Publishing Laine: Tips for Editing

The story is the thing! Right? Well, yes ... and no. A great joke isn't so great if the telling is spoiled or the timing of the punchline is off. The same is true of a great story. The premise can be golden, but if the writing utilizes old-fashioned practices, cliche' phrases or situations, or has poor grammar, an agent or editor will not likely choose to pursue the book and a reader will not likely continue past the first page. 

Writing is a changing occupation. What worked for the classics and the "modern" novels of the 70s and 80s simply doesn't work for today's genre novels. Tune in to learn keys to bringing your golden premise into the 21st-century publishing environment and learn what types of writing are plain indicators that a story, or the author, just isn't ready for a contract. 

Better yet, learn how to avoid those pitfalls so that your story rises to the top of the slushy waters of the pile!