Writing Contest Winner Tells All about Working with her Editor
20 Comments June 19th, 2008 in writing contest Posted by MalleI still haven’t floated back to earth after the wonderful phone call from Sally Williamson telling me I’d won the Presents contest. But I have had to get to work and produce the rest of the book. Like many who entered the contest, I wrote one chapter and a synopsis and went back to work on a different story while I waited for the results.
When I won, one of the myriad thoughts pinging through my brain was: oh man, now I have to finish the book. Sally gave me two weeks after the initial call to enjoy myself, and then she called to discuss her notes. I was a little apprehensive, but it’s actually impossible to stay nervous when talking to Sally. She’s fun and friendly and her ideas are meant to make the story better.
After we talked, she emailed her notes (wow, they’re so neat and organized! I’m feeling intimidated again…). I had to read them a few times to digest everything she told me. First, for you aspiring writers, take heart: your story doesn’t have to be perfect. It needs to be as perfect as you can make it, but you have to know there will probably be changes. Your words are not immutable. Be willing to change them. 
In my case, I’d shortchanged some of the emotional impact of the scenes. And I’d left some reactions out all together. There was also the problem of my initial scenario, where Alejandro takes Rebecca’s company away. I had to research how this could possibly happen without a) being boring and b) making it all up with no basis in fact.
Thankfully, a blog reader and corporate attorney here in the U.S. came to the rescue. After what I am sure was a graduate level crash course in corporate stuff, my poor glazed eyes and drained brain tried again. If I get it wrong, it will be through no fault of Madeline’s, who has brainstormed with me several times to make my scenario workable and believable. (I seriously must throw petals at her feet if I ever get to meet her; Madeline is also a writer, and I hope to see her at an RWA event sometime.)
Next, after rewriting the first chapter to incorporate Sally’s suggestions, it was time to tackle the next two chapters. We’d discussed the next step and decided I would write the first three chapters and send for Sally’s analysis. I even had a deadline! I gave myself two weeks, because I had some family things going on, but I managed to write the next two chapters and send it all to Sally in a week and a half.
Here is where reality takes over, my friends. The published authors know this, but the aspiring authors are always wondering why it takes so long and if something is wrong. Sally was going on holiday, so I had to wait for her analysis. *sigh* In the meantime, I decided to keep writing the story. By the time I heard from Sally, I’d piled up nearly 80 pages.
And guess what? The corporate stuff was too confusing and boring. LOL! And I’d done some other things wrong. I’d shortchanged the emotional stuff again. I wrote fast paced, I had a great hook at the end of chapter 3, but my pace was almost too quick. I had plenty of action, but not enough reaction.
Fortunately, Sally gives me great suggestions for where to put things in. She also gives me questions to consider, and reminds me what I need to think about as I write. Armed with more notes, I went back to the beginning and rewrote. Everything Sally told me has only strengthened the story. Oh, sometimes I have to think about it a bit before I can see it, but in the end I figure it out and get excited about the changes.
Truthfully, I’m amazed at what editors see when they read our work. Things I’d have never thought about in my frenzied drive to keep moving forward. And I’m simply astounded at the level of thought the Harlequin Mills & Boon editors put into reading submissions. If you’ve ever submitted to them, and gotten a rejection letter with revision suggestions in return, you can be sure they read your work and mean what they say!
After more rewriting, not only of the first three chapters but also the pages I’d written in the interim, the story took off again. I’m nearing the end of the book now. When it’s done, I’ll try to reread it as if I had Sally’s keen eye. I don’t want to send her a shoddy book, and yes, I *am* nervous about hitting that send button when all is said and done.
But I’ll do it and I’ll await her notes. I’m sure there’ll be some. And I will tackle them eagerly because I know the story will only be better for it.
Do you have any questions? Fire away and I’ll try to answer!
20 Responses to “Writing Contest Winner Tells All about Working with her Editor”
- 1 Pingback on Aug 15th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
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Lynn,
Great post, and glad to hear that the book is almost complete. It really was a fantastic prize (or should I say is) to have won. I’m sure you’re learning some invaluable things that will strengthen your writing.
I’m so looking forward to reading your book and then going back over your original winning chapter to see what changes have been made.
Thanks for sharing with us.
Chris.
What an awesome post! It’s cool to see the inner workings, as I’ve been privy to how hard you’ve worked on the writing part. I’m both inspired and amazed! Congratulations and may you learn more than you’ve ever dreamed possible.
Thanks so much for sharing your experiences so far. It’s hard to even imagine how much you’d learn from an editor, but as I read your post for a moment there I could imagine the elation and nerves if it were me.
Good luck with the rest!
RACH!
Great blog post! I’m so excited for you! What an experience of a lifetime, Lynn.
I can’t wait to read about Alejandro and Rebecca!
Well done on getting the next two chapters done (and sent!) in only a week and a half. I’m glad you’re enjoying the process rather than feeling pressured to meet everyone’s high expectations after reading your first chapter. And thanks for encouraging the rest of us. It’s good to know our submissions don’t have to perfect… just as perfect as we can make them!
Robyn
Thanks for the update, Lynn. It’s great to hear how your story is progressing.
And thanks for the tips – I’ll be combing my own work-in-progress for emotional reactions. Sitting in the reader’s chair, I have to admit that’s one of the things I’m reading for, so how do we manage to sit in the writer’s chair and overlook it? Excitement to get the story told, I guess.
Keep us posted on Sally’s reaction
d
Hi Lynn
The update was great, it had crossed my mind how you were getting on.
It all sounds as if its coming together for you, you must be so thrilled.
Good luck with the end product, I’m sure I’m not alone in being eager to read the published version.
Alejandro sounded delicious in the synopsis and first chapter, he sound’s like my kind of guy.
Best Wishes
Karen
Hi, everyone! Thanks for commenting!
Chris, I certainly DO hope you get to read the story and compare it to the original. Because that will mean I did it right and I get to be a Presents author! I really, really hope that happens.
And I can happily report that I did indeed type those magic words last night: The End. Now, must try and be Sally for the read through. Which is a TALL order because she’s very good and I’m too close to what I wrote.
Thank you, Danniele!! You and all the HOD ladies keep me sane. I love you all.
Rach, thank you! It *is* nerve-wracking, even when you know they want to see it. Because what if you mess it up so badly they groan and roll their eyes and try to lose your email address? *G*
Kathy, I hope you get to do so.
Robyn: high expectations? Ur, uh, truthfully I didn’t even think of any of that while I wrote. LOL, you can bet I’m thinking of it now! My biggest tip to the aspiring authors: character, character, character. If you have great characters, the rest can be worked out.
Hi, Dani! It IS funny how we can short change those reactions, isn’t it? And Presents is all about the emotional tug between two people, so leaving it out isn’t good. And yet, I’m pretty good at skipping right on by. *G*
Hi, Karen! I sure do hope you get to read about Alejandro, too. I love him. Seriously, I want him for myself. I think my hubby would disapprove, however. I’ve spent many late evenings with Alejandro, but he and Rebecca have their HEA now. Whew. And it is a bit different from what I wrote in the first chapter and synopsis. Still, no telling how it will all work out until Sally sees it.
She may have ideas I didn’t think of….
Lynn!
GREAT to hear an update on your story! Congrats on typing THE END. YEAH! What a feeling.
You’re right about the Presents Editors–they dive in and get to the core. They see just what a ms needs. I’m doing revisions right now and I did the same thing. Read and reread the comments, trying to get a handle on what it was I needed, was missing, needed to expand upon, and wham–it sinks in and is spot on! It’s like a light-bulb moment.
Thanks for sharing the highs and fears, because goodness knows we all have them! We’re all rooting for you, Lynn! Keep us posted!
Hugs,
MARIAN
Hi Lynn,
Well done on finishing your book. You must be so excited. Thanks also for the insight into how things work once you’ve captured an editors interst. Just what I need to know as I am preparing to send in my three chapters and synopsis. So another read through is due I think.
Keep us posted – please.
All the best,
Rachael.
Hi Lynn,
So good to hear how your writing is progressing. I would love so much to compare the finished published version with your comp entry- this one definitely will hit the shelves!
Well done on being so close to finishing this draft.
Jane
Hi, Marian! Thank you for the comments. I hope your book is coming along! Yep, at some point, the lightbulb just pops on, doesn’t it?
Rachael: I hope you’ve finished your read through! I did print and read my story on Friday. And, trying to be Sally, I saw some things I missed. I’m working on it now. I also realized that things I thought I made clear, I didn’t. And things I popped in at a certain point, I had to go back and thread it in so it makes sense. But that’s all part of the fun!
Jane: Thank you! I hope it will hit the shelves. Keeping fingers crossed! And I’m working like heck to make sure I tell this story right. I love the process, the writing and rereading and seeing where I can make it better. Hope your book is coming along too!
Editors are wonderful people–they have the distance the author lacks when it comes to seeing how the book could be better.
Congrats on getting to the end. Can I say how very jealous I am?
Lynn,
Thanks for the post. It is great info for inspiring writers like me! And congrats on typing “The End.”
Barbara Burnham
Yes, that should be “aspiring” writers! Gotta laugh when you’re trying to write with two boys in the house.
Barbara
Thanks, Kimberly! You’ll be done before you know it.
And it’ll be an awesome story.
Hi, Barbara! Glad you found something useful in the post. I don’ t know how you get anything done with boys around! My goodness, you must be great at multi-tasking.
Good luck in your writing!
Just a quick post for anyone interested in writing competitions. I entered the Valerie Parv contest in Australia and got amazing feedback from the competition judges. They clearly spend a lot of time and effort critiquing the entrants. It is REALLY REALLY worthwhile for anyone looking for feedback on their writing.
If you are interested for next year check out the Romance Writers of Australia website.
Good luck to everyone still writing
Susieq
Great post, Lynn. Thanks for sharing the process and fingers tightly crossed for Alejandro and Rebecca. Can’t wait to read more.
I’m very late posting here–I’ve been immersed in my full requested from the Instant Seduction comp–and just sent it this morning. Am feeling excited about it, but also rather brain dead, so will probably curl up with my TBR Presents pile rather than catch up with the dreaded housework
until my conscience catches up with me.
It’d be lovely to know how Eve and Danni are getting on as well?
Sue