Here's a question for contest winners: Once your story was accepted, what was the next step in having it published in the anthology? How much was your story edited, and by whom? In short, what is the typical post-acceptance process?
Asking for a friend. 😉
Hey there! Good question, and I'm sure it differs a little for everyone. For me, acceptance was followed by working with the editor, Dean, and going back and forth a little bit on areas to improve / edits to make, such as cutting certain parts or retooling descriptions. After the changes were made and agreed on, Meliva did the copyediting and proofing. Once that was finished, she sent me copies with tracked changes for my approval. After that, I believe she sent the stories out to advance readers, and took some of their suggestions to me as well, and we applied a few of those. A very important part of this whole process was reading it aloud before any of the proofing - I was asked to go over it a few times myself to see what I could catch. I was surprised how many errors and inconsistencies popped out during that readthrough. So that helped a lot.
Besides all that, they will ask for a bio, and go through a similar process to tighten it up for publication.
Overall it was a good process, they kept me in the loop and it was very collaborative.
“Stories are the collective wisdom of everyone who has ever lived. Your job as a storyteller is not simply to entertain. Nor is it to be noticed for the way your turn a phrase. You have a very important job—one of the most important. Your job is to let people know that everyone shares their feelings—and that these feelings bind us. Your job is a healing art, and like all healers, you have a responsibility. Let people know they are not alone. You must make people understand that we are all the same.”
Brian McDonald
2022: Second Place Winner V39 Q1
2021: HM, HM, SHM
2020: R
2019: SHM, R
2018: HM
2017: HM
Check out my fiction and more at spencersekulin.net
Thanks for your detailed response.This is exactly what I was hoping to learn. It's gratifying to know that such guidance is available to a fledgling writer.
Several authors I admire have recommended the technique of reading aloud, as you described, to improve one's writing. I tried it with the last story I wrote and caught several errors and awkward constructions.
Once again, thanks for taking the time to provide your helpful response. The degree of camaraderie among this group is impressive. I'm very happy to be a part of it.
For me, acceptance was followed by ...
Overall it was a good process, they kept me in the loop and it was very collaborative.
Thank you for the information. I hope to do a write-up like this someday myself. Fingers crossed ...
"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right."~ Henry Ford
2024 - V41 - Q1-RWC, Q2-Submitted, Q3-WIP, Q4-?
2023 - V40 - Q1-HM, Q2-HM, Q3-R, Q4-HM
2022 - V39 - Q1-SHM, Q2-HM, Q3-SF, Q4-HM
2021 - V38 - Q4-HM
2020 - V37 - Q2-R
What Spencer said.
One thing to keep in mind, and we've talked about it here before, is if any portion of your story is rated R, it will be brought down to PG or PG-13. You will be involved in that process, but the process will happen. The F word, for example, will not make the final cut.
As for reading aloud, my trick is to print my story in a different font than what I wrote it in (I write in Courier, read in Times). Then I am not only hearing the words, but also seeing them differently twice (Not on screen, different font). Errors pop off the page at that point.
Career:
1x Win
2x NW-F
2x S-F
9x S-HM
11x HM
7x R
As for reading aloud, my trick is to print my story in a different font than what I wrote it in (I write in Courier, read in Times). Then I am not only hearing the words, but also seeing them differently twice (Not on screen, different font). Errors pop off the page at that point.
I like this trick. I also like having someone else read it out loud to me. It can be tough finding someone willing, but fortunately I have several minions that owe me their life 😆 It's great because I've read a paragraph twenty times, and never seen the double "and" (or whatever), but someone else will (nearly) always see it.
VOL 40 2nd Quarter: Third Place ("Ashes to Ashes, Blood to Carbonfiber")
Past submissions: R - HM - HM - HM - HM - HM - SHM - SHM
www.jd-writes.com
my trick is to print my story in a different font than what I wrote it in
That's a fantastic suggestion! I always read my stories out loud, but I'm sure I read some sentences how I perceived them to be written, missing some clunkity-clunk-clunks. I'm gonna give that a shot.
I have several minions that owe me their life
Website: https://www.jeschleicher.com/
Blog: https://www.jeschleicher.com/dopaminesdelight
V40: Q1 3rd Place Winner ("Squiddy")
V39: SHM, HM, HM, HM
V38: HM, SHM, HM, HM
V37: R, R, HM, HM
V36: R
As for reading aloud, my trick is to print my story in a different font than what I wrote it in (I write in Courier, read in Times). Then I am not only hearing the words, but also seeing them differently twice (Not on screen, different font). Errors pop off the page at that point.
Great idea. I am going to start doing this.
"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right."~ Henry Ford
2024 - V41 - Q1-RWC, Q2-Submitted, Q3-WIP, Q4-?
2023 - V40 - Q1-HM, Q2-HM, Q3-R, Q4-HM
2022 - V39 - Q1-SHM, Q2-HM, Q3-SF, Q4-HM
2021 - V38 - Q4-HM
2020 - V37 - Q2-R
As for reading aloud, my trick is to print my story in a different font than what I wrote it in (I write in Courier, read in Times). Then I am not only hearing the words, but also seeing them differently twice (Not on screen, different font). Errors pop off the page at that point.
Nice tip! I will have to try this
R: 2 / HM: 6 / SHM: 2
Published stories:
"Drunk Scentless" - Daily Science Fiction (June 2021)
"Interview with the Vampire Hunter" - Every Day Fiction (October 2021)
"Dutch Courage" - 365tomorrows (August 2022)
I like this trick. I also like having someone else read it out loud to me. It's can be tough finding someone willing, but fortunately I have several minions that owe me their life 😆
love it!
R: 2 / HM: 6 / SHM: 2
Published stories:
"Drunk Scentless" - Daily Science Fiction (June 2021)
"Interview with the Vampire Hunter" - Every Day Fiction (October 2021)
"Dutch Courage" - 365tomorrows (August 2022)
@tj_knight Oh snap, that's a good idea. Helps me catch those errors that don't show up as spelling mistakes.
“Stories are the collective wisdom of everyone who has ever lived. Your job as a storyteller is not simply to entertain. Nor is it to be noticed for the way your turn a phrase. You have a very important job—one of the most important. Your job is to let people know that everyone shares their feelings—and that these feelings bind us. Your job is a healing art, and like all healers, you have a responsibility. Let people know they are not alone. You must make people understand that we are all the same.”
Brian McDonald
2022: Second Place Winner V39 Q1
2021: HM, HM, SHM
2020: R
2019: SHM, R
2018: HM
2017: HM
Check out my fiction and more at spencersekulin.net
