Diary of a Mad Editor

I know you must’ve been frustrated, but to me it would seem the more classless thing to do is to eviscerate the young guy on your blog, John!!! — John Boughn

Recently, on this blog, a somewhat controversial post elicited a comment that suggested that I have no class. Not the first-time, and I suppose I should feel insulted by this but, in truth, I’m strangely flattered. I’m certainly not the type of guy who feels comfortable in a tuxedo vest, if you know what I mean, but I’ll leave it to people who actually know me to decide whether I’m fit for polite society.

Part of the appeal of this blog — especially among that special group of readers who are themselves editors of literary magazines, is that I often say things about about my experiences as an editor that some of my readers would like to say themselves if they cared a little less about what others thought of them. I know lots of editors who will say things privately about writers that they’d never have the guts to say in public. If my willingness to do so makes me seem like a black hat to some readers, so be it.

It’s not as if the public perception of editors is inherently positive to begin with. Look at how editors are depicted in popular culture! In novels, films and even in comic books, editors are portrayed badly. They’re self-absorbed, petty, crass, bombastic, overly-critical, megalomaniacal and, usually, irredeemably classless. They’re never the heroes of the story. They’re usually portrayed as foils or buffoons. Most writers think editors are, at best, a necessary evil and at worst, the devil incarnate, plotting sinister schemes to thwart their creative pursuits.

The way I see it, it’s not my job to be a poster boy for the profession, um-kay. This blog’s main function is less about promoting that negative stereotype of editors than it is about demystifying what literary editors and publishers do from a certain point-of-view. If in accomplishing that task, I sometimes reinforce the negative stereotype . . . well . . . as I said, so be it. You’ll get no apologies from me.

As I’ve stated on a number of occasions over the years, if a writer doesn’t like my ways, they don’t have to submit their writing to me. If they choose to do so, they have to accept the consequences, which may well include a metaphorical roasting on a spit.

So far, after many years of doing this, the submissions keep coming, things get published and certainly people keep reading this blog despite the fact that I’ve never gone too far out of my way to encourage them to do so. All things considered,I figure I must be doing something right.