Dealing With Publishers

If you've written a novel and are lucky enough to get picked up by a publisher, do yourself a favor and don't make waves because suddenly, after all the rejections you've received, that acceptance letter and contract has a funny way of making you arrogant and giving you a sense of importance. But remember the reason you feel that way--because that publisher chose you and not necessarily because you're some special entity or the best author who ever lived.

Editors have a way of wanting to make your work marketable, and when this happens you need to listen.

As a writer who is soon to be published, I understand how attached you are to your work, but the thing is a publisher who submits a contract to you in order to establish your work might have second thoughts in dealing with you if you are a huge pain in the ass.

For example, my editor wanted to change my title. I was attached to said title; I had modeled it after the pulp westerns from the 1800s. But I agreed with my editor that most people today wouldn't realize that, and I begrudgingly agreed with him in regards to changing my title. The publisher's marketing department liked my editor's title better, and because they want to sell copies of the book and make money (making you money in the process) they often know better. So I had to let my title go. And really, what's the big deal anyway? It's not as if my story changed. I might have preferred my title, but in the end, I understood the need for the title they chose.

If your editor makes suggestions, take them seriously. Remember, they're investing in you. Unless you're an accomplished writer in the sense that you've written several books and therefore have some clout with the publishing industry, think about the last time someone financially invested tens of thousands on you based on their belief in you and your work. Probably never. Based on that alone your editor/publisher deserves some respect in making marketing decisions.

And it's okay to ask questions, but don't question your editor. What I mean to say is your editor is more than happy to explain things to you, but if you begin to interrogate him/her on their ideas/decision making, you will not ingratiate yourself to them at all, and the last place you want to be is on bad terms with your editor. Suppose, like myself, you have a sequel in the works? If you're a difficult person to work with, even if your publisher goes ahead and publishes your current work, they may not want to be bothered with the second work and it's back to the drawing board and rejections for you.

As for me, I not only want to publish my sequel with the same publisher who is putting out my first work, but I chose my publisher based on the fact that they publish the premier authority on Billy the Kid, Frederick Nolan, and I am honored that they chose me back. Therefore, I want to stay on their good side and remain with them. It's a feather in my cap that I am not only being published with the same publisher that prints one of my favorite authors who writes about and is the number one expert on my favorite historical figure, but also because after submitting my manuscript, they gave me many nice compliments, one of which was the statement that I obviously knew what I was talking about. Being that my story is a period piece that's based on historical fact, this was a major deal to me, and it helped instill even more confidence in myself because they saw and admitted that I knew my stuff.

So, if you are lucky and get yourself a publisher and a contract, and you've done the research on your publisher (see my post on Attempting To Get Published), make sure you don't grow too big for your britches simply because you're getting published. The same person who made you feel that way can make you feel incredibly small conversely if you fail to be modest and listen to their point of view with an open mind.