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susie bower's avatar

This is great, thank you Phoebe! Now I'm going to be brave and ask if you'd be up for doing a post about communication in publishing. It used to be that you'd always hear a definite answer when your manuscript went out on submission to editors: I know a lot of writers who are in this position, and many are not hearing anything, even months after the editor has said they're reading and enjoying and their agent has nudged. I'm sure you never do this - but from an author's point of view, it's so bad for our mental health and self-esteem to send work into what appears to be a void. I totally understand that editors are often overworked, but a simple form rejection would be pretty easy to send. With no response, authors are in limbo, not knowing whether editors are still interested or have rejected our manuscript. It's so important to receive a clear yes or no: rejections sting, but they give closure.

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Ellie Levenson's avatar

This is so so helpful - thank you. I often have to remind myself that everyone working on my book will be a 'normal' person like me, rather than unapproachable demi-gods, and have their own worries and concerns.

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