1.  What is your background in editing?

This is my first “official” editing job, though I’ve been working with fellow writers through the editing and critique process for over ten years, so I’m familiar with how it works and how to transform a story into the best that it can be.

2.  How long have you been editing for PsychoToxin Press?

Well, the official launch for my line, PsychoFlash, is in March 2024, and I’ve been busy laying the groundwork for it. I joined the PTP Family in January, when Christopher offered me the role of Head of Business Development and I negotiated adding the Editor of the PsychoFlash imprint to my responsibilities.

3.  What do you edit for this publishing company?

I am the editor for the PsychoFlash imprint, which is Flash Fiction. Right now, the imprint I’m building is focusing on 600-1200 word stories, with the potential to branch out into shorter works eventually. We’re going to be doing a lot of cool things, from author spotlights (which will be three-story collections similar to Eye Tales) and anthologies to publishing author collections.

4.  Is there anything specific you hope to see when deciding whether or not to accept a manuscript?

The two biggest things I look for are complete stories with a clear beginning, middle, and end, and stories that aren’t going to be over the reader’s heads.

Flash fiction isn’t a pool or ocean, it’s a diving well. When someone jumps off the high dive, you’re watching for a quick, well-defined display of skill, then they climb out of the pool to make way for the next diver. That’s what I’m looking for in submissions.

5.  What are some common mistakes you see in manuscripts?

Lack of confidence, especially in new writers. Your job as a writer is to make the reader believe in the world you’re presenting them. If something pulls me out of that world, like a hesitation or an attempt to explain something that doesn’t need to be explained, it can wreck the experience for me.

Another one is poor openings. I’m guilty of it too, some of my openings lack punch and magic. But especially in flash fiction, I need you to grab my attention from the first word- you only get 1200, after all.

6.  Are there any editing goofs you tend to overlook in manuscripts?

I’ve got a bad habit of including too many commas in my manuscripts, and as a result I tend to overlook that when looking at other people’s work.

7.  How do you work with an author as their editor?

My job is to make a writer’s work the best it can be. For anthology submissions, I expect polished work that requires minimal editing, because my turnaround time to get these volumes out limits the time I can commit to an individual story.

For collections and spotlights, I have more time to work with the author and will be more willing to take pieces that need a little more work. It comes back to making a story the best it can be- giving an author a work they can be proud of when we publish it.

8.  Have you ever had a negative experience with an author? If so, how was it resolved?

So far, I’ve been lucky and avoided negative experiences.

9.  What happens if an author does not agree with your suggestions?

I’m a horror writer with several ideas I want to test. I don’t think disagreeing is in their best interests…

I’m kidding, of course.

Editing is a collaborative process, not a tyrannical one. As long as you have a good reason for not wanting to make a change, I’ll hear you out and try to work with you to find a compromise.

10.     How long does it typically take you to work through edits on a manuscript when going on the first round of edits?

My first round of edits for a manuscript or spotlight doesn’t take long, because I’m more focused on story than grammar (Also, at <1200 words per story, there isn’t a lot of length). Although I may make some notes on grammar, it doesn’t make a ton of sense to go in and fix every grammatical issue when we’re going to be looking at editing the story.

The more editing you do before you submit, the more likely you are to get an acceptance. I would love to have the time to work with every story that’s submitted until it’s ready to be published, but I have a full-time job and two kids in addition to my editing responsibilities. The more polished your piece is, the easier it is for me to say yes.

11.     Do you feel that it's important to have a background as a professional editor before becoming an editor at a publishing company?

I think experience is important, but I don’t think it has to come as a “professional.” There are a number of peers I trust as much as any professional, some even more because they are familiar with my work and voice. Working as a professional is a good way to gain experience, but it’s not the only way.

12.     Are there any books or editing courses you recommend to anyone who wishes to pursue editing professionally?

I will soon be launching my “Complete Guide to Professional Editing,” which is a bargain at $5000 per copy. Pre-order now!

If that’s a little out of your price range, the best advice I can give is to edit anything you can get your hands on. Professionalism is born of experience, so get all the experience you can.

I don’t know that there is a single book or course that can sum up everything you need to learn about editing. My process is continuously evolving as I find new ways to improve my work. You should be continually learning and adapting what you’ve learned to fit your process.

ABOUT D.L.:

D.L. Winchester lives in the foothills of southern Appalachia. A former mortician, his work searches the darkness to find tales worth telling. He is the author of over three hundred obituaries, four Eye Tales, and the upcoming Flash Fiction Collection “A Terrible Place.” In his spare time, he can be found searching for inspiration in the world around him and trying to keep his children from becoming the next generation of horror villains.

NOTE: PSYCHOTOXIN PRESS HAS SHUT DOWN.