Copy Edits

Posted by Lynne Griffin

Lisa's story arrived in pictures on Monday, Amy's galley on Tuesday and Hannah's inspiration just yesterday. What did I get in the mail this week? My copy edited manuscript. It is really a thrill to see it, all marked up with purple pencil, with little green Post-its littered throughout.

The process of getting a manuscript through production includes a thorough read by an expert stylist and grammarian. You'd be surprised at how many little details and inconsistencies even the most meticulous writer misses.

Some of you are old pros at this part of the publication process, but for those of you who aren't, let me share how it works.

The manuscript was sent to me via UPS with a tracking number--the mere thought of all that work getting lost is frightening. When it arrived, I pulled it from its envelope and went through each page to get a sense of just how much work there would be to do. You see, my job at this stage is to go through and read the manuscript word-by-word. When I get to a correction made by the copy editor--it could be as simple as to add or delete a comma, or as complex as to change a whole sentence, for readability--I am to decide whether or not to accept the change. If I accept it, I do nothing; just leave it and keep reading. If I disagree with the change (and I would if the change interfered with meaning, or characterization, and the like) I write the word STET next to it, which means leave the material as it was written.

Through the manuscript on Post-it notes, there are what are called queries. The copy editor is in fact asking me questions. They can be easy questions such as, do I like the sentence change, to more complicated ones like would this character really do this? I even had to do a bit of research on some queries, like do certain trees hold their leaves as long as I said they did. Great pick ups like this assure a quality read for readers. My copy editor did an amazing job with another important task--reading for consistency.

Enclosed in the package sent to me, is what is called a style sheet. Imagine a set of directions that covers everything from how unique words will be spelled, (one-two punch & hit and run) how dates and times will be managed, (spell out the quarter hour & use a.m and p.m.) and (this is my favorite) a character listing, one that includes physical traits and plot details. It even includes a brief summary of each chapter. I loved seeing my novel captured this way by a fresh reader.

All of this work done by someone you may never meet, but should certainly thank, is a generous gift. To know that someone who loves books took tons of time to read and fine-tune my manuscript is awe inspiring.

My copy edits are done now and will go back to my editor. She in turn will send it back over to production so that the changes can be incorporated into the manuscript. Next step is galley creation, like the one you saw Amy holding this week. Each of these essential milestones take me closer to publication. It's hard work, but thrilling.

Those of you who've gone through this process, feel free to add info I've left out via the comments section. And if you have questions, feel free to pose them here.

That Query Letter

By Amy MacKinnon

It's happening more and more now. Friends are calling to see if I'll talk to their mother's contractor because he's written a book and wants to know how to get an agent. Or a friend's real estate agent has a sister who's written a book and needs to know the next step. My father's neighbor has a memoir in him and he wants to know if I can introduce him to my agent. For now, I talk to all of them because I know what it's like to wander alone in the dark.

So many consider the query letter an obstacle rather than an opportunity. Curtis Brown agent Nathan Bransford blogged yesterday that the quality of the queries he's seen in recent months has nosedived. People, you're over-thinking it. Relax, it's your book. You know what it's about, the themes you chose to explore. You can do it. All it takes is 15-20 minutes. Really.

I did a post some time back, laying out the template for the easy-peasy query letter, but I didn't show you my own. Well, here it is. And refer back to the easy-peasy if you don't yet have publishing credits to include in the third paragraph. It's not a deal breaker for fiction.

So, here it is:

Dear Ms. Sweeney,

Knowing of your interest in gardening, matters of faith, and literary suspense, I hope you’ll consider my novel, Tethered.

Clara Marsh is an undertaker who doesn’t believe in God. She spends her solitary life among the dead, preparing their last baths, bidding them farewell with a bouquet from her own garden: for a beloved mother, something appropriate like morning-glories (affection upon departure) or, for the man known to pummel his wife, marigolds (cruelty in love). Clara’s carefully structured life shifts when she discovers a neglected little girl, Trecie, playing in the funeral parlor, desperate for a friend. And it tilts still more when Brockton Detective Mike Sullivan haunts Clara in her basement workspace. He questions her about a body she prepared three years ago, an unidentified girl found murdered in a nearby strip of woods. Unclaimed by family, the community christened her Precious Doe. When Clara and Mike learn Trecie may be involved with the same people who killed Precious Doe, Clara must choose between the steadfast existence of loneliness and the perils of binding one’s life to another.

My essays have appeared in the Christian Science Monitor, Boston Globe, Seattle Times, Sacramento Bee, Patriot Ledger, Boston Herald, and on National Public Radio. Additionally, I’m a member of Boston’s Grub Street where I helped to found a satellite location for suburban writers interested in learning more about the craft of writing. We’ve hosted such literati as Jennifer Haigh, Amanda Eyre Ward, and Hallie Ephron. I’m also a fiction reader for Post Road Magazine, and a member of PEN/New England.

Per your request, I’ve enclosed the first ten pages of my 73,000-word manuscript. Thank you for taking the time to read my submission. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

See? It's not perfect, I want to take a red pen to it now, but it did the job. This was the very first query I sent to the agent I most wanted and thankfully she now represents me.

If you tried my method and it doesn't work for you, head on over to Aprilynne Pike's blog and read her query workshop. One of her blog readers used her advice and snagged himself an agent. Three cheers for Aprilynne who remembers what it's like to wander alone in the dark and chose to light the way for someone else. Brava!

For those of you querying out there, I'd love to hear your progress. As hard as it is, know you're not alone.