(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

[zingerella.livejournal.com]

Hi,

Came by way of matociquala. Glad I did.

Authors, if you want to put something good and kind into the universe? You will send the production department a thank you card for working so hard on your book. You will send them a box of chocolates or some popcorn or homemade cookies.

Also

It's a common human trait, to want to take your anger out on someone who is lower on the totem pole, someone who has to listen to you, whatever -- but don't do it.

OMG YES!

O.k., all of this is seriously good stuff. And you don't have to send cookies to production, although everyone will be thrilled if you do. A kind word every now and again, and maybe an acknowledgement that you know we don't deal with royalties, but you know that we'll get your query about whether you can have an advance on your advance to the right person, will get you a lot of gratitude.

Seriously -- last week an author thanked very nicely me for catching a small factual error in his book, and I glowed for the rest of the day. That author's e-mails get answered first.

See, we don't only remember the people who have yelled at us or pissed us off. We also remember the ones who have been nice to us, and have made it easy for us to want to help them.

[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! :)

Oh absolutely

[zingerella.livejournal.com]

I just wanted to reinforce your point, and point out the "remembering the good ones" bit. I hear a lot about remembering the nasty people, and I know it's true for me, too. I also know that for me at least the converse is true—I will quite happily do all sorts of things that technically aren't my job for someone who lets me know that they appreciate the work I do.

(And I always get excited when someone reminds people that production and editorial work really hard for not a lot of money to make books. So thanks!)

Also, I've had authors who seemed to believe that sending us a bottle of wine or a box of chocolates when a book was in stock was somehow going to make us forget that they'd been utterly dreadful to us during production. While the goodies were lovely, and certainly did mitigate the bad feelings, I'd have cheerfully traded my share for a little less hostility and a little more cooperation during the process.

Re: Oh absolutely

[alg.livejournal.com]

I'd have cheerfully traded my share for a little less hostility and a little more cooperation during the process.

Yes.

YES.