Looseleaf will now request content disclosures for new projects. I know these sorts of content flags make some authors nervous. Are we saying you shouldn’t write about these things? Why can’t we just let you write about the difficult things of the world? Shouldn’t art explore the full breadth of human experience?
The answers: These topics can be very important to write about, we have no desire to stop you writing about difficult things, and art should be a mirror for the full spectrum of experience. So why do we ask for these disclosures?
So we can find you the best fit on our team and so whoever works on your project can be at their best.
Some content is heavy. If an editor doesn’t plan enough time or energy to do the emotional work of reading those stories, you, the author, won’t get the best outcomes from your editor. There are also some editors who simply won’t be able to focus on certain types of content due to their past experiences, their current situation, or their thresholds for certain content.
I have two examples of when content disclosures helped or would have helped me in the past.
Example 1. When I was going through my divorce, I avoided art that described marital discord or distress. I could not read that content without slipping into stressing and grieving about my own circumstances. It was impossible to achieve sufficient emotional distance to analyze the language and stories.
That doesn’t mean books shouldn’t be written about conflict in committed romantic relationships! But for a couple of years, I was not the right editor for these sorts of projects. No amount of professionalism was going to change my then-fragile mental state. I passed on several projects during that span so authors could find editors who were better suited to the content.
Example 2. Once, I got a referral from a client who typically sent me lighthearted, closed-door historical and contemporary romances. I assumed this referral project would be similar, so I didn’t do my typical screening. Instead, the project was about various ways to experience, endure, and thrive in the aftermath of domestic violence. There were many characters in abusive partnerships, several scenes with extreme on-the-page violence, and other emotionally heavy scenes.
Was this book important? Yes. Was the inclusion of the content appropriate to the subject matter? Yes. But I didn’t plan enough time to take as many breaks as I needed. I was spread thin for weeks. This meant that although the author got good work (I’m a professional, after all), it probably wasn’t the best work I could have given if I’d had more time to process the heavier portions of the book.
The content disclosures in Looseleaf’s contact form will help us pick the right editor for your project and plan the right amount of time to help you get your book reader ready. Tell us more about your project today!
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