Interesting blog post from Angela James, Editor at Carina Press, on asking writers to revise and resubmit their mss prior to acquisition.

http://carinapress.com/blog/2011/01/what-does-it-mean-when-youre-asked-to-revise-and-resubmit/

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I should say '....resubmit their mss with no guarantee of acquisition'

Good article, thanks.
G

Yes, really interesting article. I think it reflects at one level on the fact that editors receive not only many more submissions than in the past, but also many that are a long way from being publishable. Which means the author needs to accept that they probably need to do more work on their book before expecting someone to pay them for it.

In some ways, it might help if authors considered that they're tendering for a contract, rather than offering a finished product for payment on their terms. If you're tendering, you accept it means putting in a lot of good work without a promise of getting the job. You're also not be phased if the contractor comes back and asks you to do some more work on the tender before they make a decision.

Terry

Well, phased, perhaps (a phase of the process) but definitely not fazed.

Thanks, Gaius. I'm in the middle of writing a commissioned romance at the moment and must be at a more giddy phase in the process than I'd realised.

Chick-lit? lol

You don't honestly think I'd admit to writing chick lit here, do you? Actually, this is more like family saga romance. It's the weirdest assignment I've ever undertaken; more details when I'm able to give them!

Terry

I do remember a thread where someone noted you disliked chick-lit, so I did wonder!

So, you're writing a Catherine Cookson-type family saga, with a modern twist?