You forgot the Art Department. The people who have the most difficult job of all.
Why, you ask?
Because the workings of editing a book, or marketing a book, or selling a book, are mysterious to most people. No one knows what an editor does. But art? Everyone has an opinion. Everyone can say "I don't like that". But they can't say what they do like, for the most part. Most people in a publishing company are happy to tell the art director that they don't like a cover. Few can say what they don't like, or what they would like better. And mostly, what they think they'd like better isn't actually what they want.
It's a hard job. It's a crazy-making job. Be nice to your art director.
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Why, you ask?
Because the workings of editing a book, or marketing a book, or selling a book, are mysterious to most people. No one knows what an editor does. But art? Everyone has an opinion. Everyone can say "I don't like that". But they can't say what they do like, for the most part. Most people in a publishing company are happy to tell the art director that they don't like a cover. Few can say what they don't like, or what they would like better. And mostly, what they think they'd like better isn't actually what they want.
It's a hard job. It's a crazy-making job. Be nice to your art director.