One of the goals for many new writers is to get an editor at one of the big, New York publishers to read their manuscript. Lo and behold, my first book got just such a read. Acceptance day was indeed a joyous day.
Some weeks later, I received a letter from the editor. Not one of those canned letters: “This just doesn’t fit our current publishing schedule.” No, this was a personal letter. He was quick to say he would not be considering my book for publication. But, he was willing to give me a reason.
It was too unrealistic. Well, it was a murder mystery, set mainly in New York, and involving a highly prized professional athlete. I quickly scanned the story in my mind looking for this problem. What was unrealistic? Fortunately, the editor was kind enough to explain his objection. And I had to read it three times to come to grips with his objection regarding realism. He said, and I quote, “You have this person talking to his computer.”
Unrealistic? Perhaps, I should have said, “Yelling at the computer.” Or maybe screaming at the inanimate, pain in the neck, machine. Maybe a threat to toss it in the rubbish bin if it displayed another 401 error, or the simple, and very helpful, “Something went wrong.” That might be more realistic.
Was this editor from the dark ages? Had he ever used a computer? Perhaps the victim in my murder mystery should have been a computer – or an editor.
But this man was the gatekeeper for a large New York book publisher. And for that particular company, I was locked out. My central character was too unrealistic. Who could identify with him?
I finally decided that this was a 107-year-old editor who thought computers read holes punched into paper tape and why would I even have a human interact with a machine? Perhaps I should have labeled the book as fantasy.
Scrap that book. Begin on the next book. And let the writer stay silent if he had a beef with his machine.
A true story, highlighting the tough life of a writer. Care to comment?
I loved reading this, Jim. I was just talking to my computer saying, “Why can’t you just move those damn toolbars for me since I can’t figure out how to do it.” As for your book being rejected, unless your character spoke to his computer throughout the whole text, I can’t see that as unrealistic. Not at all. You were obviously more with the tech age than that editor was. Did you eventually publish that first book? If not, be proud: you’ve published so much and such good work! Thanks for sharing this story.
No. I did not overdo it. But I think the editor didn’t really use a computer. To answer hour question, no, I did not publish that book. After I let it sit for awhile, and wrote another book, I went back to it. Alas, at that point, I decided it wasn’t as good as I first thought it was, so I trashed it. But, the second book did get published. Thanks for the nice note. I appreciate it.
jim
Oh, sure; as a computer professional, with like 20 years behind me dealing with computers, I find myself “speaking” those damn boxes and/or laptops almost all the time 🙂 Especially for the bad, when they do something I find to be wrong, or plain dumb (obviously not the fault of the metal, but of the software that “animates” that box). Some of the words I emit are not very easy to be written down on paper :-))
So the point of that obnoxious fellow that rejected you story …. I find ludicrous, so much so that I ask you to nominate him.
Thanks for the comment. Most of us – who really use a computer – have had times when we have “spoken” to the computer in rather unflattering terms. And you are right – it is mostly to the software that “animates” the hardware. But I can be unhappy with both hardware and software. Again, thanks.
jim
HA!HA! Interesting story, Jim! Yes, I talk to my computer sometimes, then worry because I wonder if someone in there is “listening” to my words since they are not always what I would want anyone to hear coming out of mouth!