(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

[annathepiper]

Lots of others have already said it, but I'll say it too--thank you very much for these posts, and especially this one. I think this is the first detailed explanation I've seen of how a publishing company works, and I feel 10 percent smarter just slurping this up. ;)

[whitemunin.livejournal.com]

Excellent insider information. Thanks!

Also, speaking as an accountant, I have to applaud this:

And they want to fix them! The accounting/royalties department wants to make sure everyone gets the right amount of money (at least, on the author's end!) because at the end of the year, our books have to properly balance!

This could be written in blood. Whenever numbers mistakes happen, no one sweats over it so much as the accountant. We do our best to avoid them by putting in fail-safes and mulitple quality reviews because when something screws up, we pay for it with angry clients, angry departments and loads of overtime. We're VERY motivated to be as accurate and responsive as possible.

[marlowe1.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Having started a small press and learned everything from the beginning and doing all the work myself, I like reading this to understand how a larger company works. The fact that there's actually a sales team to sell to Target, B & N, etc. surprises me and gives me the same feeling of "oh I really should have known that. I'm an idiot" that I got when I realized that most companies send review copies out BEFORE the book is officially published.

[jacob-day.livejournal.com]

You've no idea who I am, but I'm here to offer thanks as well - as a retail bookselling grunt with the Chapters/Indigo chain (and general sf/fantasy fan), I've always really loved the TOR imprint, and you're doing nothing but raising my level of respect for it.

In a year or so I'll be ready to send out my own first fantasy novel, and you can bet that 1) TOR will be the first place that it gets sent for consideration, and 2) If and when someone does take it, I will remember this post.

Thank you.

-Paul

[the-girl-sleuth.livejournal.com]

As an acquisitions editor at the other end of the publishing spectrum--scholarly publishing in the house!--I'd like to say everything I have read so far has been right on. I particularly think your comments about production were right on. When a book's a priority, and been catalogued by a certain date, and the author's late, and editorial spends some time prepping the ms, suddenly its up to production to get the book out so that the sales department doesn't get pissed. And they do! I think I'm going to go give a production editor a hug right now.

Also, regarding assistants, not only do they remember, but their bosses remember, too. I would never sabotage a book--that's my bottom line you are talking about--but I will blacklist an author for being nasty to the assistants. I've never once regretted it, either.

[bridget-coila.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this post...it really helped give me an idea of what the whole publishing industry is like. I'm going to send my whole writers group here to read it. Every writer should read this!

B

[tharain.livejournal.com]

Holy viggo.

Don't say things like that when I have a mouthful off coffee. ::wipes up:: Or perhaps I should use common sense, and not read your posts when I'm drinking coffee.

You want to be polite to those assistants.

One thing I've learned in Corporate Land: be nice to the admins. They get the work done. And they catch crap from everyone.

Again, a wonderful post, linked in my memories thing. Thank you for taking the time.

And now, I'm off to NOT use my common sense, and post a stupid question in your questions post.

Re: Thank you!

[alg.livejournal.com]

Heeeeeeee. Yeah, I just didn't put down how sometimes they change their minds and don't tell anyone! It works better for emphasis this way. ;)

Re: I only read part one...

[alg.livejournal.com]

Okay, calm down! CALM DOWN.

If you have read one paranormal regency (and I hope you mean "fantastical") it means one of two things:

1. There is no market
2. There is a huge untapped market

YOU NEVER KNOW.

The only thing you can do is send your ms. to the publishers that do paranormal and hope for the best.

I will tell you this: I have yet to find a paranormal regency that worked that I could buy for one reason or another. For my part, there is a market for really good paranormal regency. Any other editor would tell you the same thing -- there is always a market for good books.

Also, do not forget that publishing cycles, so there might be a mrket in two years.

Also, I am almost positive I have said it before, but: what you are seeing on the shelves? Is stuff that was bought two years ago. This is actually part of seeing publishing holistically -- you have to see what isn't there as well as what is.

Good luck.

[alg.livejournal.com]

Ha. Actually, I went back about ten seconds after I posted, and realized that I'd forgot to paste in the part about the art department. It's there now! But you said something different than what I said, so thank you for adding this. :)

[alg.livejournal.com]

Yes, absolutely!

Mine would, anyway, especially if it came with a note thanking them for all their hard work.

[alg.livejournal.com]

You're welcome! Thanks for reading!

[alg.livejournal.com]

YES.

Although one of the best things about still being in publishing is that I can call up the agents of rude authors and get their books for free. *beams*

[alg.livejournal.com]

Hm. Good question. My authors who are conscious of these things tend to send thank you notes with their page proof corrections, because it's when they see everything, maps and design and all. One or two remember to thank production on their ack page, which production always appreciates. And a few send chocolate/whatever during the winter holidays (production always suffers then because all the other departments receive pelf except them).

[alg.livejournal.com]

YES. It's very true.

(Thanks for the link!)

[alg.livejournal.com]

We don't tend to put the authors into direct contact with production -- or with anyone. Most of the time, everything is run through the editors. But I do encourage my authors to send thank you notes to production, that I then circulate.

But it seems to me that a lot of folks overlook the poor hardworking souls in production, a shame when they're such important allies.

This is very very true.

[anonymisty.livejournal.com]

act like an adult

Gee...sounds like Annie Proulx (http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Movies/03/15/film.proulx.ap/index.html) could've used this advice.

She has every right to feel disappointed about the loss, but pitching a hissy for the whole world to see? I guess nobody ever taught her the beauty of grace in defeat.

[alg.livejournal.com]

We also remember the ones who have been nice to us, and have made it easy for us to want to help them.

Yup.

My point wasn't that people have to send cookies -- my point was that authors should acknowledge the hard work these guys do on their books, that too often goes unremarkedupon. Which I think you agree with! :)

[alg.livejournal.com]

Word.

[alg.livejournal.com]

There was a really hideous Production Manager at Tor for a while, and even though I was pro-production before her, having to find workarounds in order to get things done gave me a bone-deep appreciation for the work everyone else in production was doing, and I hope I never forget it. You guys work hard and don't get appreciated enough.

[alg.livejournal.com]

*wins*

Thanks. :)

[alg.livejournal.com]

My pleasure. Thanks for taking the time to read it!

[alg.livejournal.com]

Hee. Well, it's not exactly how it works! But yes, kind of, sort of, a little bit. I'm glad it's helpful!!! :)

[alg.livejournal.com]

YES. I have two aunts who are corporate accountants. Their lives get really really crazy when there are number mistakes made. And human beings always make mistakes, there's just no getting around it. ;)

[(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)