R+R Etiquette

I wouldn't send her a snippet: she's already given you guidance. I'd just do the revision and send it in.

What clarification do you need? Didn't the editor suggest anything?

Jeff

Bishop, if the editor wasn't clear in her request I wonder, now, if you're mistaking a kindly form rejection for an R&R. I am probably making something out of nothing, but if you were to copy her note here we'd be able to judge better.

I realise that if this is the case you're going to feel horrible, but I hope that's better than making a mistake by reworking and resubmitting your work.

Honestly, I would not ask for clarification.

Go over your manuscript with a fine toothed comb. Examine each scene for relevance and see if you can objectively apply the critique given and make it better.

You have to be able to self-edit. Even when working with an editor after a book is sold, some feedback will be very generic. "Make this more X" or "start with the action in this scene" or "There's not enough conflict in the first half of the book, make it stronger" or "the internal conflict is resolved too soon, draw it out a little longer." You're the writer, it's your job to be able to take the feedback an editor gives you and apply it judiciously.

Telling vs. showing is a big deal. Don't say someone was angry, describe his red face and clenched fists, the little muscle twitches in his face.

If there isn't enough action and dialogue, you are spending too much time describing things that aren't moving the plot. Every scene should move the plot, especially in a novella, when you're working with fewer words to get the job done. When you read a scene, ask yourself why it is there, does it move the plot?

These are things that you as a writer need to be able to do, not just for this book, but for future books as well.

If it were me, I would definitely ask for clarification, just some questions that you're not sure of. Then proceed with the R&R. I wouldn't send a snippet, that's asking too much from the editor, I think.

If you're doing a lot of telling, more so then showing, you have a lot of revisions ahead of you. Good Luck with it!

It does sound more like an encouraging rejection to me, but it does also sound like the editor is leaving the door open. But with the suggestions they're making, it also sounds like the revisions they want are pretty major. Hard to say without reading the actual email.

Good luck!

Agh, guess I came here too late. While my story is a little different (R&R from agent not pub), I just wanted to chime in. I got an R&R requested with 2 page long suggestions but still wanted clarification. I e-mailed the agent back thanking her for her time and revision suggestions and also asked if we could talk more about them. She was willing and we discussed the notes further. What I'm saying, JB, is it doesn't always hurt to ask for a little more clarification (i.e. "You suggested this; do you have an example of how this could improve" etc).

Good luck!

In case, I'm ahead of your reply, I'd also ask. It would be worse to revise off the mark and confuse or confound the editor later than to ask a simple question or two now. "Is the prologue included in your suggestion? Do you have specific examples of areas within the manuscript that need work or is it a far reaching issue?"