Jean Purcell

Editor's View for Book Author



Posted: Friday, January 01, 2010

by
OpineBooks.com

Hello, dear book writer,

It's sad but true and the average case that I'm over-loaded with manuscripts, which means that you have to get my attention over all that noise if I am to read your manuscript. This has nothing to do with your writing quality and skill. It has to do with an overwhelming amount of outstanding writing that comes across my desk, PC monitor, e-mail Inbox, and professional networking sites, including Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Your writing has got to be more than outstanding. It's got to be better than what I can imagine. It's got to be, also, well-organized with no long sentences, no fancy linguistics, no literary show-off qualities, or flat tone. It's got to be sincere, real, reliable and really good! That means that not only you have to like it. You have to get out of your own head into the heads of editors like me. We, the editors, represent the readers. Readers rely on us to filter out what is not the very very best. That's our job.

I've got to see in your first sentence and paragraph what you're writing about and I must become intrigued with the approach you have. It takes more than fancy words. It takes a communication that you have worked, thought, and planned long and hard to get my attention.

There are so many books today that have little merit. The publishing world has opened up, for better and for worse. Readers have become skeptical. What do you have to offer? Show it through excellent and super writing and organization for line after line, paragraph after paragraph. Include gripping examples, tightly woven language, and reliable comments and facts, if you are a nonfiction writer.

Write what readers like me see immediately as interesting, useful, honest, and very reliably presented. Lead us page by page in an orderly, simple, and non-confusing way. Don't load everything into the first chapter, but prepare us so well that no matter what what comes next in your narrative we want to see, taste, feel, and follow it. All the way to the end, wanting more.

Happy writing in Twenty-Ten!

Jean Purcell -- "I owe all to Christ." Find her blogs for writers through Opinari Writers at http://opinariwriters.blogspot.com and http://authorsupport.blogspot.com.

This Article has been viewed 228 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)
» left by Jack H. Schick
 2 years 39 days ago.
89 fans.
Thanks. I guess it was easier on editors in 1929.
» left by Joyce Dunn
 2 years 38 days ago.
34 fans.
Thanks for this article, Jean. For me, getting "into the head of editors" is a big challenge. I find it a bit difficult to be objective about my writing. Your specific points of advice are helpful.
» left by Linda DeWitt
 2 years 38 days ago.
I really enjoyed your article. It was very informative. I enjoy writing because it's usually good for my soul. Thanks for sharing.
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