I wrote a technical non-fiction textbook two years ago and got thank you letters from my editors because my manuscript didn't need a lot of work and I went to a lot of effort to follow the author guidelines I had received. I grin like mad whenever my editors tell me that they look forward to my submissions because they're really clean. I call that a sign of success. Sharon,

In house style or what people were taught as generally accepted never bothers me. As long as it’s clean and in the best shape possible.

I wrote a technical non-fiction textbook two years ago and got thank you letters from my editors because my manuscript didn’t need a lot of work and I went to a lot of effort to follow the author guidelines I had received.

I grin like mad whenever my editors tell me that they look forward to my submissions because they’re really clean. I call that a sign of success.

]]> By: Editor Maura http://aspenmountainpress.com/blog/2008/02/12/editors-desk-presentation-is-important/#comment-64 Editor Maura Sun, 17 Feb 2008 23:16:35 +0000 http://aspenmountainpress.com/blog/2008/02/12/editors-desk-presentation-is-important/#comment-64 Actually, Aline, it does sort of prove my point. I should have made someone else read the post and find that typo but I was writing late at night and settled for editing it myself. And I'm a good self-editor, generally. I fixed it - thank you for pointing it out. Actually, Aline, it does sort of prove my point. I should have made someone else read the post and find that typo but I was writing late at night and settled for editing it myself.

And I’m a good self-editor, generally.

I fixed it - thank you for pointing it out.

]]> By: Aline de Chevigny http://aspenmountainpress.com/blog/2008/02/12/editors-desk-presentation-is-important/#comment-61 Aline de Chevigny Sat, 16 Feb 2008 16:37:49 +0000 http://aspenmountainpress.com/blog/2008/02/12/editors-desk-presentation-is-important/#comment-61 Good point Maura, but.... and I'm almost afraid to tell you this but you have a typo LOL Aline **grin** (I know it was done to prove your point right.) Heheh Good point Maura, but…. and I’m almost afraid to tell you this but you have a typo LOL

Aline **grin**

(I know it was done to prove your point right.) Heheh

]]> By: Sharon Maria Bidwellt http://aspenmountainpress.com/blog/2008/02/12/editors-desk-presentation-is-important/#comment-59 Sharon Maria Bidwellt Fri, 15 Feb 2008 13:08:08 +0000 http://aspenmountainpress.com/blog/2008/02/12/editors-desk-presentation-is-important/#comment-59 I'm not going to shout at you, Maura. There are some small things that writers may moan about and that's with the advent of computers it seems to have done away with the typesetters job. Also, writers come up against house-style but as long as most editors realise (and sensible ones do) that a writer doesn't always get it wrong but may have worked with a publisher that simply does something differently, then there doesn't need to be a problem. That doesn't mean a writer shouldn't do the best they can regarding punctuation and grammar even if it does go to line-editors and proofers. I treat my writing as I would any form of work. A manager wouldn't appreciate sending a sloppy letter out, so when representing yourself and particularly with something as close to your heart as a story (and what writer doesn't feel that way about their work, and if they don't why are they writing?) then why would you send it out poorly presented? It doesn't matter if I'm sending an electronic document or posting by mail, I always take care of presentation. Editors WILL turn down submissions due to poor layout, bad grammar, and I even recall one editor writing how she received a manuscript covered in coffee stains that she just threw in the bin, and who can blame her? Time is money and life is short. I've even had small press editors thank me for the way I've set out my work. Let that be a lesson to new writers everywhere. I’m not going to shout at you, Maura. There are some small things that writers may moan about and that’s with the advent of computers it seems to have done away with the typesetters job. Also, writers come up against house-style but as long as most editors realise (and sensible ones do) that a writer doesn’t always get it wrong but may have worked with a publisher that simply does something differently, then there doesn’t need to be a problem.

That doesn’t mean a writer shouldn’t do the best they can regarding punctuation and grammar even if it does go to line-editors and proofers. I treat my writing as I would any form of work. A manager wouldn’t appreciate sending a sloppy letter out, so when representing yourself and particularly with something as close to your heart as a story (and what writer doesn’t feel that way about their work, and if they don’t why are they writing?) then why would you send it out poorly presented?

It doesn’t matter if I’m sending an electronic document or posting by mail, I always take care of presentation. Editors WILL turn down submissions due to poor layout, bad grammar, and I even recall one editor writing how she received a manuscript covered in coffee stains that she just threw in the bin, and who can blame her? Time is money and life is short. I’ve even had small press editors thank me for the way I’ve set out my work. Let that be a lesson to new writers everywhere.

]]>