A Publisher's Conversation with Authors: When Author Expectations Derail Promising Manuscripts
It is Tuesday. Monday's madness is over, and Wednesday will take us over the hump, so Tuesday it is--for some serious discussion with authors. Tuesday talks mean to address authors in waiting and self-published authors who would like to go a more traditional route or who would at least like to take their steps with a publisher by their side.
This week, the topic is one not commonly discussed in public. These are the things that happen behind the scenes. Not knowing about such things can impede positive potential author-publisher relationships. Among these "things" is when an author engages the wrong kind of attorney, typically a well-meaning dealing with general law and not an intellectual property rights lawyer, who would be well meaning and astute.
As publishers, there is nothing more fulfilling than discovering a manuscript brimming with potential—a story that moves us and deserves to find its place in the world. We cherish working with authors, especially those who may be embarking on their first publishing journey. Together, we turn raw ideas into polished works ready to meet their readers. But, as we all know, the journey from manuscript to publication is seldom without its challenges.
Last week, we shared a real-life story, an example of when the process is hindered by misaligned expectations or advice from well-meaning but misguided sources. This week we will share another episode: an author who derailed her own manuscript through hubris.
This author came in with a memoir that had some interesting moments that had potential. We had several conversations while the author was "polishing" her manuscript. This was the first book of the author, but she considered herself a professional writer because, well, she was. She had spent a number of years as a journalist. Writing a memoir, however, is quite a different thing, though, as it turned out, she did not think it was.
Ultimately, the manuscript she turned in was flat; the verb to be dominated where action verbs would have been more helpful. Further, she provided a view from above of her life experiences and missed the value of the view from within. These two critical items are typical of first-time book authors, and, as is, such books are not attractive to publishers (or readers). A lot of authors bristle when these things are pointed out. When the authors, instead, take this input and rewrite their book, filling it with action and emotion, their books sizzle. We are generally happy to help guide the rewriting process. We have had a few authors take the challenge, and their books have won some very nice awards.
For us to risk taking on memoirs of unknown authors, sizzle or not (well, not sizzle, no take), we generally offer a hybrid contract. Equal risk for both parties; equal profit (if it comes) for both parties.
In this case, the desire was for the publisher to take all the risk; the author was willing to take no financial risk at all. (Yes, there are book advisors out there who tell authors that all legitimate publishers will finance the book completely and pay royalties; that is generally true for fiction and for general non-fiction; memoirs of unknown people with moderately interesting lives and a pretty decent message are a different matter because such books rarely recover the cost of production so are a losing proposition for publishers.)
Further, this author was unwilling to change the book, to accept the challenge to produce a more appealing book, to work on the sizzle. So, we let her know that we could not offer a contract for the book in its current shape but would consider offering a hybrid contract if she ever decided to put what we considered necessary work into a strong revision.
Well, the venom that came back ensured that no, we would not be offering any kind of contract in the future, even if she did revise the book, which she had no intention of doing. She stated three things in the flow of venom: (1) several of her personal friends had read the manuscript, found it brilliant, and could not put it down (yep, that's what friends always say); (2) a traditional publisher (we are a traditional publisher, too, just not willing to publish a Ms. Nobody memoir on traditional terms) was looking at the book, was dazzled by it (Right!), and would be offering a traditional contract with big royalties any day (Right, again!) (reading a manuscript does not equal acceptance; most publishers take less than 10% of the manuscripts that come their way, as do we, so some likely self-delusional thinking on the author's part); and (3) don't call me because I won't be calling you (ah, there's the fatal hubris).
It has been quite some time now. That book has not been published. If that book does appear as a book in print, I anticipate that it will be a self-publication. Hubristic authors tend to be their own greatest fans, and given their blinders, in my experience, typically resort to self-publication. They can avoid the challenge that way, feel good about themselves, and rail about how stupid publishers are. They have no idea how far a little humility could take them instead. (I have seen this pattern so often that now I can usually predict outcome from very early communications.)
Bottom line: If you are in the position of searching for publisher and find one that is interested, listen to the advice, take the suggestions, believe them when they say your manuscript needs to be reworked; do not take offense - take the challenge.
The Tuesday talks reflect real discussions between the management of MSI Press LLC and our own authors or those would-be authors who come through our doors but don't make the cut--yet. If you have a topic that you would like addressed, leave the question in the comment section. Chances are, in our 22 years of publishing first-time and experiences authors, we have had a conversation with one of our authors that we can share with you.
See more Publisher Conversations with Authors HERE.
Learn more about publishing from an acquisitions editor -- how to get your book proposal accepted, why proposals are turned down/accepted, and how to find the right publisher for your book. On special sale for $5 while inventory lasts at MSI Press webstore. Also available as an e-book and an audiobook.
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Julia Aziz, signing her book, Lessons of Labor, at an event at Book People in Austin, Texas.
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