It's time for my #AskEditor! Gimme those writing, editing, publishing, and querying questions. I'm ready! I'll be here for the next hour. If you can't attend live, you can also ask questions later this week and I'll answer as I can. #RevPit
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Hi Allison, thanks for answering our questions. Do all books - even those on book 2, 3, etc. - go through developmental edits with trad. publishing? Is this something we can expect if we get agented + sign with a publisher?
They can definitely be overwhelming, too, especially if you've never been edited before! I always suggest writers sit with suggestions for a week or so before they make any decisions and remind them that it is their book, and they don't have to accept any changes that don't feel right for the story.
That's very thoughtful advice. Receiving edits can be overwhelming, but I agree with your method. I always sit on my hands until I can discuss the edits objectively. Usually that's just a day or two for me. It also gets easier the more you do it.
Hi Allison, thank you for doing this. Sorry for the late question. How do you feel about books that include a made-up language? Not in dialogue, more so when magic is used.
As a big fan of sci-fi and fantasy, I'm pretty comfortable with made-up languages! It's only a problem if there are whole sentences that readers wouldn't be able to understand.
Thank you so much for the insight. This is very helpful. My MS is YA fantasy based on Albanian folklore so the made-up language is only used when “curses” are called. Which means they are mostly very short and easily understood through context.
Hii. Do you think it's bad to open the book with the mc coming home after a long time, describing a bit of his kingdom and politics that are relevant to the story (nothing too complicated, without infodumping, but rather sprinkling the info)? Also, is it a weak opening for you?
I would have to read the actual prose to judge. The most important thing in a book's opening is getting your readers invested in the protagonist, their goal and motivations, so if it's accomplishing that then it's doing its job.
Can I combine the omniscient pov with momente that are closer to a character-as in the limited 3rd pov?Is it bad to have a 3-line sentence în the first paragraph of my book?Is there only a number of the submissions you'll be reading since you have the first readers? If so, how many?
Re: POV - You can do anything you want! And I encourage writers to try things out and see what they think, then decide whether it's the best choice for your novel.
In general, omniscient POV can be tricky, and it's fallen out of favour in modern publishing, 1/3
at east for commercial fiction; it may be more common for literary fiction, which isn't my expertise. I would be leery of combining omniscient and limited in the same paragraph or even chapter, as I think it would get confusing. 2/3
Re: the three-line sentence - Are readers stumbling over it? Is it hard to follow? If you think it's too long, try rephrasing it and see if you like it better.
Re: First Readers - They don't eliminate any submissions; I will have access to all of them. 3/3
I've had an equal number of readers, professional and critique, want the beginning to jump directly into major action versus something slower where the reader discovers more about the character and what makes her tick before jumping into more. What is your take?
I don't generally recommend action for action's sake. The beginning of the novel is the place to get your readers attached to your protagonist, and there are multiple ways of accomplishing that, whether it's through a major action scene or something quieter. 1/2 #RevPit #AskEditor
It could be that readers feel there is something off with the pacing at the start of your novel, but aren't sure what, so they are guessing when they say "it needs more action." I recommend looking at the openings of some of your favourite books that are in your novel's genre and age category; 2/3
read closely for how they introduce the character. Note when you're starting to feel attached to the protagonist and ask yourself why? What in the prose is making you feel that way? Why are you invested in their story? Then see if that helps you understand what your readers might be getting at. 3/3
Hi Allison! Thank you for offering to be an editor for #revpit. This is the first time I've taken part! So, I was wondering Q: What does your selection process look like? What excited you most about a manuscript?
Thanks! Sorry. I'm having trouble seeing the threads and other people's questions. I'm not sure why. And I'm sorry, that was supposed to be what "excites" you most about a manuscript! Not past tense 😱
No problem. Glad you're here! I get excited about lots of things—tropes I love, strong voice, witty dialogue, etc. If there's a fox, wolf, or a dragon, it better not die. If you comp something I'm a mega fan of, like The Legend of Zelda or Mass Effect or Studio Ghibli, you have my attention. 😄
LOVE Legend of Zelda, and Studio Ghibli, (and Hollow Knight and Ori) but what's your take on stories with strong female protagonists set in lush south Asian fantasy-scapes?
Ooh I always love this question. Top two are probably SAVE THE CAT! WRITES A NOVEL by Jessica Brody and HOW TO WRITE DAZZLING DIALOGUE by James Scott Bell. I also have a page on my website with more recommendations: https://www.aealexander.com/books-on-writing #RevPit #AskEditor
Hi Allison! Thanks so much for answering our questions. What is the best piece of advice you have for authors who are querying for the first time? I’m getting to the stage where I want to start querying my manuscript, but the process is quite daunting, so any tips would be much appreciated!
Hi! Thanks for being here 🙂 Are there any elements or tropes you think help an middle-grade sci-fi manuscript stand out? And on the flip side, anything that feels overdone?
The thing that stands out to me most in middle grade is voice, so that's usually what I look for first. There are tropes that I, personally, love (animal companions, please!), but I don't think there's any trope it HAS to have in order to be successful. 1/2
I see a lot of middle grade that takes place in this world but with fantasy or paranormal elements as opposed to secondary worlds. I don't think that's overdone, because it's what's selling, but I, personally, would love to see more secondary-world fantasy in middle grade. 2/2
Hi Allison, thank you for taking the time to answer our questions! My question is about comps: I've seen a lot of people say that the comps you use must be no older than 5 years, but other people disagree and say it doesn't matter. What would your advice be?
Hello Allison! ☺️ Have you noticed recurrent struggles/difficulties for the writers you work with when it comes to edit their manuscript? Especially for SFF writers? 👀
For SFF in particular, the struggle is always how and when to divulge worldbuilding information. A bunch of background info is given at once, when it's better sprinkled throughout the story. It's tough to see this in your own writing, but that's what beta readers and editors are for! #RevPit
I have 2 books (plus more in progress) that I need help getting published. I need a literary agent and a publisher and I don't know the first thing about any of this. In my defense, I'm a writer, not a secretary and the whole process stresses me out to the point that I never move past a manuscript.
if you sign up for my newsletter: https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/614311/108793189258757441/share)
3. Get beta reader feedback.
4. Revise manuscript again. (You could pay for a professional developmental editor to help you here, but it is NOT mandatory if your goal is traditional publishing.
If you have the money and you want to, it can be a great help. If you don't, there are other ways to level up your craft: read craft books, join writer groups, apply for mentorships, etc.)
5. Write a query letter (Advice on how to do this here: https://www.aealexander.com/post/how-to-write-a-query-letter)
6. Research literary agents that represent your book's genre and age category.
7. Send queries. Lots of waiting here.
8. Maybe get an agent. If not, write a new novel, start process again.
9. Once you have an agent, you might work with them on more revisions.
How does one get an agent? My writing is pretty good, but I have no idea how to market myself whatsoever. I have been hoping one would fall into my lap, but unfortunately, life is rarely so convenient. I have had some offers, but they didn't feel like good fits.
10. Agent will send manuscript to editors at publishing houses. Lots of waiting here.
11. Maybe get a book deal. If not, write a new novel. Agent will send it to editors again. Lots of waiting.
Hello Ms. Alexander, thank you for all of this! These events provide substantial confidence boosts.
As a RevPit horror applicant, I wanted to ask where your Goldilocks zone is regarding the genre? What’s too much or not enough?
It really depends on how obscure the thing is and if readers will be able to figure it out from context cues. I lean more to trusting the readers and not holding their hands too much, but sometimes you gotta explain a term.
Yes, context is everything. I trust even readers of something breezy and light will stick with me if two of every three references land. I don’t want anyone feeling they’ve gotten a homework assignment.
I can handle a lot of dark content, but then sometimes they'll be something that gives me the ick and stays with me for weeks in an uncomfortable way, haha. That happens more to me with horror TV/movies than with books, though. 1/3
I recently watched Crimson Peak for the podcast I co-host, and the scene that freaked me out the most was not the terrifying ghosts, but the incest. 😆 I really like weird, creepy, cosmic, and ecological themes in horror. Slasher is not my thing. 2/3
I think horror needs to incite feelings of dread; if that's not happening, if I'm not yelling at the characters because I know something terrifying is about to happen, then it's not enough! 3/3
Fantastic! Ecological weirdness and cosmic megalophobia are some of my favorite flavors (earnestly - I've got a project menu pinned on my profile). I also dislike slashers, I find them rather repetitive, that horror feels like highway hypnosis after a short while.
The planned, patient horrors that simmer dread into devastation are my preferred route. When the plot is clockwork tight and the characters are rounded the audience is no longer waiting for a scare, they’re simply entertained
I'll read a bit of every sub. I start with the loglines and query letters. Then I'll read first chapters and synopses, looking for writing style, characterization and plot that I jive with. I'm also looking for books that I can help in the time frame. Then I keep reading the subs I'm interested in.
Hello Allison! Thank you for being here.
I wanted to ask, if one queries a manuscript that is very much the start of the series, to the point where one is already writing the next iterations, what is the best way to convey this to an agent in a Query, if at all?
Very late to the game, apologies! If a story needs help with fleshing out a major world-building element, say adding facets to the world's belief-system, would that intimidate you? Or would you see that as a fun challenge?
Depends on the age category, whether your goal is traditional or indie publishing, and sometimes even the subgenre (I expect epic fantasy to be above 100K). In general, shorter books are doing better right now, because publishers 1/2 #RevPit #AskEditor
are more likely to take a chance on a book that will cost less to produce. Right now, I'd encourage my clients shooting for traditional publishing to stay under 50K for middle grade, around 80K for YA, and under 100K for general adult sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. 2/2 #RevPit #AskEditor
Hey there! For those of us stuck in the querying trenches with form rejections and no actionable feedback, what do you suggest for our next step? Thanks!!
This could be a few things. Either your query letter needs work, your pages need work, the novel is too long/too short so agents are auto-rejecting, or agents don't think it will sell for some other reason. Or it could be none of the above, because querying is just tough right now. #RevPit 1/3
It is frustrating to not know! My advice is to get your query and first pages critiqued, and then you might have a better idea of what's working and what's not. Lots of #RevPit editors offer query critiques as one of their paid services. There are also free options, 2/3
Comments
In general, omniscient POV can be tricky, and it's fallen out of favour in modern publishing, 1/3
Re: First Readers - They don't eliminate any submissions; I will have access to all of them. 3/3
Is there any One Thing that really piques your interest no matter what?
Thanks Allison 👍
1. Write manuscript.
2. Revise manuscript (I have a free resource on this
1/8 #RevPit #AskEditor
3. Get beta reader feedback.
4. Revise manuscript again. (You could pay for a professional developmental editor to help you here, but it is NOT mandatory if your goal is traditional publishing.
2/8
5. Write a query letter (Advice on how to do this here: https://www.aealexander.com/post/how-to-write-a-query-letter)
3/8
7. Send queries. Lots of waiting here.
8. Maybe get an agent. If not, write a new novel, start process again.
9. Once you have an agent, you might work with them on more revisions.
4/8
11. Maybe get a book deal. If not, write a new novel. Agent will send it to editors again. Lots of waiting.
5/8
As a RevPit horror applicant, I wanted to ask where your Goldilocks zone is regarding the genre? What’s too much or not enough?
I wanted to ask, if one queries a manuscript that is very much the start of the series, to the point where one is already writing the next iterations, what is the best way to convey this to an agent in a Query, if at all?