Today, my guest is author and editor, Penny Ehrenkranz.
Thank you for joining us, Penny.
1. What
qualifies you to be an editor?
My job as an editor is that of line editor. When I get a manuscript, it has already been
seen by a content editor several times.
I look for grammatical errors, punctuation, spelling, and continuity. I
am also on the lookout for anything the content editor might have missed. For example in one manuscript, the author
described her character as always wearing a certain color. Then a few chapters later, she has her don a
sweater which is the wrong color. I
pointed it out to her and she changed it.
An editor needs to be able to keep track and notice when something is
off. Another example comes from the book
I’m editing now. The author switched her
main character’s name and used the name of a main character from a previous
book.
I have a strong background in the English language, with English my main
area of study in school. I spent a
number of years as an executive secretary where I needed excellent grammar
skills. I’ve also been a published
writer since 1993, so I have a lot of knowledge.
Before
I became an editor for MuseItUp, I took an exam which tested my skills. I know some people who applied failed the
test. When I got my job at another
publishing house as an editor, it came about after I reviewed a book and found
a number of errors. I wrote to the
publisher and jokingly told her if she needed an editor to let me know. I sent her a copy of the book with my
highlights, and she quickly responded with a contract.
2. How
much input do you have in accepting a story that’s submitted to MuseItUp
Publishing?
All of the editors have an opportunity to read submissions. The manuscripts are loaded onto a forum. Whoever has time, and all are encouraged,
read the submission and comment as to the quality of the writing, including POV
shifts, grammar, content, readability, and whether it is a good fit for our
house. The publisher has the final say,
but she takes into account all of the input she receives. If she decides to reject, she sends our
comments to the author.
3. Who
decides which editor gets which story?
We choose by ourselves. Sometimes it’s based on our own work schedule.
Other times, we choose based upon our own interests. For example, I rarely, if
ever, choose to work on a book of erotica. It’s not a genre I read, and so I’m
not familiar with it. I don’t feel it’s
fair to the author for me to work on something I don’t really understand.
If
an editor begins with an author on a series, we try to keep the editor with the
author for the entire length of the series.
Also, if the editor works well with the author, we try to keep them
together even when it’s not a series.
Building a good working relationship helps the editor know the author’s
voice and style.
4. What
do you like best about being an editor?
Being paid to read. I love reading,
and this is a job where I can read all day long, and no one tells me I have
other work I have to do. I’m already
doing it. I also enjoy the interaction
with authors from around the world. Some
I feel have become true friends.
5. How
do you handle a situation where you suggest a change and the author refuses?
I
think most authors understand why a change needs to be made. When they do
refuse, however, my method is to offer a compromise. For example, I’ll let them ignore a grammar
rule in dialog, but they agree to correcting it within a scene. Since I started doing this a couple of years
ago, I’ve only had one or two authors I remember who stuck their heels in the
ground and refused to budge. I think
most authors can understand the need for a change if it’s explained properly
and not shoved down their throats as a command. I try to be respectful when I
make suggestions and listen to the author’s reasons why he or she doesn’t want
to make a change.
6. Do
you have a particular genre you prefer editing?
I love to work on fantasy and science fiction, since this is what I read
for pleasure. I also enjoy working on
sweet romances, middle grade, and young adult.
I’ve found I like cozy mysteries, too. Besides erotica, there’s very
little I don’t want to edit.
7. What’s
the one thing you wish authors would avoid?
Point of view slips are the most annoying. They will take me out of the story, and I
stop and ask myself: “Who’s story is this?”
“Wait a minute, what happened there?”
It’s
okay to switch point of view chapter to chapter or scene to scene, but it
doesn’t work when the author jumps back and forth between two characters within
the space of one scene.
8. Do
you have a job other than editing? If so, what do you do?
I
retired from my day job in 2008. I was
the Office Manager/Chief Legal Secretary for the Columbia County District
Attorney. Now, I can devote myself to
writing, blogging, and editing full-time.
Although I have to admit since I’m retired, I also give myself the
luxury of spending time with my family, my pets, my garden and my craft
projects, like crocheting.
9. What
do you like about editing? What don’t you like about editing?
Since it’s difficult to edit my own work, I like being able to find
problems and tighten up a manuscript in someone else’s story. I wish I could do the same as easily with my
own! I also like that I get paid
royalties for book sales, but I don’t have to do the marketing.
I enjoy getting to know the authors.
I often invite them to be guests on my blog, having them answer
questions about their work, and learning about their latest releases.
When I worked with my other publisher, I didn’t like that I only had one
opportunity to go through a manuscript.
I have a bad habit of getting caught up in the story initially and
missing subtle mistakes. Having the
chance to go through it more than once, allows me to find errors I didn’t find
the first time. I have since “retired” from that publishing house.
About the only other thing I don’t like is when I get a manuscript later
than I should, and I feel rushed with the edits. I don’t believe this is fair to the author,
however, it happens sometimes. Life gets
in the way, and earlier deadlines are missed.
Fortunately, this doesn’t happen often.
10.
What’s the difference between a content
editor and line editor? Which would you rather do?
A content editor has the tough job of finding overused words, making sure
the story makes sense, tightening up, and eliminating material which isn’t
necessary to the story. As I mentioned
above, the line editor works on the grammar, spelling, and punctuation, as well
as checking for anything the content editor might have missed.
I am very happy being a line editor.
I believe this is where my strengths lie. Since I find it hard to chop and discard my
own words, it’s difficult for me to do content edits on other people’s work,
too. I’ve done a few content edits, but
I definitely prefer being a line editor.
11.
You're an author too, how
difficult is it to edit your own books? Tell us about your book and please add
an excerpt.
I’ve talked about this a bit above. I find it difficult to edit my own
manuscripts. As authors, we become
“wedded to our words,” and divorcing them is very hard. I’d much rather work on someone else’s edits
than my own.
I have two books which I’ve been promoting recently. They are romances released by MuseItUp
Publishing. Lady In Waiting came out in
November and Mirror, Mirror will be released at the end of December.
TITLE: Lady-in-Waiting
Tag Line:
Through a series of misunderstandings, Mabriona is forced to live a lie, but
when the man she loves awakes from his coma, will she confess her deceit?
Blurb:
Mabriona is cousin to the beautiful and spoiled Princess Alana. When Alana is forced to marry a man she
despises, Mabriona is torn between her loyalty to her cousin and her attraction
to the handsome Prince Blayne.
Tragedy
befalls the cousins on the way to Prince Blayne’s castle. Servants, believing Mabriona to be Alana,
refuse to listen when she tries to explain.
While she
waits for Blayne to recover, Mabriona meets his equally handsome younger
brother, Madoc, a bard.
When Blayne
awakes, will Mabriona choose life with a future king, will she be sent home in
disgrace because of her inadvertent lies, or will Madoc win her love with his
poetry?
Excerpt:
LADY-IN-WAITING
“Today’s
the day, Mabriona,” Princess Alana said as Mabriona entered the chambers. She wiped tears from her eyes with an
embroidered linen. “Prince Blayne will be here, and soon I’ll be his wife. I think the worst part of being father’s
daughter is marrying someone I’ve never even met.”
“You’ve
always known your marriage would be arranged for the benefit of the kingdom,
Princess, but I’m sure he’ll be very nice,” Mabriona replied as she opened the
heavy drapes covering the windows. She looked at her cousin and sighed. She wanted to feel sorry for Alana, but
they’d had this discussion so many times. Mabriona was tired of it. Alana had known from the time she was a child
that she would not wed for love. Why can’t Alana just accept her fate?
Outside the day was as wet as the one before and the one before that.
“Nice? Who wants nice? I want someone handsome and dashing. A knight in shining armor who will love me
forever. I certainly don’t want someone
like my father who will make me do everything I don’t want to do.”
TITLE:
Mirror, Mirror
Tag Line:
Lindsay Baker’s purchase of an antique mirror sends her back in time to salvage
a love torn apart by class restrictions.
Blurb:
Lindsay Baker is intrigued by everything about the middle ages, but when she
purchases an antique mirror and a costume to attend a Renaissance Faire, she
suddenly finds herself transported back in time. There she finds she’s been called by a witch
to right a terrible wrong.
Graham
loves Prudence, but he can’t marry her because he’s landed gentry, and she is
only the baker’s daughter. Before
Lindsay can return to her own time, she must convince Graham to marry against
his father’s wishes. Unfortunately, she
also finds herself falling for the handsome gentleman.
Can she
find her way back to her own time, or will she be stuck in a time when women
had no rights?
Excerpt:
After
Stefany left, Lindsey adjusted the water spigots on her tub. A few drops of bubble bath went into the
water, and the soothing scent of lavender filled the moist, steamy air. While the tub filled, Lindsey tried on her
Renaissance outfit for the upcoming Faire. She couldn’t believe her good luck
at finding the perfect pieces. She
tested the bath water to be sure it was the right temperature. Then she picked
up her antique mirror to get a better view. Was
this a scryer’s mirror at some point in time? It slipped from her wet hands
into the bathtub.
“Nuts,” she mumbled as she leaned over the tub. She pulled one sleeve up on her blouse and
fished around in the bubbles for the mirror. When she pulled the mirror from
the water, spots appeared in front of her eyes, and she felt faint. While she watched her reflection in the old
mirror, the background changed. She no
longer saw the inside of her bathroom.
She closed her eyes as the room around her went black.
