I use the phrase "narrative momentum" in a lot of rejections for submissions to F&SF. As in "for me this needed more narrative momentum" or "the narrative lost momentum for me." (A short expository thread ensues.) I thought maybe I should unpack what I mean by narrative momentum because it's become clear to me that it's not always clear to everybody else. For me, narrative momentum in a story is a combination of pacing and our engagement with the character or stakes.

One of the things fiction editors never talk much about (to me) is the emotional labor of editing.

Every time an editor reads a submission, we need to be emotionally open to the effects of the story, with a clear awareness (if possible) of what the writer is intending to do. It's the only way to be fair to the story =and= to our readers, who will be coming to the story with that same openness.

I see a lot of cover letters that tell me they don't know what to include in cover letters. You can do worse than remember Inigo Montoya. Dear Editor:

My name is A. Uthor. (Choose one or more.) I'm a new writer/Clarion grad/the best-selling author of Trylogy. I saw that you're looking for stories about space dragons. I hope you like my story and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

I am the very model of a modern #RussianAsset.
I'm familiar with all forms of treason, explicit and tacit.
I know every deal in business and every diamond's facet.
If you have a wad of cash, I sincerely hope you'll pass it. I'm very well acquainted too, with matters most collusional.
If anybody points that out I'll call them all delusional.
Manafort and Junior too and Jared met with Russians
To solicit their assistance for election -- it was nuthin'.