Friday, October 5, 2007

The Perils! The Thrills! The Restfully Dull Paperwork!

I acquired all last night in my dreams. This did not make for bad dreams, but they also weren't terribly restful. Acquiring is an exciting, creative, stressful and mildly terrifying experience. It's one of the things that makes this job worthwhile, and, clearly, it's also one of the things that can make this job very tiring.
  • Exciting because you've found something you think is going to get readers excited. Exciting when the other people at the publisher get as excited as you are about a project.
  • Creative because you're imagining and discussing what illustration style, production aspects, and market positioning will make this text attract attention— will get it in front of the people who will love it.
  • Stressful because you have to bring the project, plus sales histories and product info about similar books, competition research, etc etc, to a group of people who may express a killing ambivalence for the project; who may ask you for the one piece of information you didn't gather and (doh!) should have; who may disagree strongly with the vision for the book.
  • And mildly terrifying because when you've gotten the go-ahead and it's back on your desk, it's your work and vision and skill that's going to make a difference between flushing money down the toilet and earning back this investment.

So yes, some extra espresso this morning. It's been an exciting week. Today, I think I'll just straighten up my desk.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

How fun this post is, to know that you get so excited about a submission.

Welcome to terror. Come on in, the water is just fine. You'll find a lot of writers here, by the way, in the deep end. Some showing off with butterfly strokes toward the bestseller lists, others treading water, and a shocking number drowning, though no one seems to notice.

I'm a little jealous of you, though. After all that you get to simply straighten your desk? I just get to work on my next book.

Anonymous said...

I hope you get to have the big payoff dream tonight. You know, the one where you are acclaimed as the editorial genius who discovered the next Harry Potter.

Anonymous said...

Anon writes:
"I'm a little jealous of you, though. After all that you get to simply straighten your desk? I just get to work on my next book."

...or in my case, start from scratch to create the art for the ms I just sold. And all the time I am wondering and worried if the art will meet with the same enthusiasm as the text.

But I agree. It IS nice to hear that you are as excited as the author you called must have been!

Champagne is certainly in order...until the next scary step at least...

Anonymous said...

Above anon:

Were I in your shoes. I'm just trying to sell my writing and/or my art. These worries aren't my worries at this time. You're doing it... not dreaming it. I don't think I would complain.

Anonymous said...

to ae:

Oh yes. No complaining allowed because of course, once you sell your book, life will be perfect and you will never be troubled with any worries, disappointments or rejections ever again.

Anonymous said...

Navigating the slush pile is frustrating, but being an author is the hands down hardest job I ever had.

I totally cracked up with recognition at the first post that said 'welcome to terror'

- another anon

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