Toni Morrison is in the news again! Did I mention I love her? You should know that I will probably share her news too much. I will try to temper myself.
Anyway. Toni Morrison, author extraordinaire has a new book out…
“I’m not the marching type anyway. So when I went into publishing, I thought, the best I can do is to publish the works of those who are out there – like Angela Davis, Huey Newton – and the literature. And let it be edited by someone who understands the language, and understands the culture.”
Toni mentions something really important for writers to grasp in that quote: “someone who understands the language, and understands the culture.” No matter what you are writing about, make sure that the editor you pick understands your voice, where you are coming from and, when it’s culturally relevant, that they understand that relevancy. A good editor should be a good fit to the work. Don’t take a rejection as a knock at your work. The truth is that most editors turn you down because that is not their kind of book. They would not do right by your work. So when seeking a publisher and editor and all of that, make sure that you research their background. It goes far beyond knowing how to use a semi-colon properly.