Lay down your guns: how authors and editors navigate ego, ownership and the creative process in publishing fiction

I researched authority in the author–editor relationship: who holds it and how it is exercised by both parties.

I found that prevailing perspectives on this have limited understanding of its role and scope, doing both author and editor a disservice, and failing readers.

The dissertation argues that in an ideal, balanced relationship, forged to create the best book possible, the editor and the author will acknowledge the process and engage with it. Asking who wields more power perpetuates an infantilising culture and a unproductive dichotomy. Instead, we could see the editing process as a partnership, a collaborative opportunity to go further.

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Overland 6 April 2022

When I moved into a second career in editing and publishing, friends told me that working as an editor might temper my love of books—that a professional eye might spy previously unnoticed flaws. I dismissed this, but they were right. Before, if a book left me restless, dissatisfied, annoyed, I would simply close it and move on. Now, I knowwhat is wrong, why I, the reader, feel short-changed.

What happens when authors stop listening to their editors

In Westerly 65.1: What makes for a good author–editor relationship?

“The author–editor relationship is little understood outside the publishing industry and often mischaracterised by those within it. Commentators agree that this relationship is difficult to define and complicated, with the distribution of power ebbing and flowing in response to a variety of pressures…. Adding to the mystique, the editor’s role in book production is opaque. Editors have been seen as either minor players—an optional extra—at one end of the spectrum, or as gatekeepers to publication at the other.”

I talked with authors and editors and delved into my own experience, setting out my findings in my essay in Westerly 65.1, ‘Exploring Attributes of a Successful Author–Editor Relationship in Creative Writing’.

Self-publishing 101

Do you have a story?

Today, I went to a full day workshop to hear from two insider heavyweights about the ins and outs of self-publishing. Sue Liu and Anna Maguire are experts in their fields. Sue is a successful self-published author of Accidental Aid Worker. Anna Maguire, Digireado, is a veteran of the book publishing industry.

Wow. If your head is still in that airy-fairy place of one day ‘your book’ will ‘just happen’, these two experts will set you straight. To make it in self-publishing, to move beyond the 100 copies you thrust upon friends and family, to make it real, you have to work hard.

Don’t give up on those dreams which will keep you warm in the dark times, but don’t be deluded either.

Finding your voice

Sue’s background is in marketing and she wanted participants to hone in on what they were doing, and why. With so many books hitting the market every single day, you need a good reason to be writing another one. What is your passion? What have you got to say? And to whom? Sue asked us to set out our dreams, ideas and notions of our ‘book’. What is our journey? Engaging and self-deprecating, she told us her story with lots of laughs.

Sue’s memoir tells the story of her catapulting into aid work after the 2004 tsunami which devastated southeast Asia, including the Sri Lankan community that she had become close to in her travels. Starting with a ‘small’ fundraising appeal, she eventually had to manage boxes upon boxes, shipping, corruption, border security and a myriad other issues, ending with more trips back and forth to see it through. Her observations of the foreign aid industry and first-hand perspective into the conundrum that is philanthropy—what can be freely given, when is it ever enough, and the dangers of it being hijacked by another’s agenda—is an ongoing learning experience and all part of her journey.

Who are you?

She gave us tools to build a profile. You, the writer. A writer’s profile is elemental to their being able to sell their books. And do you want sales? Hell, yes. Sales means readership, and why you are writing.

I have heard from others in the industry, Joel Naoum at Critical Mass for one, that successful self-published authors are those who see it as their small business. In other words, immediate success is unlikely to fall into your lap. Dreams of being on Oprah will likely remain dreams. But, as she said, don’t let that stop you!  While you might not make a lot of money, if you have a story, and want to get it out there, there are tried and tested routes to making it happen.

… and how to make it happen!

Anna took the second part of the day to talk us through the ins and outs of making your book real. She told us about the different paths to publication, budgets, ISBNs, the value of editing, design, ebook creation and distribution, and through to crowdfunding for writers.

These are the things that you will need. While she freely acknowledged that it can be daunting, it’s important to get your head around the fact that it’s a process. Anna gives you the tools and know-how to tick off each box. You can do this!

A changed world for writers, and readers

I love the way publishing has been turned on its head. It’s exciting that we have so many more voices out there and so much choice. But this whole DIY shebang can be a bit of a poisoned chalice. It is not as simple at hitting a few buttons on a self-publishing site.

For instance, Anna made the salient point that you don’t need an editor if your book has no words.  Don’t let yours be the one with the typos and plot holes.

I have worked with writers who had thought, well, they’ve written plenty in previous occupations—they can write a book. The truth is that you can’t edit your own work. Self-published authors who skimp on editing live to regret it.

Take the time to learn how to produce a quality book that you will be proud of. To find out where their next workshop will be, contact Sue at Accidental Aid Worker, and her Facebook page, Accidental Aid Worker – by Sue Liu. Sue also runs mentoring sessions in smaller groups. Contact Anna Maguire at Digireado, or on Facebook.

 

 

If you’re at the next stage, I’ve love to work with  you. Contact me here, or at jessica@yourseconddraft for an evaluation of your manuscript, or an editing assessment.