Do you ever have those days when you start up your computer and then you just sit there, staring at a blank screen, with no idea what to write?
I’m experiencing that today. I keep checking my email hoping someone will have sent a question I can answer, but no luck.
Sigh. So I’ll follow my own advice—write something, even if it’s not very good.
Uhm.
Ah.
Hmmm.
Maybe I should ask you a question:
If you had to choose one thing for publishers to do differently, what would it be?
Stop changing the MS after you've agreed that all the editing is done. What the heck? You agree that the ms if finished. Done. All the changes are perfect. Then you print the book and send the author a copy of it and we find out you changed it again. You've added dialogue tags to interior dialogue. You've added those terrible italics where none were needed–sort of like saying did you get it, reader? Did you get it?
Its like the publisher just couldn't resist dumbing things down one more notch. It wasn't enough that the novel appealed to all moderately educated adults with at least a year of high school. You had to see if you could include the population of adults who were retaking first grade.
Note to publisher: dumbing it down doesn't sell more books. It alienates readers. One sale at a time. And it ticks off the author. Stop it. You agreed it was done. Leave well enough alone.
Crumby publishers!
Something publishers could do differenly? I'm thinking…still thinking….
Okay, since I am drawing a complete blank, I'm going to assume that the publisher I work with is a perfect match for me. I think your post is a good reminder that I need to appreciate the people who work there and the support they've given me.
Anon, what an awful experience, and I'm so sorry you had to go through that! I'm very grateful that my publisher sends the typeset proof to the author so the author can check it over before it goes to press. They've always been very willing to work with me on changing anything I was uncomfortable with, so we're mutually happy with the state of the text.