Harlequin: You Must Submit

           Harlequin Special Edition wants me to do edits on Coming Attractions, then resubmit. This is not a guarantee they’ll buy it.

            But it’s also not a rejection, and gets me a step closer. The editorial assistant used such words as “loved”, “skill”, and “write very well”, which ain’t too shabby when accompanied by “I would welcome a revised manuscript”.

            Then there are those two long paragraphs detailing what she didn’t like. Some of the problems were niggling at the back of my own mind, which tells me I should have listened to my internal editor from the first. But a few suggestions include major, moving the whole book around stuff, of the “months of revisions” variety.

            So, am I going to do all that work, or move on to a different publisher and try again with the story as it stands?

            Well, it’s Harlequin, man!

            Yes, I’m aware some writers hate Harlequin. No, I’m not afraid to take a pass. However, the editor is absolutely right about almost all the concerns she mentioned. I’d be a fool not to take advantage of that critique, make the changes, and try it again … so that’s what I’m going to do. However, I’ll probably start by making the obviously needed changes, save that version, and then go on with a new Harlequin version.

I guess free time will be out of the question between now and the holidays.