Planet Pulp interview
By Joe Nassise
(Appeared December 2002)
PPM: Many of our readers are familiar with your name and work but for
those who might not be, could you tell us how your arrived where you are
today?
ED: I was fiction editor of OMNI Magazine and OMNI Internet for over
fifteen years. While there I worked with a remarkable range of writers
in and sometimes out of genre. After OMNI folded, I started a webzine
with four of my former OMNI colleagues: Pamela Weintraub, Kathleen
Stein, and Rob Killheffer. We named it Event Horizon and although Rob
and I worked on the editorial aspects, Pam and Kathy both worked behind
the scenes. We were able to fund it for about 1 1/1 years by producing
online conventions and other web-related work but then ran out of money,
couldn't get funding, and pulled the plug. Just at that time I was
offered the job as fiction editor of SCIFI.COM and have been so for
about two years now.
I also have been editing original anthologies since around 1989.
PPM: As an editor, what do you see as your biggest responsibility to
your publication? What do you see as your biggest responsibility to the
writers you work with? Are the two compatible?
ED: As an editor my responsibility to my publication and my readers
is to publish the best fiction (whether it be sf/f for SCIFI.COM and
some of my anthologies or horror for other anthologies) I can find. This
includes providing a showcase for talented writers both seasoned and
relatively new.
My responsibility to my writers is to encourage them even if a
particular story doesn't work, point out how their work can be better,
point out flaws that can be fixed. Basically, to edit them and treat
them with respect and make sure their work goes through production
without hitch (and let them know of any copy editing
suggestions/queries). Also, to ensure they get paid in a timely manner.
Yes, they're usually pretty compatible. I've never worked for a
corporation (or would) that made me betray my writers, if that's what
you mean.
PPM: What do you consider the most difficult aspect of being an editor?
ED: Saying "no" to stories by people I like.
PPM: In looking back over the last few years, what do you see as the
most common mistakes new writers make submitting to the speculative
fiction market? How about the veterans?
ED: Writing poorly. Not checking out the market. Not reading
guidelines. I get really sick of having to email writers who submit
stories without enclosing a self-addressed-stamped envelope. If there's
a contact email I'll let the writer know that we will NOT read a
submission unless there is an sase. If there isn't an email address I
toss the story without looking at it, cursing while I do it. I've had at
least one person argue with me that my demanding an sase was a power
trip. Huh? No....all I ask is for writers to read our guidelines which
are quite clear.
No special common mistakes other than sending out sloppy work.
PPM: You've been active in the anthology markets for some time now,
not just with YBFH but also with such notable works as A WOLF AT THE
DOOR, THE GREEN MAN, and SIRENS. Do you think the anthology market is
improving in the US? What do you see as the latest trends in this area?
ED: I think the anthology market is about the same, although the YA
and children's markets seem to be growing a bit. It's just as hard for
me to sell an anthology idea as it ever was although certain of my
anthologies continue to sell and remain in print. Notably, the first
three adult fairy tale anthologies Terri Windling and I co-edited still
bring in royalties twice a year. And those three titles continue to be
reprinted.
PPM: You've submitted more than your fair share of proposals for
anthology projects. What do you consider the top four must-dos when
attempting to place an anthology?
ED: First of all, make sure you really want to do this. That you have
the time and energy and skills to edit a good anthology. This means
hands-on editing, not just taking everything that comes your way. If you
don't know the business side of anthology editing find out about it.
Plenty of editors are willing to help a newcomer.
Write a tight proposal giving your credentials and why your anthology is
different from others.
Get the writers you would like to get into the anthology to give you a
tentative commitment to write for it (many of them don't come through
but it's still a good idea to mention them) as long as you make it clear
that there's no guarantee that so and so WILL produce.
Figure out how much you are willing to work for and work out the
finances. That way you can backtrack and figure out how large an advance
you need to produce the anthology. Do NOT work for no advance. Take the
money up front. Most anthologies do NOT earn out and pay royalties.
PPM : I understand you have another anthology project forthcoming
called THE DARK. What can you tell us about it?
ED: THE DARK is an all original anthology of scary ghost stories. I'd
been reading a lot of ghost stories over a few years and found that very
few were creepy-they were more moving. Nothing wrong with that but I
wanted to be creeped out so embarked on putting together an anthology
that deliberately attempted to do that. It was a very hard sell and it
took me about three years to sell it.
It's about 140,000 words and I'm very happy with it. The book will be
published by Tor in time for Halloween 2003. I've got stories by Tanith
Lee, Ramsey Campbell, Jack Cady, Glen Hirshberg, Stephen Gallagher,
Gahan Wilson, Sharyn McCrumb, Lucius Shepard, Joyce Carol Oates, Kathe
Koja, Charles L. Grant, and others.
PPM: You edit for both SCIFI.COM and for print publications. Do you
approach these two mediums any differently? Do you have a personal
preference for which medium you like working in better?
ED: I love editing short fiction. To me, it doesn't matter whether I
work online or in print. Words are words. You read them in whatever
medium they appear.
PPM: For some time you've been both a member of the SFWA and the
HWA. Do you see organizations such as these as beneficial to a genre
writer? What impact do you see these organizations having on the
business side of publishing?
ED: I think joining a professional organization can help writers who
are physically isolated. The best organizations provide a rooting
gallery and useful information on publishers, agents, scams, markets,
etc. They should support authors with grievances against publishers.
ALthough the organization may not have any real power the power of
public opinion can certainly help change some negative aspects of
publishing.
PPM: These same organizations issue awards each year and you've
certainly won your share of them. (More World Fantasy Awards than you
could shake a stick at, a Bram Stoker award, multiple Hugo nominations,
etc.) What do you see as the impact of such awards on a writer or
editor's career?
ED: I don't think there is any monetary impact from any of these
awards but being nominated or winning a major award-especially for an
editor-is an encouragement (at least to me personally) that I'm on the
right track. That what I do makes a difference. I'd been nominated many
times over the years for the Hugo Award and never won. While I very much
appreciated the nominations I was surprised at how please I was this
past year to have actually won. Awards can also help an editor retain
the positive attention and possibly respect of her employer.
PPM: Each issue of Planet Pulp lists conventions and conferences
across the United States. Time and time again we are asked to recommend
the best ones for a writer to attend. Are there any particular
conventions you think are especially beneficial to a
beginning writer?
ED: My favorite conventions are Readercon held in July in the Boston
area, World Fantasy Convention (wherever it is), the Stoker Award
weekend, and the sf Worldcon. Readercon is just fun and serious about
reading. The others provide the most varied connections to editors,
agents, artists, and authors.
PPM: As an editor, if you could change one aspect of the publishing
world, what would it be?
ED: Short fiction would pay more across the board.
