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Funny how recreational reading of fiction and work reading of fiction is so different. Whereas I won't struggle with a book I'm supposedly reading for fun, I'm presented with an average of about thirty novel submissions from authors and literary agencies to my own wee publishing house every month and go to a tad more trouble. Sometimes, the synopsis looks good but the first two sample chapters I ask for as a taster don't kick off with justifying promise. Occasionally, a book built around a strong synopsis can be transformed with attention to its opening and with the (sometimes impatient) reader in mind ... for instance, by reducing chapter one to a prologue-size and kicking off with chapter two; rewriting the first couple of chapters, etc. Then it's just a matter of co-operation between editor and author to make the adjustment necessary to maintain a pace throughout (very often the editorial process will take a year or more). Of course, I and the two other fiction editors on my team only go to all this trouble with a book that was essentially sound. The others, I'm afraid, are declined. Anyway, all that is perhaps why I have little patience with a commercially produced book that fails to grab me within a few pages. Cheers. Neil
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