If You Can't Say Something Nice...

In the interest of branching out and trying something new, I sent a manuscript to a publisher (who will remain unnamed) under a different pseudonym.

After waiting several weeks, I receive an email asking for edits and resubmission. Okay, I can live with that. The edits weren't bad, so I complied, making the required changes and re-sending my manuscript. Another several weeks go by before I receive yet another email asking for additional changes. While I do not have a problem making necessary edits, I do have a problem with someone trying to rewrite my story and my characters.

I was asked to remove sentiments, endearments, and anything else that may show some form of emotion. Uh...really? Sorry, not my style. Then I was asked to remove three supporting characters because they "served no purpose." Okay. Considering they play a huge role in tying the plot together, I think they served a purpose. The editor then goes on to tell me that I need to delete not a paragraph, not a scene, but three, THREE, pivotal chapters, because - again - they "serve no purpose." Hmm, the three chapters were not consecutive, but spaced throughout the manuscript, and held most of the major plot points of the storyline.

I write back and politely decline further changes, stating that I will be taking my manuscript elsewhere. I ignorantly believe this is the end of my association with said publisher. Alas, no. I receive a fairly nasty follow up letter, stating that these were standard edits and hinted that I should have been thrilled to bend over backward to please them. The email then goes on to say that it is highly unlikely that my story will be published by any other company, I need to strengthen my writing style before submitting future works, and basically not to bother submitting to them again. Yeah, no problem there!

I have since submitted my story to Siren and am currently awaiting a response. Sometimes it's best to just stick with what you know.