II. SUBMISSIONS, continued

b) Craft and Critiques

Our workshop enrollees critique peers’ full novels. However, many writers are experienced only in critiquing partials. What helps you keep track of everything in a novel; what tips can you offer for whole-novel critiques?

I have a separate Word document open as I read whole novels where I jot down notes and reactions. Once I’ve finished reading, I’ll go back through my notes and organize them into sections: plot, world, characters/relationships, pacing, voice, and minor details. I’ll note page numbers or scenes so if I want to refresh my memory as to why I suddenly began disliking a character or felt the plot took an unbelievable leap, I can go back and read that section.

For authors revising, I’d suggest doing separate passes so you’re not trying to address all areas at once. For critiquers looking at the whole novel, think about whether there was a point where your interest waned—that’s vital information for authors—or what your overall impression was of the characters and story. Who did you root for? Was the ending what you wanted, or are you happy with it even if it’s unexpected?

Many times my edit letter poses questions to the author—pointing out things which the author has mapped out internally, but which are not coming across on the page. I do like to take a few days after I polish my edit letter to mull everything over as sometimes new solutions to a problem scene or logic hole will occur to me and I can add those in before sending the feedback.

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

Voice is so hard to describe! I like to think of it as the character’s perspective and personality shining through on the page. This is easier to explain for first person, but a third person omniscient can be just as compelling if the voice of the narrator is distinct. By the end of the first chapter, I should have a strong sense of who is telling me this story and know whether I want to continue hearing from this character. Internal asides are important—whether they are snarky or concerned or romantic or fierce or possessive, etc.

Cheryl Klein’s Second Sight references arcs within each scene. What tip or exercise do you suggest for making scenes emotionally satisfying? Conversely, what makes a scene fall flat?

Think about whether a scene is truly needed. Yes, it may tell us something about the characters or unfold an aspect of the world, but does it also help inform the plot? If not, perhaps take a look to see if there’s a way to convey the information (character/world) while also feeding into the conflict or tension of the plot. If a movie or graphic novel were being made of this story, would that scene make it into the final cut or would it not be considered significant enough? Make every scene count!

Do you read the synopsis before or after reading a manuscript? How and when might a synopsis prove useful to you?

For a query, I read the synopsis after the sample pages and before requesting a full manuscript (or partial) to see if the story continues in a direction I’ll like or if it surprises me or if it sounds too far-fetched or confusing. When I’m critiquing, I’ll read the full manuscript first, before the synopsis, as I like to have a fresh perspective on the characters and plot so my reactions are those that a reader would have on his or her first read. That way I’m better prepared to point out areas that don’t work or where I struggled, as well as places that I thought were wonderfully done.

What kinds of craft flaws do you commonly see in otherwise well-written manuscripts? In general, what self-editing tips do you suggest?

Even skilled writers sometimes forget to show their work—meaning they know why a character is behaving a certain way, but if we don’t get clues either in that scene or later, readers can wind up feeling confused. And sometimes writers aren’t fully thinking through what their secondary characters are doing as they are focused on the heroine and main plot line. But that can result in plot holes. Make sure your characters are the ones driving the story, not the obstacles you throw in their way.

You’re satisfied with a client's revisions, then pitch the manuscript to editors who request a submission. How soon do you respond? How many editors might you pitch or submit to—and over what time frame?

For my first round of submissions, I’ll target somewhere between 10-15 editors. Sometimes it’s clear from the feedback that some aspect of the manuscript isn’t working, and if it’s consistent enough, we may pull it back and revise before further rounds, but if the passes are vague or due to similar titles, etc., I’ll expand to another round of submissions. I wouldn’t want to commit to a time frame as every book is different and will depend on response times, etc.

How would you describe your working relationship with your authors? How often; how ”hands-on” are you? Other aspects?

As you can guess, I’m pretty hands-on editorially! I’ll do an edit pass or two on every manuscript and a line edit before submitting to publishers. I am always happy to hop on the phone to talk to my clients about revisions or about new projects they want to begin (which ones to prioritize, etc.). I believe communication is the key to a great partnership, so I am transparent with my clients and ask them to share any concerns/worries/hopes with me so I can best aid their careers. I know how important a client’s story is to her, so I welcome each manuscript and try to let my clients know when to expect feedback so they don’t agonize and think I hate it when I haven’t even had a chance to read it yet! Again, communication is integral.

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