An 'Evocative' Editor's Panel

Evocative: bringing strong memories, images or feelings to mind. Adjective

Continuing with my sharing of some tidbits I picked up at the Pennwriters Conference last weekend, I've selected the above adjective as the most over used word by editors and agents during the two and a half days I spent in their company. I should have kept a tally because that's the kind of thing I do when I'm a little bored.

Three editors attended the Pennwriters Conference and they graciously formed a panel for a question and answer session.

Allison Janice represented Berkley Books and works as an assistant to Executive Editor Denis Silvestro. She's interested in memoir/narrative nonfiction and women's fiction. Allison was very quiet, not jumping in much but answering questions if directed just to her. She mentioned that Berkley books likes at least a year from contract to publication. Also she mentioned that they wouldn't be put off by someone who hasn't developed an online presence before contracting but would encourage them to get busy with it.

Leonore Waldrip is an assistant editor for Harlequin MIRA. She's on the lookout for projects with compelling voices, unique hooks and strong, relatable(her word, not mine) characters. Doesn't really narrow it down. I think she meant 'evocative.' She also encourages anyone wanting to get published to create an online presence. Lenore spoke briefly about the purchase of Harlequin by Harper Collins, claiming nothing had changed for her or any of their authors.

Jason Pinter represented his own publishing house, Polis Books. He actually did most of the talking during the panel, acting confident and knowledgeable. His press needs only six months to take a book from contract to publication. He doesn't respond to queries unless interested. His company is mostly a digital publisher and is interested in most commercial fiction though he is a successful thriller author himself. He made a point to a question that the YA genre doesn't do well in digital publishing compared to many other genres. Teenagers like books with paper.

I was shocked at the small number of people attending this panel. Two years ago when I sat on an agent panel, there were over fifty writers in the audience with endless questions. Was the poor attendance because people didn't care to hear those particular editors? Or are authors looking elsewhere on their writing journeys?

This panel provided little information of value to me. Jason Pinter also spoke at our Published Penns retreat luncheon. He comes across as intelligent and energetic. He's worked in the field since graduating college and knows his way around the publishing business. I would submit something to him if I had a manuscript ready.

Have you ever submitted to any of the above publishers? Why do you think the editors' panel was so poorly attended? What question would you ask any of the above if you had the chance? Do you use the word 'evocative' in your daily conversation?

What Day and Age?

How long has it been since I had to visit the post office and shell out over ten dollars for postage? How long since I had to stand in line with my white envelopes, two partials, one full, and wait for my turn to put them on the scale?
How long until the publisher receives them? How long until I get a response?
Two days ago, I replaced my ink cartridge once, opened a new ream of paper and spent a frustrating hour addressing envelopes, lining up the partials just right, and then stuffing a full 400 page manuscript in the Tyvek envelope and fuming.
One of the publishers I submitted to allowed me to do it online. Every other NY publisher I considered requested three chapters by mail and one wanted the entire thing for a first look. And to save me money (laughing without humor) they're all going to shred my manscript if they don't want it. I only had to enclose a business-sized stamped envelope for them to send back their rejection. My 500+ pages will be recycled. Do they think when they send it back ot me I throw it out? Don't they know I'll send the same pages onto to the next editor on my list of hopes and dreams? Unless of course they spill their coffee on it.
New York is finally on the ebook bandwagon, but when are they going to get on the paperless submission train? When are they going to set up an automatic response system so I know they received my novel without including a little postcard? Isn't one press of a key to delete a rejection easier than shredding a pound of paper?
I know many agents have started to go the online route but so many of the big publishing houses have embraced this convenient and cheap method of looking at new material. Any thoughts on when they will learn?