How Editors Differ

Sometime ago Jan Cline asked: “How about something about the difference in personal preference or styles of editors and how that can affect a writer’s acceptance chances. I’ve always wondered if all editors have the same way of dealing with manuscript submissions.”

This is an easy answer—and important for writers to understand.

YES! Editors are as different in both what they like and how they process manuscripts. Oh sure, there are some basic similarities, but beyond those, I think most editors have their own style of reviewing and acquiring books.

I think we all try to put our personal tastes aside and review proposals and manuscripts through the eyes of our particular market. So for me, the question isn’t do I like this historical romance? The question is will the reader who just bought and loved our bestselling fiction title also like this one?

Many of the books I’ve acquired that I’ve personally loved have not sold well. Happily though, some of the books I’ve acquired and loved have sold well. This reinforces the point that all writers should study the markets before they submit. It’s not enough to write a good book (fiction or non-fiction). I reject good books every month. I really do. The question should be is the book I’ve written the kind of book Harvest House sells well? If not, which publishing company does sell the kind of books I write?

I think the same thing applies to finding an agent. Rather than trying to have any old agent represent you, you should ask yourself if the agent you’re considering does well placing the kind of books you write with good publishers.

Jan’s question suggests other responses too. For instance, some editors may see a proposal that’s submitted unprofessionally and immediately dismiss it. On the other hand, I’m more lenient. I prefer manuscripts that are neat and tidy, but more than once I’ve bothered to look something over that somehow intrigued me, but wasn’t as professional looking as it should have been.

Another thing that comes to mind is that editors vary even within publishing houses. I may reject a manuscript another editor here may think has great potential. Here again we see the importance of trying to find the right editor (not just the right publisher) to look at your manuscript. You usually only get one shot at a particular publishing house. The general rule is that when one editor speaks, he or she is speaking for the publishing company and it’s not kosher to resubmit the same rejected manuscript to another editor at the same house. The exception might be is if you have good reason to resubmit AND if you tell the editor you’re submitting it to that Joe Jones at that publishing house has already seen it. It really does irritate us to review a manuscript and mention it in passing to another editor, only to have them tell us they rejected that manuscript two months ago.

All of this points up the extreme value of writers’ conferences. That’s where you’ll have a good chance to meet that editor who is the perfect editor to see your manuscript. It’s also where you’ll save a lot of time and heartache by finding out, for instance, that Nick Harrison at Harvest House is NOT the editor to look at your manuscript.

Speaking of conferences, I’d be remiss not to mention one of my favorites which is coming up next month. I’m sure there’s still room, so sign up now.

Jan, I hope this helps!

I’ve lost my thread with the questions. Either that or I’ve answered them all. If I don’t get a good question from someone for next time, I’ll ask one of my own. 🙂

7 replies
  1. Tim Riter says:

    Nick, I wholeheartedly agree with the importance of finding the right editor for you and your book. For two of my books, I sent in a proposal to an editor, who promptly rejected it with the nicest form rejection letter. Within a year, at writers conferences I met another editor from each of those houses with whom she, I, and the book clicked, and the houses bought it.

  2. Richard Mabry says:

    Nick,
    How frequently do you talk (officially or unofficially) to other editors at your publishing house about a project before taking it to the pub board? Do you like to get a consensus, or are you comfortable moving forward based on your judgment alone?
    As always, thanks for sharing excellent inside information.

  3. Nick says:

    Richard, that’s an excellent question. For fiction, I do usually talk it over with our fiction committee of four people (three editors, one person from marketing). If they agree that it won’t pass the publishing committee, I’ll almost always abide by that. We have a similar “first” committee for non-fiction too. There is the occasional project (either fiction or non-fiction) that I feel so strongly about, that I’ll take it to the publishing committee and pitch it as hard as I can. I just HAVE to take a chance on projects that I feel that strongly about.

  4. Jeff Adams says:

    Editors are people. Of course different people have different opinions. And those opinions are subject to change, as are trends. No one has a crystal ball; I have a snow globe. Editors can’t guarantee success, but they can help authors succeed. Thanks, Nick.

  5. Jan Cline says:

    Yes, Nick. That was very helpful. I really never knew that different editors within the same publishing house might differ on how they deal with a manuscript. I see now how going beyond researching the publishing house to researching the editors of that house would be very beneficial. Writers conferences are crucial aren’t they? I really hope to come to the Oregon conference someday – it’s on my top 3 list of conferences to attend and it’s not that far away! I’ll save my pennies! Our Spokane conference is shaping up to be great as well for those of you in that area. http://www.inlandnwchristianwriters.com.
    Thank you so much Nick. It’s a fascinating business and we need to know as much about it as possible to move forward to publishing. This is great information.

  6. Kathy Nickerson says:

    When I met with you at a conference in Denver a few years ago, I was grateful for your candor. You said my manuscript was not something Harvest House would publish, even though you felt the writing was good. I walked away greatly encouraged by that last phrase.

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