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'E' is for...

Margaret I. Carr

Editors

Editors have to make choices. From the writer's viewpoint those choices may seem harsh or arbitrary. The writer sends off a cherished work and most of the time gets back, not a contract or an acceptance, but a rejection. Many times that rejection is just 'boilerplate' that doesn't give any hint of why the work was rejected. E-publishing isn't yet as prone to use the flat "Doesn't meet our needs" rejection but even there it happens.

There are e-publishers, both e-book and e-zine, who go to the opposite extreme and accept everything submitted as is. One of the results of this is to give all electronic publishing a poor reputation.

Quality counts. Quality is what brings readers back for more. But a commitment to providing quality means having to reject work that doesn't meet the standards.

Writers who want their work to appear in a particular publication can improve their chances by spending a little time figuring out what that publication wants before they submit. If there are submission guidelines available it helps to read them. Reading previous issues can help. This does not mean that imitating what the writer finds is the best course of action. The editor may be tired of seeing the same thing over and over. There may be a specific reason for one piece being written in a certain manner which would be sure rejection for others. For example, this editorial is written in heavily passive voice which is NOT recommended for submissions. It is passive to avoid specifics which is the opposite of what someone should do who wishes to submit to T-zero.

If a work isn't rejected outright but revisions are requested, the writer has to choose whether or not to do the revisions. If the writer doesn't understand what the editor is asking for, it is better to request further explanation rather than try to guess and risk making matters worse. A polite request for help has a chance of being answered. Even if it isn't answered, it is unlikely to affect the decision.

Just as with writing, there is both art and craft involved in editing. Sometimes editors cannot explain why they accept or reject something. If the work was worth writing, it should be worth some effort in finding the right 'home' for it.