Confession #5: Publishing is a very long and complicated process.

I’ve been working at the University Press of Florida for about a month and a half now, and I think I finally have some sort of grasp on the publishing process. It’s long, complicated and fairly messy most of the time, but the end result is a shiny new book with your name on the cover. That’s pretty much every writers dream. It’s certainly mine. Understanding how the process works will go a long way towards getting yourself published too. So here’s a look at what goes on inside of a publishing company:  

1. Acquisitions is where the book process officially starts. Here at the UPF we get letters of inquiry from prospective authors or finished manuscripts, and our acquisitions department works with the authors to get the books polished enough to move on in the publishing process. Academic publishing does work differently than fiction publishing though. Most larger publishers won’t accept unsolicited manuscripts. If you are a fiction writer trying to get published, you have to find an agent first. One good place to start your search is the Association of Authors’ Representatives. Everyone has their own submission guidelines, so make sure that you follow them exactly.
2. From Acquisitions your book will move on to the editorial department. Most of the shaping of the book is done with acquisitions. Editorial is more about fixing typos and making sure that all of the information is factually correct. As a university publishing company, it’s really important that our books contain all correct information in order to preserve the UPF’s reputation.
3. The next step in the process is getting a book peer-reviewed. The UPF requires that the book is reviewed by two other scholars in the field. These peer reviewers are asked to give their general impression of the book, whether or not they think the book is worthy of publishing, and to make any suggestions for improvement that they can think of. The author is given the readers’ reports and given a chance to respond and make any necessary changes to the manuscript. If heavy revision was called for, the process is repeated. 
4. After the peer review stage, the book is submitted to the UPF’s board of directors for publication approval. Board members are given a packet containing the readers’ reports, the author(s)’ resume, and some comments from the editorial department and then vote on whether or not to approve the manuscript for publishing. 
5. Once it’s approved by the board, it moves on to the design and production phase. Here a cover is designed for the book and it is formated for publishing so that it is as attractive as possible. 
6. The book also goes to the marketing department (the one I work in) where a title is finalized. A tip for authors: unless you feel like the suggested titles compromise the integrity of your book, listen to the marketing department about suggestions. Our goal is to make your book as marketable as possible. The text for the back of the book or the inside flap is written. We contact publications we think would be interested in writing a review for the book and sent out the review copies requested, and generally just work hard to make your book as successful as possible.     

That’s a rather abbreviated description of the publishing process in a nutshell. It works differently at every company, so make sure that you are familiar with your own publishing company’s policies and procedures. A few tips for authors: Don’t fight your publishing company too hard. They have a vested interest in the success of your book. They’re not going to intentionally ruin your work, and probably know more about how to make it a success than you do. Also, remember that your book is never going to be the only book on someone’s desk. Give your publishing company a little patience and a little grace. We’re always going to get back to you. We care about your book. There’s just only so much time in a day. Authors can get a reputation for being difficult just like anyone else. It makes publishing companies less desirous to work with you.

What I’m Reading: A Modern Day Persuasion

I am a sucker for anything and everything Jane Austen. I’m a sucker for anything even remotely Jane Austen related. Persuasion is my all time favorite book. I own like four copies, and I look forward to any opportunity to revisit all of my favorite characters. So, I really couldn’t help myself when I came across A Modern Day Persuasion. I just had to get it. The book is 256 pages, but I read it in probably 3 hours. I enjoyed it because I already love Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth. I’m a sucker for seeing them get a happy ending. It probably would not get a favorable review from me though if I didn’t already know and love the characters.

When Anne Elliot was 17, her 20-year-old boyfriend, Rick Wentworth, gave her an ultimatum. It was either marry him or go to college.  Anne did the smart, sensible and responsible thing and went to college. I approve of this decision. In this version of Jane Austen’s classic tale, Frederick Wentworth was not already in the navy. He was instead perfectly content with his job as a lifeguard at the local country club. He had no goals, no ambition. I don’t blame her for turning him down. I would have. Rick takes off for parts unknown, and Anne goes off to college and starts designing greeting cards.

Eight years later, Anne is 25 and home alone when her father is served papers saying that their home is going into foreclosure. This does not make a ton of sense since the reader is supposedly supposed to believe that the house is sort of an ancestral home. I have a hard time believing that it was still mortgaged multiple generations later. This could have been solved by Anne being surprised and not knowing that her father had mortgaged the house, but whatever. After her father and older sister return it is decided that they will sell the house and move to Martha’s Vineyard while Anne goes to stay with her younger sister Mary.

The novel pretty much follows Jane Austen’s classic here. I think some of the shining moments were with Anne’s two nephews, Charlie and Nicholas. Their ages were never specified, but they loved Star Wars, which was adorable for me. At one point Anne has them pretending that they are Obi Wan and Anakin. It was too cute. That was one of my favorite parts of the book.

All in all, I enjoyed it. I feel like the writer did a lot of editorializing sometimes. There were a lot of moments where it got really introspective and slowed the story down. It wasn’t the best written book I’ve ever read, but I did enjoy it. It definitely improved as the novel went on and the end was as satisfying as ever. I’ll give it 3.5 out of 7 stars. Persuasion fans will love it, but if you’re not already a big fan, I wouldn’t bother.

Confession #4: Revisions How I Loathe Thee

Part of writing anything is revision. Whether it’s a novel, a short story or even catalog copy, you’ll probably drive yourself crazy with revisions. I feel like I’m having PTSD flashbacks of Reporting (the second most dropped class at the University of Florida) as I’m sitting here at my desk trying to revise my catalog copy. I can all to vividly remember sitting in that computer lab in Weimar Hall praying that there weren’t any fact errors in my story and that my commas were all actually necessary. I still have nightmares about it two years later. And I still struggle with commas. Personally, I think that they should be used for dramatic effect only and have no bearing on actual grammar. I might be alone in this opinion, but I think it’s a pretty valid one.

I’ve been dealing a lot with revision this week from my creative writing workshop and my internship. So I thought I would put together a list of tips on how to deal with it. Everyone is going to have to face it at some point or another. The important thing is handling it well and learning from it.

1. It’s not personal. When someone tells you to  make changes, it’s probably because every word you wrote is not as divinely inspired as you believe . It’s because they want to help you become a better writer. It is not because they have a personally vendetta against you.
2. Take a step back. Let your piece sit for a few hours or days depending on how much time you actually have. Fresh eyes make everything better. You’ll see things in a new light and better be able to make changes.
3. Every point is valid. If someone points out a problem with your piece, then most likely there’s a legitimate problem. You are not your own audience. Of course you understand every word. You’re the one who wrote it. The thing is, it doesn’t matter if you understand it. What matters is that everyone else does.
4. Really, it’s not personal. Don’t think it is. Don’t get majorly offended when someone tells you that your tone is wrong for the character or totally marks up your piece with a red pen. It’s not that they hate you or your work. It’s that they are trying to make it the best it can be, and consequently make you the best you can be.
5. Be open-minded. Go into any revision session open to what everyone has to say. Don’t go into it combative. Everyone will only get frustrated, and you won’t get the helpful criticism you need.
6. Let the criticism you receive marinate. Don’t immediately start making changes. Think long and hard about what was said to you before you start ripping your piece apart. You’ll only make yourself crazy doing that.
7. Remember that it’s only one person, or even a few people’s, opinion. While you should listen to everyone’s advice, that doesn’t mean you have to take it. In some cases, like when you’re at your internship writing catalog copy, you do have to accept all the changes. But in that case your boss has been doing this a lot longer than you have and knows what he’s doing far more than you do. Most of the time though, you are still the author and it’s still your artistic integrity. Do what feels right in your gut. 

If it’s not already clear, the important thing to remember is that it’s really not personal.  Your writing can always be better. Whether you are a best-selling novelist, a journalist, or a struggling writer just trying to get some attention, your writing can always be cleaner, flow better and generally just improve. The best writers are the ones who can take and apply criticism the best.

What I’m Reading: My Name is Memory

While I’m still trekking through Les Miserables, I’m also taking the time to read shorter “fun” novels. I recently read My Name is Memory by Anne Brashares and fell in love almost right away. Daniel has chased Sofia for lifetimes. He has the gift of what is called “the memory” and can remember himself from reincarnation to reincarnation. He can also recognize other souls, and in each incarnation all he does is search for her. This time she’s a high school student named Lucy. Lucy is drawn to Daniel. She has been since the first time she saw him. She’s also absolutely convinced he has no interest in her whatsoever until one night he finally reveals who he is. He comes on too strong and runs her off, and they spend the rest of the book trying to find a way to be together.

I don’t believe in reincarnation, but I love the idea of soul mates and having someone who is absolutely perfect for you. It’s absolute fodder for my inner romantic. I personally believe that Anne Brashares completely surpasses her wildly popular Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants books, all of which I have read, with this novel. It’s romantic and poignant and completely compelling. I read it in two days. The story and the writing are absolutely lovely as we see Daniel and Lucy’s past and all of the struggles they have to go through to be together. The flashbacks do get a little long in the middle. I was rather anxious to find out what was happening with the current story, and the glimpses of their past lives made the story drag a little bit at some points, but overall it was fantastic.

The real problem I have with it is that there’s still no news on the long-awaited sequel. The book ends well, but leaves you with so many unanswered questions and so much uncertainty about Daniel and Lucy’s future together. What it really needs is closure. I as the reader need closure. It’s so unfair to get me emotionally invested in these fictional people’s lives and then not tell me what happened to them. The book is still wonderful though. I give it a 6 out of 7.

How to: Write a Pitch Memo

Today I’m going to give you a bit further insight into the publishing world by explaining how we do one of the most common tasks here at the UPF for the marketing department. I’m going to explain how to write a pitch memo. Basically a pitch memo is a letter to a media outlet asking that they write a review of your recently published book. In publishing, you only ever pitch to general editors or book review editors. You never go to the exact person that you want to write the review because your publication might think that journalist/scholar or whatever has a vested interest in your book. So here are my steps to writing a pitch memo:

1. Make sure you have the absolute right contact information. People change jobs pretty frequently these days, and this info can be hard to get sometimes. Especially with scholarly journals. Those are a pain in the rear.
2. Learn as much as you can about the publication. See what their recent articles have been about. Does you book seem to fit? If not, you should probably start looking for another media outlet.    
3. Read as much of/about the book that you can. Try to find a really interesting fact or two. You need to be able to give your pitch memo as much of a sense of urgency as possible and spark some interest in whoever will make the decision about whether or not the publication reviews your book.
4. Start the actual pitch memo with that interesting fact/sense of urgency. It’s like the lede in a news story and should be its own paragraph.
5. Give a brief description of the book. Make it sound as interesting as possible, but also be accurate and concise. You want to catch their interest, not give away the entire book so that they feel like they don’t need to read it.
6. Talk about how your book fits in with their publication. Use your research about them to talk about how it fits with a recent article or series that they did. Like I said before, if your book does not fit they probably won’t review it, and you are wasting your time.
7. Give plenty of contact information for yourself. You want them to feel like they are your priority and this includes being explicit about how they can get in touch with you.  
8. End your letter charitably. Thank them for their time. They are a busy person, just like you. Make sure they know that you appreciate their time and consideration.
9. Proof read. This means more than just using spell check. Read over your letter a couple of times and maybe even out loud. Make sure you don’t have any awkward phrasing or missing words. Bad grammar is like a death sentence in the world of the media.  
10. If you are sending this out to more than one publication, make sure you tailor it to each publication individually. The beginning of your pitch can be the same from publication to publication, but make sure that you mention specific things about each one and how your book fits in their bigger picture.

And there you have your pitch memo. This isn’t a guarantee that they’ll write your review, but it will help get their attention if you have a well-crafted and interesting memo for them. Also, don’t be afraid to follow up with them if you don’t get a response. This does not mean to badger them constantly, but the more time you invest in them, the more time they’ll invest in you.

What I’m Reading: My Top 5 Favorite Classic Romances

It might be the day after Valentine’s, but love is still in the air and on the shelves of our grocery stores. So, I thought I would do a post on my favorite classic romances. Not that there’s anything wrong with the plethora of romance novels written today. I just like the classic love stories that don’t involve the ripping of bodices and billionaires deflowering their virgin brides better. It’s so much more romantic when you fall in love with someone whom you’ve barely even touched for the sake of propriety. So, without further ado: My Top 5 Classic Romances.

5. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

I fell in love with this story after watching the mini series and just had to read the book. Margaret Hale, a former minister’s daughter, is forced to leave her home in southern England to move to a factory town in the north, Milton. Margaret hates Milton and industrialization. She also hates Mr. John Thornton, a mill owner. As the novel progresses though, Margaret’s views slowly start to change and she comes to see both Milton and Mr. Thornton in a different light. I love this story for so many reasons. In part because Richard Armitage makes a very dashing Mr. Thornton in the BBC miniseries which I highly recommend. But I also love it for the realistic trials Margaret and Mr. Thornton must go through before they can finally be together. It makes the end all the more satisfying.

4. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte 

The classic story of Cathy and Heathcliff is so tragic it’s impossible not to love. They have everything they want within their grasps and a misunderstanding drives Heathcliff away to seek his fortune. When he returns, both of their prides prevent them from admitting their mistakes and finally getting to be together. Instead they absolutely torment each other until Cathy dies after giving birth to a baby girl. The ending of the story is not your typical happy one, but the tragedy of it all is what makes it so incredible. You have a love/hate relationship with all of the characters as they all have love/hate relationships with each other

3. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

No list of classic romances would be complete without a mention of Mr. Darcy. Jane Austen is my all time favorite author and P&P is probably one of the most well-known love stories of all time. It’s your classic “boy says something stupid and potentially ruins his chances with girl forever but eventually she falls in love with him” story and is still super popular almost 200 years after it was originally published. Jane Austen probably had no idea that she was setting the bar for men everywhere when she created one of the most beloved literary heroes of all time, but girls (including me) are still swooning over him to this day. 

2. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Jane Eyre is probably the most romantic story of all time. Everyone loves a story where the poor and plain working class girl meets someone decidedly above her station in life and he falls madly in love with her anyway. It’s pretty much every girl’s dream. Jane loves Mr. Rochester so much she can hear his soul crying out for her at the end. I cry every time. They overcome so many obstacles to be together, including an insane wife and a persistent suitor, but true love conquers all in the end, and poor Jane finally gets all of the happiness she’s always deserved.

1. Persuasion by Jane Austen

Persuasion is my all time favorite book ever. It’s one of Jane Austen’s shortest novels, but for me it’s the most poignant and realistic. Anne Elliot and Captain Frederick Wentworth met and fell in love when they were both very young, and Anne was persuaded by her friends and family that  it would be better for her to let him go and make a name for himself. They part broken-hearted and are reunited years later. They try to act like there was nothing between them, but slowly they are drawn together again proving that true love has no time limit. I completely freaked out the first time I read it when Captain Wentworth gave Anne the letter that said that he still loved her. To me, the story is the epitome of true love. It’s loving long past all hope of ever being together. 

So, that’s my top 5 favorite classic romances. Does anyone else have a favorite that I missed?

What I’m Reading: Les Miserables

I talk a lot about the UPF in this blog, which is pretty much the point, but I’d also like to talk a little bit about what I’m reading outside of work. Right now I’m in the middle of Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. I had the opportunity recently to see the Broadway show with a friend and instantly fell in love. The book is kind of a beast though. I bought a copy for my Nook, which might be the greatest thing ever invented, and it’s over 1200 pages long. I decided to go with the unabridged version in part because I’m crazy and also because you get such a better glimpse into the author’s head when you read all of their original words. I’m also a bit wary of abridged versions after a copy I read of Jane Eyre altered the ending to where Mr. Rochester was only blinded in the fire and Thornfield was only minorly damaged. It was meant for kids, so I can see why they did it, but you can imagine my horror several years later when I read the unabridged version and Mr. Rochester was permanently disfigured and Thornfield was burnt to the ground. I haven’t read an abridged version of anything since.

For anyone who is not familiar with the story Jean Valjean is a convict who went to jail for stealing some bread to feed his sister’s starving child. He’s released from prison, but everyone still knows that he’s a convict and won’t take him in or give him work because they consider him a criminal. After a priest is kind to him, Valjean makes a vow to God that he will be better and do everything in his power to be a better man. He ends up changing his name, opening a factory and becoming mayor of a town that he almost single-handedly made prosperous. The problem though is that he broke his parole and is being hunted by a police inspector named Javert. He meets the once lovely Fantine and promises to take care of her child, Cosette, while Fantine is on her deathbed. He takes in Cosette and spends the rest of the book protecting her from his past while rebellion stirs in the heart of the impoverished people of France.

I love this story. It’s absolutely marvelous, and I’ve listened to the soundtrack for the musical almost non-stop for the last two or three weeks. I would make an excellent Eponine, if I do say so myself. When I sing along to “On My Own” in the car, the audience on the recording is always very enthusiastic. The one thing I’m having a hard time understanding in the book though is Hugo’s need for such long portions of historical context. I’m currently in the middle of an almost blow-by-blow account of the Battle of Waterloo. A friend told me what the reason behind it is supposed to be, but I’m still not entirely sure that I understand. I feel as though it was really unnecessary for the time the novel was written in. People probably would have already been familiar with the details of the Battle of Waterloo. Obviously the story is incredible as it has lasted for so long and had such commercial success, but I do wonder what the point of all of the historical accounts are. Don’t let that dissuade you from the book though. It’s actually not that difficult of a read when the plot is moving. Any one who loves classic literature is bound to fall in love with Valjean and all of the other colorful and exciting characters that Hugo has created. On a scale of 1 to 7, I give it a 5.

For any fellow Nook owners out there, here’s the link to the unabridged copy that I own from Barnes and Noble.

Confession #3: Review copies just might be the best part of my job

Part of the reason I applied for this internship is because I absolutely love books. I’m pretty much an insatiable reader and will devour pretty much any book I can get my hands on. You can imagine my excitement when on my first day here at the UPF I was given two advance review copies of books that are coming out in the Spring/Summer season for 2012. I recently finished the first book, Trout,  and I must say that it was kind of amazing. It’s one the first true crime books published by the UPF, and is definitely a hit. It deals instead with the Trout Auto Parts chain in Pensacola, FL and the true story of a murder that took place there in 1991.

Patrick Bonifay, Clifford Barth and Eddie Fordham were three teenage boys hired to do a very adult crime. Patrick’s uncle, Robin Archer, offered his dirt poor nephew a suitcase full of money if Patrick killed the man who got him fired from his job at Trout Auto Parts. The problem was that the man who Patrick was supposed to kill, Daniel Wells, called in sick the night of the murder, and an innocent man lost his life that night instead. The book goes into the details of the boys lives before the murder as well as the aftermath and how everything changed for them forever. It also explores the history of sentencing minors to the death penalty and whether or not they can truly be held accountable for their actions at such a young age.

I personally found this book fascinating. It was so interesting to get a real glimpse into each character’s mind. You got to know the characters of the book so intimately as it progressed, and it made the outcome seem all the more tragic for it. You really start to feel for all three boys and wish that things could have been different for them. I also really enjoyed all of the psychology in the book and reading about the history of sentencing juveniles to the death penalty. I even found myself looking up some of the other cases mentioned and wondering what punishment I would recommend if I’d been a juror in one of the cases. Trout is a gripping book from beginning to end and is a great read for fans of crime books everywhere. You can click on the image to go to the book’s page on the UPF website for more information and to pre-order a copy for yourself. It officially goes on sale April 15.

Confession #2: Writing always calls for a ton of revision

I mentioned in my last post that I’m currently working on copy for the Fall/Winter catalog. It’s just like writing an article or a press release. Your beginning needs to be the most interesting fact you can think of. The middle needs to contain all of the actual necessary information, and the end needs to seal the deal. It’s a pretty simple formula. And the thing is like 300 words tops. Quick, easy and relatively painless. Except maybe not so much. When you write for the catalog, you are trying to sell the book. You have to convince book store owners or other experts in the field that this book is new and exciting and that absolutely everyone with an interest in the topic needs to read it. This can feel like a lot of pressure.  Here’s a bit of insight into my particular process:

1. Open a blank word document and stare at it for at least five minutes. Then maybe go to the water cooler and refill your cup. Writing makes you thirsty.
2. Stare at that blank word document for another five minutes or so. Think about what you’re going to do when you get off work. Maybe pull out your iPod and search for some inspirational music to write to.
3.  Pull out an old catalog and read someone else’s copy. Decide what you like and what you don’t like. Then read some more copy. Soon you’ve read the whole catalog twice and you’re no closer to coming up with something than you were 40 minutes ago.
4. Finally type in all of the information you already know has to go on the page. Now your word document isn’t quite so blank and scary anymore. Maybe you can actually get something written.
5. Stare out the window at the couple fighting outside the apartment complex across the street. You can’t actually hear what they’re saying, but body language speaks volumes. He definitely cheated on her.
6. Come up with a lede. Then decide it’s total crap and delete it.
7. Oh look, you’re cup is empty again. Take another trip to the water cooler.
8. Time for a snack!
9. Write another lede, delete it and then decide to skip it all together. You’ll figure one out later.  
10. Make a to do list of all the other things you need to get done that day. Include all of the things you’ve already completed so that you have something to check off. You’ll feel slightly better about yourself and the fact that you are struggling so hard to come up with something for that catalog copy.
11.  Finally get something written. You’re not sure if it’s crap or not, but if you leave it alone for a few minutes (or days), maybe it will become clear.
12. Start a blog post about your struggles. Then maybe someone out there in the world can empathize with you.
13. Reread your catalog copy. Come to the realization that you used the same phrase (“Civil Rights Movement” for example) in almost every sentence. That probably isn’t necessary.
14. Try to come up with another way to express said phrase.
15. Write your lede! Be incredibly relieved that you finally have one that doesn’t sound like crap.
16. Save your work and close the word document. It’s not due for a week or two. Decide that you’ll wait a bit before revising it again.
17. Decide after revising it for the fifth time that it’s finished and put it in the appropriate drive for your supervisor to read it. Maybe go back and edit it one or two more times before he actually reads it. Just to make sure it’s perfect. Or at least make sure it doesn’t suck completely. As a writer, you’ll probably never be fully satisfied. Accept this. It will make your life so much easier.  

And tada! You’re finished! At least you are until your supervisor actual does read it and decides that he wants you to make changes. You know this is going to happen. Accept this too. The more eyes that read and revise it before it actually gets printed, the better it will probably be. This is also true of almost everything that you will ever write.