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What your editor really REALLY wants

© Julia Buitrago

Two summers ago, during a very difficult book project, I was taking a breather at my local bookstore. While strolling through the magazine section, the title of an article caught my eye: "The Top Ten Things Your Editor REALLY Wants." I knew the ten things that I wanted, but I seriously doubted that this publication was suggesting large doses of pain killers or a vacation without the laptop and e-mail. To get a really good laugh, I immediately jumped to the #1 item that an editor really wants. Their suggestion was: "An editor does not want to be called by their author." After I reassured the young man standing next to me with a copy of Surfer's Weekly that I was not a recently escaped mental patient having a nervous breakdown, I read the comment again. The gist of the comment was that author's shouldn't call their editor every time they have a grammatical question. I could agree with that, but I was dubious whether most authors would read the explanation or would stick with the "don't call the editor" motto.

If you're going to write professionally, you'll have to deal with an editor at one time or another. For your amusement (or edification) I am presenting my top ten list of things that THIS editor really wants.

10. If you're sending information on disk, please don't use 5 1/4" disks. Surprisingly this issue comes up quarterly. Luckily, I still have my old 286 at home which has a 5 1/4" disk drive, which allows me to transfer everything to 3 1/2" disks. On a positive note, we've been known to have office Frisbee parties of Friday afternoons with those disks (once we've removed the necessary files).

9. To quote that great 80's song, "Call me!" When you first receive notification that you have been assigned to an editor, give them a call. If you have a question, give me a call. If you have great gossip about your town, give me a call. You can also send flowers or chocolates, but a phone call works well. Also, if your editor calls you, make sure that you return their call as soon as possible. Generally an editor won't call just to say "hi" (although I do send e-mail cards from time to time), so when the editor calls, chances are it is fairly important that they talk with you.

8. Remember my pay rate. When I worked retail sales management, I made a LOT more than I do as an editor. When I write freelance, I still make a LOT more than I do as an editor. I edit because I love my job, not because it pays good. Most of the writers that I've worked with get paid considerably more per hour than I do (granted, freelance writing is a rough way to make a living since you aren't guaranteed that weekly paycheck). Please, just be polite. I'll bend over backwards to help in any way that I can, but sometimes my hands are tied. Items that I can't control include, but aren't limited to: natural disasters, freight company strikes, the rising cost of paper, and books that won't sell.