The Care and Feeding of Editors
Once you sell a book to a publishing house, your editor is your main contact. She is the person who fell in love with the book, hammered out the contract details with your agent, and she will be the one to make sure your check arrives, send you a revision letter, and approve your copyedits.
Editors can be a bit overwhelming , at first. I mean, if you think agents are overwhelming, and you pay them, then an editor is in a whole other league. Editors decide whether or not to buy your next book, they push publicity to do that little extra for your release, and they approve and work with the marketing and art departments on your cover. You need the editor to be on your side. How can you make that happen?
1) It’s very important to get to know your editor as soon as possible. When I was a new writer at Avon, I knew other writers there, and I had a tendency to ask them or other writer friends all the questions I had. This was a mistake because I was losing valuable opportunities to get to know my editor better. Instead of asking friends about a copyediting mark you don’t understand, email your editor. Instead of wondering why she thought you needed more internal conflict, call her and ask. You want to develop a good relationship with your editor as soon as possible.
2) Don’t bug your editor. I know I just said to email and call your editor, but do so sparingly. Your editor has about 20 other authors besides you (and maybe more), so you need to respect how busy she is. Don’t call her just to chat about a movie you saw unless it’s related to your next proposal. Don’t forward her all your jokes of the day. Keep communication steady and full of purpose.
3) Do let your editor know when something good happens. Forward her great reviews or links to newspaper articles about you. If you get an awesome fan letter from a reader, send that to her, too. If you’re doing a signing or a promotional event, let her know that you’re out there working to promote your book.
4) When you and your editor disagree on something, take time to choose how to react. Let’s say you hate your backcover copy, but the editor sent it to you saying, “I just love this and hope you do, too!” You have several options. First, if you can live with it, then do. Pick your battles. If you fight over every little thing, you may not have any clout left when it comes to the big issues. But don’t be a pushover. If you cannot live with the backcover copy, then discuss it first with your agent. Your agent may be able to seee the situation more objectively, and s/he may decide it’s best if the agent handled communication with your editor on that subject. Here’s another area where a good agent will be worth his or her weight in gold. Let your agent work for you. A lot of authors want to work with their editor strictly on the editorial aspects of each book and they leave negotiating problems with covers, marketing, copy, etc. to their agent. Some authors know a lot about the business or are just more hands-on and prefer to handle disputes themselves. Know yourself. If you are the kind of person who blows up and spews obscenities when you don’t get your way, it might be better to let your agent handle things. If you can be professional and acceptthat you may not get your way, then go for it.
5) Lastly, do not ever miss a deadline. In fact, if you can get your book in early, that is preffered. Editors have a tight schedule, and if you miss your deadline, they have to do a lot of jufggling. This does not endear you to them or make them look favorably upon you for those special projects like anthologies and publisher-sponsored contests. If you have to miss a deadline, let your editor know in advance. If you’re embarrassed, have your agent call for you, but do not let the deadline pass without saying anything. If an editor knows you’ll be late, she can usually try and work around that.
Just remember that the key to a good relationship with an editor is keeping him or her on your side through communiction, professionalism, and getting your work in on time.
Tomorrow…Is a Pen Name Right for You?
Pride and Petticoats will be on shelves in 21 days. Check out www.shanagalen for an excerpt and contest!
I will be saying this the rest of the week…
Another fantastic blog, Shane. Woo-Hoo!
This is the first time, I personally read about editors working with authors, directly from a published author. Thank you, although it may sound overwhelming (to me at least) I’m thankful for the insight.
A question about promotion (there I go probably “off topic” again)how much help do you get in that department from your editor/publisher? Is each author responsible for setting up i.e. book signings at their local B&N? Or whatever else an author may decide to do to promote their work?
Do you spend a lot of money out pocket for promotion or does it come out of your advance, royalty checks?
Thanks,
Isabel
Hey Isabel,
Promotion…yes, that is a subject for a week of blogs. Basically, each author is assigned a publicist within the publishing house. Of course, that publicist is probably responsible for about 100 other authors, so you don’t get a lot of one-on-one time. They take care of sending ARCs to reviewers and booksellers, putting ads in RT Bookclub, and doing coverflats and ads in trade journals (for booksellers and buyers). That’s pretty much all a midlist author like me will get. Someone like Julia Quinn obviously gets a lot more, including displays at bookstores, ads in more magazines, press releases to TV and radio, etc.
So anything I wanted to do in addition to what my in-house publicist did, I paid for (website, bookmarks, postage to send contest prizes). The general rule is that you spend 10% of your advance on promo, but that won’t get you far.
As far as setting up book signings, probably each publisher has different guidelines. Avon lies to set them up for us so that they can send banners and posters to publicize the event. It’s a bit more hassle than if I just set it up myself, but it assures the event will look professional. I do all the press releases to make sure the word gets out on the signing, so it’s a joint effort.
Great questions, as usual!
Shane
Shane, thanks for the quick answer.
Wow, so much to do, but it’s worth it. I can see how being a writer can turn in to full time work. Not only writing the books but also, spending time creating websites, press releases, etc. I just want to tell you how much I appreciate everything you do, Shane.
BTW, are you feeling better today?
Moving on to covers, stepbacks, blurbs, Shane, have you had good luck with those. Or was there a time when your books’ coverart was not what you expect it to be?
BTW, I like the WDMD cover as well as the P&P cover.
Thanks again,
Isabel
Thanks, Shane! Another great topic. I find all your input very interesting and informative, and I’m sure they will be a great help to us all in the future.
I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s topic
I’m feeling a lot better today. Thanks for asking!
Another great question on blurbs and covers, Isabel! Why don’t I blog on that whole process Thursday? I think you guys might be interested in how those come about.
Shane
Shane, even better. Yes, I would like to know your thoughts and advice on the blurb and cover process. Thank you.
I’m so glad you’re starting to feel better. My co-worker offered to go pick up smoothies for lunch but I, uh, declined the offer. My poor DH was sick overnight, although I don’t think it was food poisoning.
I’m so glad to hear that your feeling much better.
Today’s post really opened my eyes. Not that I held that little dream of finishing a book and then sitting back and letting it rush to number one on its own.
Can do you quick fly-by signings…say your on vacation and decide to visit a local store. Nothing formal but happen to drop by, would your publisher rather you not do these or is it ok? I know many authors will sign a few books at their local book stores, are these also arranged or just a drop-by thing?
Thank you so much, so far the topics are wonderful.
Hi Haven,
Not to sound cynical, but that’s the way it is. In the end, it’s beneficial to the author, too, in a small, local way, so yes, I do them. In fact, I’ll be doing a bunch at the end of the month when Pride and Prejudice comes out (the more sales the first week a book drops, the better).
Fly-by signings do not need to be arranged by the publisher, and, of course, publishers love for you to do them. They love for you to do anything that makes them money but doesn’t cost them anything.
I have been told by a few bookstore managers that they like to know in advance when an author is dropping by to sign, so if you know which stores you’ll be stopping by in a given day and you have even more time, call them and let them know that you’ll be in. It’s so interesting to see the varying degrees of treatment you receive at stores. Some employees fawn over you and offer you coffee, sandwiches, their first-born son…some are so unimpressed and even want proof that you’re really the author. Wouldn’t want you defacing their books! Just keep being professional is my advice.
So much more to this business than what I thought. I’m overwhelmed…but in a good way!
Shane thanks for all these great blogs. You’re great!
That is so cool. I’ve talked with many readers and they enjoy the fly-bys. As to quote them “it shows the author is human” haha.
I think I’d have to stop by all the book stores in my local area to sign, mostly to see my name in a store hehe. Kinda like pinching yourself to make sure its real.
I agree “fly-bys” sound like a lot of fun. I don’t know what I would do when I meet a favorite author at my local bookstore. I just don’t know, I will definitely be speechless though.
Isabel