Ship to Shore has sold / I love my editor

[julesjones]

Editor emailed overnight to say that she wants to buy Ship to Shore, the sequel to Spindrift. :-)

This is the one that had me worried because the first draft really didn't bear much resemblance to a standard romance story. It had a happy ending, yes, but it had a different story structure. Once I'd let that draft settle for a couple of weeks, and bounced some ideas back and forth with my editor, I was able to do a revision pass that put more focus on the relationship into the second half of the story. It's still not quite a standard romance structure, but it's no longer likely to cause readers expecting one to bounce off at high velocity.

Editors are good people. They show you how to make your story better.

Comments

[ritaxis.livejournal.com]

I certainly felt that way when I had an editor who actually edited. It was as good as sex, in its own way.

[feetnotes.livejournal.com]

*g* it's a pretty good feeling from t'other side, too; helping someone do better something that you couldn't've or wouldn't've done yourself... - or sparking them into doing some work because you've seen something they've implied in a previous piece, but not gone on to examine closely enough in that... - or spotting they've left a gaping hole that's just naturally abhorrent, and would - must - be filled by whichever of the players spot their chanc(s) - or an inevitable impending clash utterly undocumented, one that demands both attention, and satisfactory resolution...

[julesjones]

Oh yes...

[feetnotes.livejournal.com]

wa-heyyy! excellent news; and what now, for a third in the series?*vbg*

& yes; or put their finger on where they feel it's wobbling, and suggest possible ways of fixing this/doing something else differently, and avoiding this...

[julesjones]

I have some vague ideas for continuing the series, but even if they gel, they will require some serious research first -- and I supect the end result will be a lot closer to the specfic side than the romance side of things. But getting *this* one done means that the short novel and sequel novella together make something that fits nicely within the current length range that print publishers are looking for. So I've now got something ready to go if the print publishers do start experimenting with gay romance.

I have never understood why so many fanfic writers get upset at the idea of being beta-read, let alone edited. I don't *enjoy* the process of being told where I've gone wrong, but I know it's good for me. I was very fortunate to have my first ever piece of fanfic published by a zine editor who understood that "editor" and "publisher" are not synonyms, even if in fanzines they're often the same person. Having her pull apart my first couple of stories and show me how to make them better helped my writing enormously. I'm very glad to have my profic at a house where they take editing seriously.

[carl-allery.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! Glad it's all working out.

Charlie

[nycshelly.livejournal.com]

Great news. :)

[anghara.livejournal.com]

WOO HOO! great news! will buy you a drink in Glasgow to celebrate!