(no subject)

[alg]

Good morning! I have been awake since six am, and wow! It is a beautiful day. I have the windows open, and there is a wonderful cold breeze blowing in. My bedroom window faces Manhattan, which means it faces the water, even though I can't see the water, and I get wonderful breezes -- although when it's freezing outside and the wind chill is, like, negative seventy-million, it's not so much fun.

(All I want this morning is a cup of coffee and a Danish. Wow, how bad do I want a Danish? Pretty badly. Instead I had a crescent roll. Not quite as good, but what's a girl to do?)

I want to thank again everyone who provided me with links and stories on Monday -- that was awfully nice of you guys and I really appreciate it! I am well on my way to recovering (especially now that my dentist has called in a new prescription for me, and I have much stronger painkillers, phew).

Now that I can focus for longer than 500 words, I am ready to write more about demystifying publishing.

I am really glad that these entries are helping y'all. And I am flattered that so many people are reading them -- I know I tend to be pedantic and long-winded, so it's amazing to me that you guys can get through these entries. *g*

I do want to remind you that these answers are by no means universal. Remember the first rule: Don't be an idiot.


Publishing is Hard!

Writing is an art, but publishing is a business -- and here are a few basic suggestions on how to navigate that business. Complete with explanations of various departments within a publishing company, and how they all work together to make your book. And, of course, my witty and charming commentary!




Thanks for reading; I hope this has helped at least some of you!

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Don't forget the administrative people--the people who are trafficking your contract and cutting your check and making and maintaining the schedule. All that seems unglamorous, but without those folks, the wheels of publishing commerce would die like a dog.

(signed, one of the former administrative staff)

[alg.livejournal.com]

You are very right!

[mariannelee.livejournal.com]

Thank you for taking the time to post this. I'm putting it in my memories.

[alg.livejournal.com]

My pleasure. I hope it's helpful! :)

[joannemerriam.livejournal.com]

This is fantastic. Thank you so much.

And thanks for talking about how hard production works. I work in the analogue of production for a printer (we do banking products, it's really nothing like publishing in most respects) and I can so relate.

Re literary writers' organizations, some states have state-wide organizations. Sometimes they are helpful and sometimes not. I've heard really good things about the New Hampshire Writers' Project for example (have no direct experience with them). So that's another option for the lit types. Because I could, I retained my membership in the Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia when I moved to the U.S. So people who live in states that have no organization might be able to glom onto the one in the state they were born or something; it's worth asking.

[alg.livejournal.com]

I knew that there were things like the Willamette Writers and stuff like that; I didn't realize most states had them. Thank you so much for pointing that out -- I've linked to it in my post.

[tharain.livejournal.com]

::snickers::

Off topic, but that icon is just wrong.

::snickers some more::

[alg.livejournal.com]

You're welcome! I hope you find them all helpful. :)

[dmacabre.livejournal.com]

I followed a link here from whitemunin's LJ and just wanted to say thank you, it was a very helpful and interesting post! I'll definitely go back through your archives to read the other "demystifying" entries as well.

[belmanoir.livejournal.com]

I am just chiming in to also say "thank you" for doing these. Your "don't be an idiot" approach is really soothing. I am putting them all in memories so that I can successfully act like an adult when I finally get published!

[alg.livejournal.com]

Your "don't be an idiot" approach is really soothing.

?!?!?!?!?
AWESOME. I've actually been a little worried that it's kind of offputting, but I've never been a bullshitter, so why start now?

(And, actually, credit where credit is due -- it was jaylake who pointed out that all my advice boils down to "Don't be an idiot" -- here (http://alg.livejournal.com/72895.html?thread=1002431#t1002431). :))

[huntergal.livejournal.com]

As usual, BRILLIANT! You've earned a vegan delight of your choice in San Antonio for this post, and I'll be linking to it in various places! (BTW, I sent you an email, but you'll probably see this first. ToE debuted at #21 on bookscan! Woo! You're the BEST!)

[alg.livejournal.com]

CONGRATULATIONS!!! #21!!! WOO!!! That means the # of copies sold is -- well, probably pretty high. That is awesome, Cathy! YAY!!!!

And thanks! Brilliant, huh? *beams*

[twisting-path.livejournal.com]

Excellent posts, really are. Thanks for taking the time for some good solid thoughts. I think about ten people on my flist have put directions to get here.

[alg.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I appreciate that a lot -- I'm glad to hear so many people are helped by these posts. :)

[elizawrites.livejournal.com]

I think I love you.

[(Anonymous)]

That's just what I said half way through the post!

[horace-hamster.livejournal.com]

Definitely a post I'll bookmark. Many thanks.

May I be an idiot for a moment and ask you to clarify a point on the "be polite" bit? From an editor's (i.e., your) point of view, if an author queries on the status of a manuscript, do you prefer the author cite the dates/history of the manuscript's submission and previous queries? On one hand, it seems to me that it might help the editor if the author provided as much specific info as possible in case the editor's tracking log is imperfect; on the other hand it could be construed as less than polite if the author said "I submitted the first three chapters in June 2003, submitted the full manuscript at your request in December 2003, queried as to the status of the manuscript in August 2004 and May 2005...." etc.

[alg.livejournal.com]

I suggest you go back and read the rest of the demystifying publishing tags (http://alg.livejournal.com/tag/demystifying+publishing), as I covered this a bit earlier. Hopefully you'll find some other information to help you as well. Good luck!

[bananagirl19.livejournal.com]

Wow, this is like all of my Publishing 101 courses all condensed into one great post.

- Ronni (assistant production editor who wears many hats for McGraw-Hill/Glencoe Education)

I've friended you, by the way.

[alg.livejournal.com]

Hi!

I've got several posts of the like, and will be posting several more. Feel free to pipe up at any point if you want to add something to anything I say -- I'm very open about the fact that all of this is biased toward what I think/like as an editor at Tor.

:)

[melinda-goodin.livejournal.com]

I hope you know what a godsend you are to people suffering the tyranny of distance. I might not get to hear your personal presentations, but I've learned so much by lurking, listening and learning. Thank you!

Melinda from Australia

[jenniferechols.livejournal.com]

your book is a special snowflake butterfly

LOL! *choking on coffee*

Great post. Thank you!

You have a blog!

[(Anonymous)]

I'm so excited, Annalou. Now you have to promise to read mind if I'll read yours. I'm going to put you URL in my list of recommended blogs.

Oh, fun!

Lynn

Way Soooo Cool!

[(Anonymous)]

You are so cool!

Just thought I would let you know (if you didn't know already.) It is rare in this world that a person would give so freely and your kindness is priceless. Wow, I hope to work with you soon (that’s if you like my book:)

Thanks for all the information:)

Ana Luisa

Re: Way Soooo Cool!

[alg.livejournal.com]

Aw, thanks! I'm happy this information's helped you. :)

[dctemo-13.livejournal.com]

thanks for taking the time to write this! I found it very helpful to see an overview without common sense explanations.

[alg.livejournal.com]

You're welcome!

[some-scribbles.livejournal.com]

*grin* Thank you for this fabulous post! I started reading it yesterday when jaylake posted it and came back as soon as work had a break. It's nice to learn what each department does.

As for the 'don't be an idiot' advice--my day job right now is working as an assistant in a corporate law office. I swear half the people on the phone have never had jobs of their own. Isn't it obvious that if you treat people badly, they are going to remember? We do the work anyway, but don't catch us prioritizing. If you have a choice between being the squeaky wheel or attracting flies with honey, why are you considering the first option again?

At any rate, before I rant further on why 'common sense' is worth its weight in gold and how I wish common courtesy was more catchy than the common cold, I'm just going to thank you. Thank you for putting in the time and effort to write this. I appreciated it and hope to incorporate it in the future.

Heh, it's funny how the most common admonition to toddlers bares repeating to all age groups: be nice.

Thanks again! :0)

[alg.livejournal.com]

I actually believe, as pnh said above, that there is a time and a place for rudeness. Sometimes there is no other way to get through to people. Sometimes being nice doesn't work.

But I do firmly believe that one should always start out being nice. There is no reason not to. Give people the benefit of the doubt -- at least in public. No one knows that you're gritting your teeth while you're smiling, you know? There are enough people in the world who are going to hate you no matter what -- why go out of your way to make enemies??

Anyway, you're welcome! Thanks for reading, and for taking the time to let me know I've been helpful. :)

Well said and so true

[(Anonymous)]

As an author (my tenth book came out last month), I can tell you this is all spot-on and so very true. I have dealt with people in each of those departments and by treating them well, my life is easier, too. There is the occasional bad apple, someone who pulls a Simon Cowell on you just because they can, but overall, I would say that nearly everyone I have dealt with at the two houses I write for has been professional, kind and clearly doing this job because they love books.

Smart authors read blog entries like this and take it to heart, making it a point to learn everything they can about the business, both from their side of the fence and the publisher's. This is, in many ways, a partnership and if the author doesn't have a clue what happens once that manuscript is delivered, then it can only make things difficult.

I appreciate your honesty and know that you have done many authors a great favor in explaining the way this business works. It's an industry unto itself, without a doubt, but it's also one that I'd work in, even if they didn't pay me (though don't tell my editors that ;-)

Shirley Jump
www.shirleyjump.com

Re: Well said and so true

[alg.livejournal.com]

it's also one that I'd work in, even if they didn't pay me

You know, lots of people say that, but it's almost never true! Hee.

I'm so glad that even as a published author you find this helpful. Thanks so much for letting me know! :)

[k-sims.livejournal.com]

I have a 117,000 word novel written as an epic rap battle. Where do I sell it?

[alg.livejournal.com]

OMG TO MEEEEE!!!! You know I have a thing for rap battles.

That would be awesome, actually. Can you imagine? It would be like modern day heroic verse.