If You Think He Has a Mean Serve, You Should See His Backhand
Written by John Erianne on August 11, 2000 – 10:58 pm -I admit it: I am a tyrant who subscribes to the “editor-as- god” philosophy. My role-models are other editors in this tradition: William Maxwell, Maxwell Perkins, and John Campbell. Editors of this caliber are becoming extinct. I suspect the reason is that most of the editors in the small press are writers themselves, and because they are afraid of pissing off the wrong people, they will often pander to the writers who submit to them rather than buck the “you-scratch-my-back-and-i’ll scratch-yours” paradigm. The mechanics of this system is something best left for another column. Suffice it to say, I made a firm decision early on to avoid this trap.
I am insulted when established writers send me their scraps instead of their best. When some “name” addresses me as if I were his indentured servant, I sharpen my claws on him and reduce him to tears and puddles of piss. I rule my little empire by fist and flower. Writers who play by my rules are given the red-carpet treatment. Those who don’t get their heads handed to them and possibly their genitals as well. It’s simple. My job is to put out a product that people will actually read. I know that it’s a given that I will not have the money to compete with publications with a larger circulation and advertising budgets. I know that all I can produce will look like your basic, bargain basement zine. The only thing I have going for me down here in the trenches is the quality of what I put into my publications. Therefore, I do not kiss ass. I edit. If someone submits something that is good, but could be made better, I go through it and cut and shape it and make it into what it can be. I find it’s center. Then I hand it back to the author and tell him outright, “If you want me to publish this, it’s my way or you can take it elsewhere.” If they’ve misspelled a word and it’s obviously unintentional — I will correct it. Anything that keeps that piece of writing from singing off the page, I will command that it be changed.
I will cajole, manipulate, conjure spirits — whatever I have to to get the best out of the people I publish. I make no apologies for it.
If a writer trusts me, I can make him look good. If not, woe unto him.
