Welcome to Editor Sara Reinke
Welcome to our newest Editor Sara Reinke. We are excited to have Sara join our team of editors!
How did you get into this business and why?
I’ve always been an avid reader, and from early childhood, this inspired me to begin writing fiction of my own. Through the course of learning to revise my manuscripts in the pursuit of publication, I discovered an interest in editing, and in sharing with other writers the tricks and tips I’ve learned along the way. From there, a genuine passion developed.
To me, an author and editor are a team, working together to achieve the same, mutually beneficial goal: to tell a great story.
Unfortunately in my own writing career, I have worked with editors in the past who have not prescribed to this same philosophy. In particular, one of my earlier experiences was so negative that I questioned not only my manuscript, but my writing ability. I never want to be that kind of editor—and I never want an author to have that same kind of demoralizing, hurtful experience.
This doesn’t mean I sugar-coat things while editing. I don’t pull punches or mince words. If something doesn’t sound right, make sense, or work for me, I’m going to let you know. But at the same time, I’m going to explain why, and I’m going to offer recommendations for improvement that can help not only with the manuscript in question, but future works as well.
What do you look for when reading submissions?
A well-crafted story that opens with an irresistible hook gets me every time. Reading is an investment, not just of money on the part of a reader, but of time, as well. Additionally, readers invest emotionally in a good story. Think about Harry Potter. If readers didn’t care about what happened to him, identify with him, or empathize with his plight, then no one would have bothered to make it through The Sorcerer’s Stone, never mind any of the other books in the series.
With every word in every paragraph on every page, the author runs the risk of losing reader interest. And once it’s gone, there’s no guarantee of any second chance to reclaim it. A reader can close the book, set it aside, and never pick it up again. Worse—they may never buy another book by that author again.
A well-written story should be like the little line of Cheerio’s that Sully leaves out in Monsters Inc. to lure Boo into the bedroom. Each element—the narrative, dialogue, characters, plot, etc.—should all entice the reader to continue to invest their time and emotions. My job as an editor is to help authors fulfill that part of the bargain.
What can authors do to get you excited about working them?
Buy me chocolate! No, really—give me a story that opens with a bang, with action that hooks me from the very first sentence.
Housekeeping issues: Clean your manuscript up before submitting it so that simple things like grammatical errors don’t distract or detract from your story.
What is the best way for authors to reach out to you?
I’ve also set up a Twitter account that’s exclusively for my Everlasting/Fiery Seas work, so feel free to hit me up there, too: @editor_reinke
What are your pet peeves?
1. Disembodied body parts: His eyes wandered over to her, or Her hand fell against his shoulder. This makes it sound like the body part in question has somehow acted of its own volition, independent of the rest of the person. I always get the picture of Thing from The Addams Family in my head, the little hand that would pop out of a box to answer the phone, or crawl around like a spider on the floor because there was nothing to it above the wrist.
2. Unrealistic dialogue. Nothing makes me cringe more. It doesn’t matter how well-constructed your narrative is if your dialogue doesn’t sound like something a real person would actually say.
What would like to see in the forms of submissions?
I’m open to all romance submissions. More so than subgenre, I’m interested in a well-written, well-crafted story. Make me fall in love with your heroes, loathe your antagonists, and want to trade places with your heroines, both in and out of the bedroom.
What are you currently reading?
It by Stephen King. Really, it’s re-reading, but for the first time in a good 20 years.
Give us 5 facts about you that we may not know.
I own a 3-legged cat.
I am addicted to the Investigation Discovery TV channel.
I once shook hands with Nora Roberts.
I once laughed so hard, I peed my pants.
My kids have never let me forget #4.
What is your favorite genre?
I’m open to all romance submissions, but I really enjoy paranormal romance and urban fantasy.
What is your favorite type of hero and heroine?
I’m good with Alpha heroes, but I like to see the softer side of them. There’s something about discovering vulnerability in a big, strong, hulking hero that’s very endearing.
Beta heroes also work, as long as they find their inner reserve of strength and resolve along the way.
Anti-heroes are always intriguing (think Loki from the Thor movies).
I prefer independent heroines over damsels-in-distress any day. She might accept the hero’s help, but only because she wants it, not needs it. She doesn’t have to be flawlessly beautiful or a perfect size 3, but she does need to be intelligent. A smart mouth never hurts, either.
About Sara:
With more than 10 years of editing and copyediting experience, Sara Reinke has worked in all genres of fiction, and with authors ranging from established best-sellers to first-time novices. She enjoys building strong relationships with authors, and helping them not only to improve their craft, but further develop their careers. A past member of the National Board of Directors for Romance Writers of America, Sara holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication and a professional background in journalism that includes 13 years as associate editor for a regionally produced travel publication. She currently works as a Registered Nurse specializing in poison information and toxicological emergencies, which she thinks is almost as cool as writing or editing. Almost.
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