We’re happy to be getting confirmation (like the one above from Peter G. from Oregon) that the Creative Byline process is doing exactly what we’d intended: helping writers find publishers and present to them their best work. These comments from Creative Byline members tell the story:
Keith M, from Illinois, said, “I am very pleased with the Creative Byline experience. I’d like to thank whoever my first reader was. That reader was impressed by my chapters and gave great encouragement as ‘clearly having a gift of language.’”
Carolyn S, from Alberta, Canada, said, “Just a note to tell you how delighted I am with the constructive, helpful, and friendly advice from your first reviewer.”
Carol V, from Michigan, said, “This is to say how fantastic and HELPFUL your service is! …Not only did the critique come back blazingly fast—I finally have helpful professional specific advice regarding tweaks and changes I should make. You have no idea how truly helpful your service is with constructive criticism! Yet—even while I was given suggested changes and a solid critique, I was also given very encouraging comments.”
Den G, from Connecticut, said, “In the two reviews I received, I learned tremendously valuable techniques from my reviewer/editor…. S/he always balances the constructive criticism with the positive aspects of my work. I just thought you should know what a good job s/he is doing, and how much I appreciate it.”
And when manuscripts are approved by the first readers as being ready to be directed to editors (and 20 percent are, assuring the kind of quality that makes Creative Byline worthwhile for those editors), we can see that writers are getting feedback from editors much more quickly than in the traditional process.
Eighty-seven percent of manuscripts are looked at within three weeks of being submitted to an editor. And those editors work with well-respected publishers, we’re happy to say; some of them don’t normally accept unsolicited manuscripts.
As far as we know, a writer has yet to sell a manuscript through our process, but we’re keeping tabs on a few that are receiving serious consideration. We’re looking forward to that next Creative Byline milestone and will be the first—okay, maybe the third—to celebrate–after the writer and editor! Until then, we’ll continue to focus on making it easy for writers and editors to connect.
2 Comments
This was a wonderful entry. I’m new to Creative Byline, and am highly impressed with the service I’ve received so far. As a published author who has had two agents, I speak from authority when I say how helpful my First Reader’s comments were. And how quickly those comments came — in under a week. I took all of his/her suggestions, and am expecting to hear that my package is ready for submission on the next read. The potential editors I’ve seen for my manuscript are outstanding, I love St. Martin’s Press. And I know how difficult it is to get to editors of this caliber. I’ve been spending all my money entering writing competitions, $15-25 a pop, rolling the dice, and hoping to get published. I’d pay twice, three times, for the services Creative Byline offers!
Davida,
Thanks very much for your comment! We work hard everyday to be a useful service to both writers and editors, so we appreciate hearing comments like yours.