I’m listening to Michell Plested’s podcast interview with Dave Sakmyster over on Get Published. Dave’s new book SILVER AND GOLD was a pleasure to work on, and it was recently released by Dragon Moon Press.
I’m flattered by the mention I receive in the interview — completely unsolicited, I promise! At around 29:15:
Dave Sakmyster: The only part I don’t like, being a writer – but it’s a necessary part – is the rewriting and editing part. And… now, some people like that, but I think of it as a big chore. I understand the value of it, because that’s where, really, the polishing and all the improvements happen. I’ve got to just set myself away and have time to really go through it and really polish it up. I love the creative part, but then it’s like the other side of the brain where I’ve really got to sit and correct all the semantics and make sure the words are right and it’s flowing properly.
Michell Plested: I completely understand. I know the book I just finished editing, I don’t know how many times I’ve been through it, but I’m not sure I really ever want to see it again — even after it’s in print.
DS: That’s why I was so grateful that Dragon Moon had a great editor this time — Gabrielle Harbowy — that helped me out. I’ve been through this book a million times, I thought I had it perfect, and she took a few passes at it and found all these things that I had missed. I was, like, so glad she had looked at it before it went to publication.
My goal is always to help a manuscript live up to its full potential, and when a writer I’ve worked with takes the time to credit me for being a positive influence on the final shape of the novel, I know I’ve achieved that. Being acknowledged by the writer always feels really good.
But, this interview isn’t about me!
Michell and Dave also talk about submissions and rejection letters, writing contests, and agents. Dave talks about the author’s responsibility to promote and market his own book, and shares some good ways to go about it. Take a listen!
In other news, the release date of Chris Jackson’s SCIMITAR MOON is being moved up so that it can make its print debut at Dragon*Con. It’s still so wet-around-the-edges that Amazon doesn’t even have the cover art yet:
In addition to working with the author and editing the manuscript, SCIMITAR MOON marked my first time working with the designer, (in this case, Alex White, DMP’s new Art Director!) and providing input on the direction of the cover. This is another book that I’m proud to have worked on. I hope you’ll enjoy reading both of these books as much as I have.
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