Thank You, Editors both Near and Far

By Annette Cole Mastron, Communications Director for Southern Writers Magazine

Today is my favorite editor’s birthday. Do you remember to thank your editor, not just after a project is done, but throughout the year?

An NPR article on editors shows just how valuable editors are to an author’s success. As the article states, “spending time getting a book noticed doesn't mean an editor doesn't edit. She often does most of the hands-on work at night or on weekends. And it begins when a proposal or rough draft is first submitted for consideration.”

"The first task is [to] just take it at face value: What is this writer trying to say? What is the project of this book?" Saletan explains. "Once you understand that, then you have to make tough decisions: Is this a good idea? Will there be an audience for it? Is this the right person to tell the story? Do they have the ability? If they don't have the ability, what's lacking? What can you bring to it? That's all the initial phase of evaluation. What I'm looking for is a mind that is capable of grappling with the structure of something as big as a book."

“But in today's competitive book market writers need an extra edge. So some literary agents, like Chris Parris-Lamb of the Gernert Co., give a client's book its first edit.”

"I don't see what I do as substituting for the editor," Parris-Lamb says. "I want to make sure we have an editor."

“The editor has the power to accept or reject a book, says Parris-Lamb, so he needs to give his writers every advantage. He wants to be sure the manuscript that is being offered to publishing companies is as good as it can be.”

"After I've taken something on and before we send it out, we say: Let's take another look at this," he says. "Let's go through this really closely and let's spend some time before this goes from being a Word document in my inbox to a book that we're sending out to publishers."

If you’re giving yourself a head slap because you haven’t thought to thank your editor. No worries. It’s never too late to show an editor kindness by just saying thank you for helping you become a better writer. So, Happy Birthday, Lily, I appreciate your talents as an editor! I also want to gratefully thank my editors, Susan and Doyne at Southern Writers Magazine.

I’d love to hear praises from you about what your editor has done for you.

Thank You, American Express

By Annette Cole Mastron, Communications Director for Southern Writers Magazine

Every year in America the holiday gift buying season traditionally kicks off with Thanksgiving's long weekend. This year the big box stores tried to get a jump on holiday shoppers’ money by opening on Thanksgiving. This move may have been responsible for the reported flat "Black Friday" sales. 

Thanks to American Express's Shop Small movement: AMEX card members are encouraged via incentives, to shop at small businesses that accept AMEX on "Small Business Saturday," occurring on the Saturday following "Black Friday." The 2014 program incentives for card holders with any AMEX purchase over $10 at a registered AMEX small business, the individual card holder will receive a credit of $10 on their credit card statement. Millions of individual card holders have helped small businesses capture sales activity that otherwise might have gone to bigger box retailers. American Express offers small businesses marketing activities for free so they can plan for a successful "Shop Small Saturday" experience. A win-win for both the consumer and small business in your community. 

The Internet makes it convenient to shop and big box stores have great sales. However, let's face it, if we as a community don't support local small businesses they will not be sustainable and we will lose small businesses that make a communities unique. 

What does Shop Small Saturday have to do with writing? I chose to participate in this year's AMEX "Shop Small" by making purchases at our local independent book stores. 

Why? I'm not just a writer, first I'm a reader. As a reader it's fun to spend time in a bookstore perusing through the offerings. Putting your hands on books, comparing cover art and reading the teasers on the back of the books gives you a sense of ownership in the gift you purchase. It also gives the author, in you a chance to do research. What cover art catches your attention? Would you have started the book with that first paragraph? Would you have rewritten the teaser of the latest best-seller?  

Of course, the interaction with bookstore employees can't be found via an Internet review. Sometimes a face to face recommendation is crucial in the search for the "perfect read" to match the right gift to each person on your gift list. Our independent booksellers gift-wrap as a perk which saves the effort and expense of gift wrapping.

Independent booksellers may only represent 3-5% of a publisher's sales but they are the locals, who can champion a publishers' titles and creating book buzz for authors. Word of mouth can be the vehicle to make a small book, huge. Your local independent book sellers, support local authors by publicizing and granting book-signings at their venues and highlighting them in their email newsletters. 

Independent bookstores matter to your community, to readers and you, the author. The only way they will survive and thrive is if we spend some of our gift-giving dollars within the walls of your local independent booksellers. 

Thank You

By Susan Reichert, Editor-in-Chief for Southern Writers Magazine

I have met some wonderful authors these past three years. They have graciously shared with me their stories, their disappointments and their successes. One thing they all have in common is their willingness to share with others their secrets of success. But, they took it one-step further. They shared what didn’t work. Hoping this would help others who were on the writing path to avoid the same pitfalls.

Zig Ziglar, an author, salesman and motivational speaker said, “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.”

What so many people don’t realize is the more you give away the more you get. It’s when you try to hide it that it withers and eventually goes away.

When we are so focused on ourselves, we miss all the opportunities that come our way.

Our blog is called Suite T, the author’s blog. Why? Because we wanted authors to have the opportunity to share with other authors things they have learned that have benefited them and helped them be successful in their writing and in their marketing of their books. These same writers share with us things that did not work and why.

We can learn from each other in this blog.  We also have an opportunity to create relationships on this blog and to let each other know when we appreciate something they’ve said that helps us in our writing, our marketing and promotion. Who knows what doors of opportunity might open. The authors who post here are so graciously willing to share with us all these things.

I for one want all of you who have posted to know, how very much I appreciate your passing on to us the things you have learned, the things that work for you and even sharing the things that didn’t work. For giving me an opportunity to learn from you.

“You’ve helped me be a better writer.”

Thank you.

Social Media: A Place for Gratitude

by Shannon Milholland, Social Media Director

"I was wr-r-r-r-r-r," the Fonz would stammer. Somehow words like wrong and sorry just didn't fit his cool persona. Decades later, I bet we could add, "Thank you" to the list of things too difficult or inconvenient for the coolest among us to utter.

Avoiding the word thanks, however, is a big mistake in social media. A grateful heart returns favors, touts another's success and remembers to say, "Th-th-th-th-th-thank you." When your online attitude becomes gratitude, you will multiply your opportunities which require a thank you.

So before you rush off to buy 10 Blue Ray Disc players or 14 Barbie dolls, join every turkey not eaten yesterday and say thanks to someone online. That move will make you even cooler than Arthur Fonzarelli.