Becoming an actual editor has really opened my eyes, least of all to how the process works. In the instance of No More Heroes, Bill and I came up with the core idea together and went from there, with Bill handling all the communication with Dr Pus (who runs the Library of the Living Dead and associated imprints). Last week, I got the idea for A Glitch in the Continuum and contacted Doc myself, and he said "alter the deadline and make this the word limit", but otherwise to "go for it!".
We've got set word limits for the finished books to work to, as well, which is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, it makes the submission process easier but on the other, you can end up with some ace stories that just won't fit, and there are stories you prefer slightly more that do make it in.
I'm really looking forward to compiling the various anthologies I'm involved in, and I think it's going to be yet another thing that makes me a better writer. Learn from others' mistakes, as it were.
On that note, it's surprising just how many subs I've read that are littered with typos. I know it's easy to miss repetitive words, or even missing words because your brain corrects it automatically, but I'd urge anyone submitting any where to take as long as possible before doing so, even if you leave the story for a week then come back to it with fresh eyes. I've lost count of the amount of times I've sent something off, then thought "Oh shit, I should have done this, or added this, or etc". Even my Zombie Zoology story, I will admit, has three instances that relate back to something that isn't actually true. Thankfully they don't break the story, and likely won't even be picked up on by others, but I know they're there, and it winds me up because I missed them. There's also a really stupid typo (they'd instead of there'd, I think it is), but thankfully again, there's only the one in the whole story.
Hmmm. Thought of a new 'tag' - musings. I'll start tagging any blog posts with sort-of advice in with it. Yes, that'll do.
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