I mean, what if my IDEA or my story is great, but my writing is average? Will the publisher help me out, or will they make me write a better story? I hope this doesn’t sound like a stupid question. 
Thanks in advance!
While my first completed manuscript was snapped up by a major N.Y. publisher and did not require any revisions, my second, third, and fourth manuscripts (completes, not proposals) were rejected before I started selling again. Here’s the salient fact: my writing DID NOT CHANGE. It was the stories themselves that were deemed not good enough for publication.
It’s true that a certain level of competence in writing is necessary for publication. But after that, the story is king. How else can we explain the fact that while literary types criticize Dan Brown for sloppy research and poor writing, EVERYONE has read The DaVinci Code?
The story’s the thing.
March 7th, 2010 at 8:48 am
the plot and the story is more important they can rework the writing aspect sort of when like when they edit a movie
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disgusted at yahoo answers.
March 7th, 2010 at 9:11 am
Well, publishers look for quality in both, but the plot has to be especially good. If your writing is not good at all though, or even just average, publishers will (most likely) not accept your book
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March 7th, 2010 at 9:45 am
It’s not a stupid question at all…I think to a publisher both your writing and the plot is important…The plot because that’s what will make the story sell,so it has to be good enough to pop out at people…Then your writing may only be average but with the right plot you can make it great…I think you making the deadline would be more important then anything.
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March 7th, 2010 at 10:22 am
Publishers look for both, but moreso at the plot.
However, if your basic writing is horrible, they’re just going to throw your story on the trash pile. If they can’t get past the first 2 pages without finding a ton of mistakes, then your story won’t matter. It will get tossed.
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March 7th, 2010 at 11:09 am
Marketability and profit are the main concerns of any publishing house . Your assigned editor will proofread and make recommendations accordingly .
Keep on keeping on .
:0)
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March 7th, 2010 at 11:53 am
Your publisher would probably look over your work and then in more cases than not will try to tweak it a little bit, but it is very unlikely they will make you write a better story, also if you have a great idea then your writing will be better…
So good luck, hope i helped a little bit lol xoxo
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March 7th, 2010 at 12:21 pm
Here’s the thing, they kind of go hand in hand. If you’ve got a great plot, but you’re too poor a writer to make it as interesting as it could be, then you don’t have a marketable manuscript. If you have a weak story, but your writing is beautiful, then you don’t have a marketable manuscript.
You need to develop both in order to be a successful author.
And your publisher and editor don’t have time to babysit you and fix all the little things that you ought to know. They want professional work, so know the tools of your trade, i.e. your language, grammar and vocabulary.
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Published author
March 7th, 2010 at 12:30 pm
While my first completed manuscript was snapped up by a major N.Y. publisher and did not require any revisions, my second, third, and fourth manuscripts (completes, not proposals) were rejected before I started selling again. Here’s the salient fact: my writing DID NOT CHANGE. It was the stories themselves that were deemed not good enough for publication.
It’s true that a certain level of competence in writing is necessary for publication. But after that, the story is king. How else can we explain the fact that while literary types criticize Dan Brown for sloppy research and poor writing, EVERYONE has read The DaVinci Code?
The story’s the thing.
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I’m a published novelist.
March 7th, 2010 at 1:06 pm
the plot. You can improve on the writing later – just WRITE, WRITE AND WRITE that great idea of yours. Finish it. Don’t stop until you do. Don’t give up.
Once you’ve finished you can read it over again and then edit it. Keep editing it until it sounds perfectly good to you.
good luck!
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March 7th, 2010 at 1:40 pm
Brenda makes a good point.
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