My editing internship at Musa Publishing has resulted in a new position being created just for me. I am officially the Publication Coordinator for Urania, Musa’s science fiction and fantasy imprint. (Excuse me for a moment while I indulge in an undignified squee).
What is a Publication Coordinator? Well, it’s a “mixed bag” kind of position. I’m still in training, but here’s a breakdown of my duties:
1) Promotion and Marketing for the Urania imprint
This means getting the word out about Urania’s books, fostering readership & sales, and building a reputation for the imprint amongst the specfic community. (Hopefully a good reputation.)
2) Promotion, Marketing, Ad Sales, and regular sales for Penumbra eMagazine.
This means the same as above but also selling ads to help Penumbra sustain itself (which might also increase author payments) and building a bigger subscription list for the magazine. So, “buy, buy, buy!” (Yeah, I know it requires more work than that).
NOTE: I’m going to keep most of the promotional stuff off this blog because I don’t want to have this place be just another mouthpiece for Musa. But I will make one or two initial posts just to get it out of my system before returning to my regular ranting.
3) Acquisitions Editor
That’s right, my friends. I am acquisitions-editor-in-training and will be sitting down shortly with my first full review of a piece to see if it suits the Urania line. I will also be taking pitches at conventions I attend, and can be contacted through the Musa Publishing contact form. Send the request to “Musa Staff” and address the message to Brandie and I should get it forthwith. (I always wanted to say that word.)
FYI: Right now, Urania is looking to reprint novels where the rights have reverted to the authors. Contact me if you have something! If you have a first time novel you’re trying to place, please use the regular Musa submissions process.
4) Content Editor
Yes, I finally get to try my hand at full-on content editing. Musa expects a lot from their content editors. Here’s the short description:
Work on the pace and flow of the stories, character and plot arc development, and continuity, but also POV, voice and narrative style (like writer tics–rhythms a writer falls into unconsciously), credibility (especially in speculative fiction stories), grammar, punctuation, spelling, typography, active/passive writing and voice, telling/showing, consistency, readability (like using economical but strong word choices). Be responsible for a minimum of two editing passes with the author and making the deadline for line edits, as well as working on the tagline, blurb, and excerpt of each book. Each editor will soon also have developmental responsibilities as well, actively encouraging their authors to continue to write and submit their manuscripts…
How many other publishing houses do “developmental editing?” Is that even a phrase?
Part of my pay involves royalties for the books I work directly on, which I am told is par for the course at epublishers. No advances, but I do have incentives to increase Urania’s and Penumbra’s visibility.
To that end, I’m looking for legitimate contests (speculative fiction related that don’t require payment for entry) to enter Penumbra and various Urania books into. I think awards would help increase the visibility of the lines. I could be wrong. This last bit is me just rambling.
Also, I’ll be at Dragon*Con for a day or two, and Baltimore Book Festival for the entire run. So if you happen to read this and have something you want to pitch for Urania, I’ll be posting details later on where I’ll be and how you can track me down. In the meantime, watch the new Urania Twitter account @Urania_MusaImpr for more details on submitting and where we’re going to be.
