Editorese to English, Lesson I

When an editor (i.e. me) says "not quite what I'm looking for," she may mean:

• This is so poorly proofread I can't believe you thought it was ready for publication.
• I'm underwhelmed.
• I didn't get it. Was that supposed to be a pun at the end?
• I'm underwhelmed.
• This isn't even the right genre what the heck people it's in the magazine's URL/header!
• I'm underwhelmed.
• This is a perfectly good story. However, I know what I want for my magazine and I know this isn't it, though I can't give a specific reason why or how.

What I've learned today while reading slush:

• A lot of recent submissions to Mirror Dance and Lacuna have been underwhelming.
• There is no polite way to say that someone's writing is underwhelming.

Monday, August 06, 2012

editing, honesty, preaching to the invisible choir