How Not To Make Editors Your Enemies
Written by Michele T on September 14, 2007 – 1:50 pm -By
If you’ve been a freelance writer any time at all, you’re trying very hard to please the editors. At least, we hope you are (smile)!
While cyber surfing, I came across a very helpful article on poewar.com. If you want to learn what NOT to do, then follow this link and learn from it: 10 Ways to Make Editors Hate You Before They Even Know You.
Things I personally try TO do are:
- Always speak (or type) kindly to editors. They deserve the respect. If you feel they don’t deserve respect, don’t work with them.
- Spell check, proofread, double check, print out and/or have a friend or someone read your article (if possible) to see if your eye has missed anything–BEFORE hitting send or sliding your manuscript into that manila envelope.
- By all means, follow the guidelines. If they ask for 12 point Times New Roman font, than that’s what you use. If they ask for 1 inch margins, comply! If they ask you to include your telephone number, etc., include it. (Which, if you’ve been writing for a while, you know to use standard formatting anyway, right?)
- If at all possible, don’t wait until the last minute to submit your essay/article for a contest or call for submissions. There may be times that you just won’t find out until right near that deadline date, but a lot of times, we find out in plenty of time–don’t procrastinate.
- Search the website or magazine, etc., until you can find an editor’s correct name. If you are wanting to submit to a certain section of that publication, see if there is a list of editors listed in the masthead/about us page. DON’T say “Mr.” or “Mrs.” because Gene could be a man or woman. Caroll could be a man or woman. If you find the editor’s name and it happened to be “Gene Smith”, for instance, just type: Dear Gene Smith:
- Always use a colon when greeting the editor in your query/cover letter. This will show your respect and professionalism. The comma represents friendliness–and the editors aren’t your friend, they’re your editor. Once they refer to you by first name only and a comma, then you can feel free to use the comma.
- Brush up on your grammar. Grammatically Correct
by Anne Stilman, is a book I refer to as well as various resources along the cyber highway. The less the editors have to edit, the more they’ll love you–and that means a flourishing writer’s life for you!
These tips are bringing me writing success. Hope they help you write the cyber highway!
Tags: editors, tips, Writing
Posted in Writing Wisdom | 9 Comments »
September 14th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
Hi Michele,
Once again, you give great and useful tips not just for newbie writers, but for all writers. For example, I never knew you weren’t supposed to use a comma in your greeting an editor. I usually do use a comma. But I will use a semicolon the next time I’m dealing with a new editor. So I learned something new. Not too long ago, I addressed one editor as Dear Morris, (accidentally, of course, noticed it when I read the email over in my Sent box,) instead of Dear Mr. Morris. I was mortified, but he made a joke out of it, thankfully, by beginning his follow-up email with “Dear Renie, Morris here.” I did apologize to him, and was relieved that he took it so lightly. Now, I try to be extra careful!
Hope you’re having a great day.
Renie
[Reply]
September 14th, 2007 at 4:59 pm
Hi Renie,
I’m so glad you enjoyed my post! Well, I’m sure there are editors that don’t mind the comma/first name, but for the most part it is safer to address the editor as I mentioned (just to be proper and professional;)
I’ve found all the editors I’ve dealt with to be nice, most of them extremely kind and considerate. Hopefully, it stays that way!
Smiles,
Michele
Oh, and I am having a great day, thanks;)
[Reply]
September 16th, 2007 at 11:45 am
Hi Michele ~~ I have not had the pleasure of meeting Renie , but it is nice to meet you. Your post is full of good tips, but I am not a serious writer. Thank you for the visit to my blog and I am glad you enjoyed it.
I had breast cancer when I was 45, now 73, and since then I appreciate being alive and do not fret the small stuff- as the saying goes. I sure don’t worry about little things any more..Be kinder to yourself Michele !!
Take care, Cheers, Merle.
[Reply]
September 16th, 2007 at 2:04 pm
Hi Merle,
Thanks so much for stopping by! I’m so glad you beat breast cancer, it’s a blessing that you’re still around!
Yes, I must stop “fretting the small stuff”, that’s for sure (smile).
I’ll definitely stop by your blog again–it’s great!
Smiles,
Michele
[Reply]
September 17th, 2007 at 10:55 am
Good morning,
Just wanted to let you know I enjoy your blog too. Thanks for visiting mine. If you hadn’t visited me and left a comment, I may have never found you. I did reply to the comment you left on my blog in case you want to head over and read it. You now have a link on my blog as well.
Best wishes & God bless,
Misti Sandefur
[Reply]
September 17th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
Thanks for stopping by, Misti, I appreciate it. You have a lovely blog as well, and I’ll sure stop by yours often!
Have a blessed day!
Michele
[Reply]
September 23rd, 2007 at 1:12 pm
Oh, I’d never considered the colon tip before. It’s definitely a fresh idea for me and I’ll be taking it up from now on. THANKS!!!
You’ve offered some fantastic tips. Of course, there are so many more but these are a great point to start. It takes time to develop the habits of doing things right so taking it in small chunks at a time is wonderful.
[Reply]
September 23rd, 2007 at 1:29 pm
I’m glad you learned a little something, Rebecca!
It’s great that you like the tips I’ve shared. Yes, there are many, many more, but seven seemed a good number to share at the time.
Smiles,
Michele
[Reply]
November 18th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
My mother drew a distinction between achievement and success. She said that ‘achievement is the knowledge that you have studied and worked hard and done the best that is in you. Success is being praised by others, and that’s nice, too, but not as important or satisfying. Always aim for achievement and forget about success.’
[Reply]