DO PEER REVIEWS STRENGTHEN YOUR CASE?

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by Jean Purcell


I develop peer review forms for authors. Our company, Opine Publishing, is in the process of another round of reviews by peers for a new book by an author new to our company. It's an exciting time!
     Yet, when I sent the book I wrote to a publisher (my penname was Jane Bullard) years ago, before I became a publisher, I did not know about peer reviews outside academic circles. I did hire a book analyst and an editor to look at the first chapter and the entire manuscript, respectively. 
     Later, as founder of a start up small press, I attended a three-day workshop with self-publishing guru Dan Poynter, He said that a major help for advance feedback is the peer review.  (Equally important to Dan is professional cover design.) Peer reviewers are people invited by the author, or the editor. Those that agreeto participate, read all or parts of a manuscript and give feedback. Peer reviewers are people who know the subject or sub-topics of the book in progress.
     Did Poynter's advice about peer reviews prove helpful? Having had some years of experience with peer reviews, including designing specific review forms for authors, I would not send a book to a printer without putting its manuscript, almost ready for print, through a peer review process.
     Yes, a peer review definitely can strengthen a book's case. And sometimes reviewers allow their comments to be used within the book or on the cover. That's beyond review, to endorsement, which is priceless when it comes from thoughtful advance readers.
     The main advantage of the peer review process is to let the author and publisher know if the most important messages of a book are reaching readers' interests, including emotional impact and enlightening experience and information. That's the general picture, which well designed questions can achieve. A well planned peer review process can give a forthcoming book the kind of vetting every book needs. 

Copyright (c) 2011 Jean Purcell and Opinari and Opine Publishing

Related articles to consider and review:

• How Peer Review Doesn't Work (schneier.com)
• The Life of an Elsevier Editorial System Manuscript (akiraoconnor.wordpress.com)
• What should you do if you want publish with InTech (wiki.answers.com)

How Assumptions Can Spoil Communication

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Assumptions produce more communication problems than one female (doe) rabbit's production of babies (kits). Keeping track of the effects of assumptions can be about as difficult as herding rabbits. But the manifold frustrations bred by wrong assumptions inspires us to take note and to remember the potential harm.

What is an assumption, in communication? Wikipedia says, "In logic an assumption is a proposition that is taken for granted, as if it were true based upon presupposition without preponderance of the facts." In other words, an assumption is real or a fraud, created before, or whether or not, we have proof. We may  base our "fact" on past experiences that do or do not relate specifically to the communication topic or the person communicating with us.

One rabbit is cute and cuddly. A multitude of rabbits loose on your property does not have the same appeal as a few in a pretty cage or enclosure. False assumptions are never cute or cuddly, if they do harm, which they often do. They may appear to have truth, based on appearances half-seen or facts derived out of their full context. We also might create a false assumption due to our uncertainties or insecurities. In other words, we tend to expect the worst when a routine or practice is not conformed to. For example, do you expect quick replies to your IM's, e-mails, or text messages to specific people? If the quick reply does not come, do you wonder why or even stress about the change in routine, habit, or expected result?

As a writer, do you assume a prompt reply will come to you, for your queries to editors or submitted manuscripts? That's an example of an assumption, or expectation, not based on fact and also not based on common practice. In other words, it is a  hope, but not an expectation based on reality.

With time and enough disappointments, we begin to realize that quick answers or feedback are not the norm when dealing with editors, especially editors with whom we have no relationship, yet, professionally.

The top communication problem to avoid, then, is to assume that your communication will get approval or a fast response. Let it be a terrific surprise if it does happen, not something taken for granted.
We become increasingly good communicators when we can avoid presumption, assumption, or expectation not based on the norms of the publishing world.

Related articles

• A Is For Agent? (makingbabygrand.com)
• Assuming Pt. 2 (sabinspirations.wordpress.com)
• The Problem with Assumptions (conversationagent.com)
• The Best Way to Improve Business Communication (thinkup.waldenu.edu)
• The Illusion of Communication (kindlelife.wordpress.com)

With Rare Exceptions, Long Blog Articles Annoy Me

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Like cats on heads, long blog posts can be annoying.

Jean Purcell

As a blog writer I have posted some long essays. I could call them articles. I might call a few short stories.

As a blog reader, however, I grow increasingly impatient with long posts by other writers. If I have to scroll down more than once to read all of one post, I get ready to bolt for bytes of interest elsewhere.  

This morning I came across a long blog article that I would have enjoyed if it had been on a printed page. On paper. But on the monitor, it seemed to go on and on and on and on and on. It had all the right things, including some neat dialogue. Still, I did not read it all. I ran fast for the last paragraph, whose example I did not understand due to having skipped so much.

This post, dear reader, is near its end. I wrote it shorter just for you. If my remarks encourage you to write shorter on blogs, good. Or do your own thing if you just have to write long.

I understand, believe me. If you must write long, please don't use tiny print sizes!

(c) 2011 Opinari and Jean Purcell
The book at left is Short Stories and Essays from Literature and Life by William Dean Howells. It is available for Kindle at no charge- $0.00!

Related articles for you to read...or not.

• How much bling does a writer need? (jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com)- Read this. Not real short and yet see how photo at mid-blog helps.-JP
• Are You Out Of Your Mind??? (museampoule.wordpress.com)
• The Art of A Short Story (writeanything.wordpress.com)
• New to writing short stories (dailynittygritty.wordpress.com)