Cyn

J.R.R. Tolkien once wrote, “Do not meddle in the affairs of wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger.” Later, a bumper sticker company, BumperTalk, modified the quote to read, “Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.”

You want a dragon. That’s right, you want a dragon. But such a powerful beast can destroy you if you are not careful. They often breathe fire, slice through people with their long talons, swoop out of seemingly nowhere to raze the poor village they attack, carrying off hapless, helpless victims.

So why on earth would anyone want a dragon? Your brows furrow. “What does a dragon have to do with my dream of being published?”

Because the dragon you intend to catch is none other than an editor or agent, the very person who determines the fate of your manuscript and guards the pile of gold called publication.

As an experienced dragon hunter...wait, you’re not experienced? Well, then you need tools and weaponry to help you find the dragon you seek. You will go far in your quest if the proper weapons are in your arsenal and are combined with the knowledge of how to use them.

One of the first items you need if you are going to capture and hold onto your editor-dragon is a map. One cannot capture a dragon without knowing where to search. Publishing companies provide you charts called “submission guidelines.” Seek these guidelines out and make sure you understand them. Sometimes, a trusted companion can be called upon to explain unusual markings and phrases in the map. Failure to heed to the directives of the publishers’ guidelines immediately disqualifies you from attempting to capture your dragon.

If the guidelines state you should send the first three chapters send no more, nor no less. If you send to a specific editor make sure you know what genre s/he acquires. You cannot count on an editor to pass your manuscript on to another editor. Adhere to the word count. Countless manuscripts are passed over because they are too long or too short.

Many manuscripts are immediately tossed into the rubbish pile because the author chose to ignore the guidelines. Your ability to follow a publisher’s or an agent’s rules influence their decision.

Your compass to finding an editor-dragon is the dreaded synopsis. Never fear, most editors don’t look at the synopsis to judge your writing. They use the synopsis as their own map of you. Did you follow the instructions they requested? Did you tell, in synopsis form, the complete story? Keeping secrets from the editor or agent plays no part in a synopsis. These dragons need to know the entirety of your story, not your personal evaluation of the manuscript, nor your life history and how it played into the story coming into existence. They focus on one thing—your story. Make it as palatable, nay, rather make it as tempting as the richest dessert offered by the best chef of the land.

Hone the sword of your pen, your most important weapon in finding a dragon. Your best whetstone for keeping the blade sharp will be your critique group, writing partner, writing association or a contest that provides feedback.

Be prepared to wear your armor, another helpful tool in defending you on your quest. When you ask for someone to truthfully evaluate your writing some of the comments will sting; others feel like you just lost a limb in a major skirmish. Pay attention, though, because if you have an open mind you will find ways to make your writing sparkle. Being in contact with these people will also help you read your map. They can help you avoid pitfalls as well as help you interpret publisher’s requests.

Put your best manuscript forward. Send a clean copy of your story (and please, make sure you have your own personal copy, preferably on a medium such as a computer). Keep the copy you send free of fingerprints and chocolate smudge marks (and all other smudges). Use white paper or if submitting electronically the file extension requested (usually RTF – rich text format which prevents the attachment of a virus to your document). Put the document in the font and print size the potential buyer requests.

Make sure there are no spelling errors. Use the spellcheck on your computer but do not rely on it solely. It makes errors. Learn how to properly punctuate, including the correct use of quotation marks. Hint—the punctuation for dialogue goes inside the quotation marks.

Cut the backstory, that explanatory material that you feel sets the story up. It is boring and is best served in small bites (with ketchup) throughout the novel. Be ruthless, your editor will cut what you won’t. You certainly don’t want to be the midnight morsel a dragon snacks on.

Be unique, in terms of both your story and your style (voice). This applies to your characters and the events you plot out for them. Make things plausible. If your heroine is afraid of flying and is now on an airplane thirty-five thousand feet in the air, you better have an excellent reason for having her there. There are truly no unique plot ideas, just ways of executing them. Execute your story like a master dragon catcher.

If you have followed the map you may be quite near the dragon’s lair. You will be long months ahead of those who submit without using the provided guidelines, who ignore the counsel of colleagues.

In fact, the dragon has been tempted to offer you the most sought after relic of the kingdom—a request for a full (your story in its entirety) or even a contract.
You have dutifully studied and have affixed your mark to the document, having sent off the editor’s request with all due and prudent haste. You have captured the attention of the dragon; perhaps have made him or her yours. But for how long? This is where the proper care and feeding of the editor comes into play.

Of course, here we do not speak of food in the literal sense. Your editor has plenty of authors already. You still loom as the tasty morsel. It is up to you not to be consumed by the power of the dragon.

You will feel the flames of your dragon’s breath should you again ignore the basic items provided you long ago in the submission guidelines. Do not pester before the appropriate time. Dragons are irritable and overworked. If the publisher states they respond in six months, do not ask for the status of your complete in three. If the editor states she would like this revision done, or that plot point expanded, do not argue. If he says delete this segment, do so. A reputation of being difficult to work with is something you should avoid.

Does this mean lay down and be trampled underfoot? No. It does mean listen carefully. Editors are not in the business to be your friend (although that may happen), but rather are in the business to make their company money.

Thus, they would not intentionally ask you to do something to weaken your story. If you feel strongly about edits, be respectful. Choose which items, which battles are truly critical for you to risk your neck over. Do not argue over minor details.

You will feel the effects of your dragon’s talons. Those claws will rip through your manuscript until you feel fortunate to see a single page spared of a comment or correction. This is especially true in regards to the overall story. Your editor will want more tension on this page, more character development on that. Your editor, in most cases, will not be correcting your grammar and typing mistakes (but of course, there aren’t any because you submitted that wonderfully perfect manuscript long ago). He or she will tell you that this scene must go as it doesn’t advance the plot or ask why the hero did this particular thing without motivation. If you are wise, you will not have removed your armor and will receive the force of the strikes with little injury to your person.

You will be tempted while waiting for the blows from your editor to change the story. I will deepen the conflict here; expand the description over there, you think. This will guarantee a swipe of the dragon’s talons and perhaps a blast of fiery air. Dragons work off the page and rely on page number when going through your document. Changing the submission disrupts their orderly world. In taking care of your dragon, a writer must engender the quality of patience in copious amounts.

Perhaps the hardest item of all to understand from your dragon is the request to raze the entire manuscript or large portions thereof. If so much is wrong, you lament, why did you take it? The answer to that question is as different as the sword Excalibur is to a Cat o’Nine Tails. The editor or agent saw something in your writing. Perhaps your voice, perhaps your unique twist on the old story of ‘boy meets girl.’ The company just purchased another similar story but wants you. Only your dragon knows.

Beware though. Unless told otherwise, simply moving a block of text to another location in the tale is not what your editor requested. Insisting on keeping large pieces of your prose will once more mark you as an amateur, a person so in love with their own words that you simply will not adjust to make your story better. This is very bad and will encourage your dragon to seek other warriors better suited to handling the requests made of them. Many times, a person so in love with their own work will not be offered a second contract with the same house.

Maintaining a professional attitude will go far in the care of your dragon. Respecting the time, space, and responsibilities of your editor will garner accolades and other positive responses to the sort of person you are—the sort of person another dragon could work with should this one move on.

Small things matter to your dragon. The care and feeding of your editorial dragon is vital to the growth of your career as a novelist. Take heed of the simple tools and weaponry available in seeking, acquiring and keeping your editor-dragon. Remember, you do taste good with ketchup.

I would like to publicly thank Talia Ricci at Joyfully Reviewed for her review of Refugee.  You can read the full review at:

http://www.joyfullyreviewed.com/reviews/refugee.html

She said:

Refugee by Lucynda Storey pushed my buttons big time.  I am a fan of the BDSM genre of novels but found Refugee hard to read simply for the fact that it was so real to me. I could see Amanda in the dungeon.  I could feel her fear.  I could imagine her craving Jack to dominate her.  For those facts alone, I could not put this book down until I finished the very last word.  I quietly fell in love with Jack simply because he was a good man.  He held my heart for the length of this book.  Amanda, while looking extremely gentle and unsure of herself, was the epitome of resilience.  Strong without being rough, I thought her smart and very sexy.  Her love for Jack was easy to see and I felt how much she cared for him as a man and a protector.

Refugee had a tremendous plot and storyline that held my attention and kept me riveted.  I thought it a most wonderful afternoon read.

For fun, take this little quiz (be sure to scroll down for all the questions) and see which Superhero you are

http://www.thesuperheroquiz.com/result.htm?a=65&b=50&...

Your results:
You are Supergirl

Supergirl 80% Green Lantern 70% Superman 65% Spider-Man 50% Wonder Woman 50% Catwoman 50% Robin 48% Iron Man 45% The Flash 35% Batman 30% Hulk 30%

Lean, muscular and feminine. Honest and a defender of the innocent.