As someone who has worked on the publisher's side of the table for many years, I know most of what goes into the process:
- author works with editor to craft manuscript
- manuscript goes to designer for cover treatment and layout
- cover and sample spreads go to sales team for input
- sales team hates cover (okay, maybe not always!)
- everything is tweaked and finalized and the book lands on the desks of the marketing and publicity team (who have been working tirelessly, and largely unnoticed, for the previous three months trying to make people aware of the impending literary event)
- book is whisked out into the real world to be harshly scrutinized or feted or (worst of all) ignored.
As I wade through the publishing process for the very first time as an author, I'm finding that the process looks completely different, and is infinitely more difficult to navigate, from the other side of the table. Instead of thinking only about what will sell, or what will flow best on the page, I've had to start thinking about completely new concerns. What will I do if I don't like the image the designer picks for the cover? What if I get a bad review? What will my dad think if I have this character take off his pants in this scene?! This time, it's personal.
So, I've decided to catalogue my thoughts and experiences and send my rants and raves on the process out into the blogosphere.
For all the drama and operatics that go into their creation, there is no better place to be than on a team of folks whose sole goal is to create a really great book. Wish me luck and check back for more as the process unfolds!
Up Next: February 2012, Let the Editing Begin!