II. SUBMISSIONS, continued

Manuscript Elements and Edits

What is your typical response times to manuscript submissions?

Three to five months.

How many pages do you read before deciding to continue or decline a manuscript?

I can usually tell within ten pages if it’s not for me. If I see something I like, I’ll read much further.

What self-editing tips do you suggest; what are common flaws in manuscripts you see?

The occasional typo doesn’t trouble me. The most common flaw is a weak opening page.

What are memorable, perhaps elusive, story qualities that hook you?

Great characterization. I am a sucker for great characters even in a weak plot.

Voice is often touted as a desirable element in fiction, yet it’s difficult to define (“I know it when I see it”). What does voice mean to you? How can it help create and/or define a character? Give examples.

For me it’s about not writing in a bland, colorless tone. The problem with so many manuscripts I see is that thought they might be amiable enough, the telling is so flat and lacking in distinctiveness. Great voice doesn’t necessarily mean first person narration with a colloquial sound. It can mean the grand, knowing voice of Philip Pullman’s omniscient narrators or Louis Sachar’s folkloric flair in Holes.

Please give an example of your approach to revisions in an accepted manuscript—one for which you’ve provided an editorial letter and/or invitation to re-submit.

My approach is to tackle big issues first, in one or two rounds, then to go back in and refine line by line.

III. ON A PERSONAL NOTE

How has meeting writers at events affected you and/or your work?

It reminds me of the bravery it takes to put yourself and your talent out there for others to judge. I admire writers, and particularly beginning writers, for the strength of character this takes.

What do you enjoy about teaching and/or working with writers? What drew you to our event?

The chance to meet writers on the west coast, as so much of publishing is east coast-centric. It’s important to participate in workshops to help demystify publishing and the publishing process.

What do you like most and least about editing/your job?

I love immersing myself in stories, helping to make them better. I love working with talented, interesting people. I hate not having enough time to make books as carefully as they should be made—but thus is the eternal struggle between art and commerce.

What would you like writers to know about you, the individual who scrutinizes (and sometimes rejects) their literary labors of love?

That I am just one person with specific tastes and that what isn’t right for me may well delight the next editor. And that there are a hundred different reasons a manuscript is rejected and a large percentage of them have nothing to do with the quality of the writing. I believe that good writers will find readers, one way or the other. And that there is truly no such thing as overnight success.

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