Would you adapt the spelling in your short story for a submission to an American publication? My gut feeling is that it's a little contrived, yet it should be tailored to their audience.
Would you adapt the spelling in your short story for a submission to an American publication? My gut feeling is that it's a little contrived, yet it should be tailored to their audience.
I think it has to be played by ear. It can depend on the context of the story. For example, I self-published my first book through an American company, and because I was a British author, the main character was a Londoner and most of the story took place in London, they respected that and even encouraged to keep the British spelling. As Antoinette mentions, it also accentuated the fact that the author is foreign.
Good luck!
I agree with Jeff, though Lorraine has a good point also.
Having worked with Americans and briefly in the US, I would suggest there are greater differences than just the spelling though.
They phrase things a little differently. For example, they never say 'I beg your pardon' or even 'Pardon', it's always 'What?'. This can sound rude to British ears but it's actually similar to how very 'posh' people in the UK speak.
Americans generally speak with shortened phrases and sentences, so you may wish to try speaking your dialogue in a US accent ans see how it sounds.
Goopd luck Dan.
Regards, PabloJ.
You might be rejected on the basis you can't spell proper... If it's a short story, I'd say go for the changes, might just help a teensy weensy bit! Yes, if the story is great, it'll do well, but if it's 1st place equal with another story, guess which one they'll pick? Good Luck.