An Editorial Assistant Speaks

A dear friend of mine who works as an editorial assistant at a small press has some things she wants you to know:

1. The title “Editorial Assistant” does not mean that this unfortunate person is *your* personal assistant. He/She will most likely be dealing with upwards of 60 different projects in various stages of publication. Depending on his/her seniority, he/she may be essentially doing three different jobs while being paid generally less than your average janitor. Please attempt to understand this state of affairs, and frame your questions/concerns/panic attacks and/or neuroses accordingly.

2. Do not assume that your Editorial Assistant (or even in some cases your Editor) has actually *read* your manuscript. We do not have time. Provide helpful summaries where requested, and do not be offended if he/she is confused and/or impatient when you launch into a description of why it is necessary that your manuscript be 50,000 words over its contracted length to fully delve into the theory behind the argument. We don’t care. We care about explaining to marketing why we have a 500 page book that we have to price at $150 in order to make any sort of profit.

3. 500 page books priced at $150 do not sell. Frame the length and breadth of your project accordingly.

4. If you and your Editor agree on a due date of August 10, 2005, do not turn in your manuscript on December 31, 2005, and then complain that your book did not make the Fall 2006 season. We give you due dates for a reason. Yours is not the only project on which we are working. Understand that delays on your end result in delays on our end. Either meet your deadlines, or accept that your project will be delayed.

5. When in doubt, read the directions. When not in doubt, *read the directions.* Publishers have a style sheet or other such instruction document for a reason. Please use it. If you are incapable of following instructions, perhaps you should not be writing a book.

6. If you are not capable of mastering the basic functions of Microsoft Word, hire someone responsible to do it for you.

7. Do not attempt to make your manuscript look pretty. We employ people to do that. They are called “designers.” They are better at it than you are.

8. Do not send 50 images without labeling which image is which. You may know each cast of a Victorian engravings by sight, and be able to match them with their captions accordingly. We do not.

9. Sending in your final manuscript means, in essence, that your manuscript is *final.* Do not attempt to make “just one more small change” three or four times in the following weeks. Each “small change” results in between 20 minutes to an hour of work on the other end.

10. If you are kind to your Editorial Assistant, he/she will be kind to you. Your project may move more quickly. He/she may be willing to help you with seeking permissions. In the end, everyone will be happier. Conversely, if you are dismissive, rude, or overly demanding, he/she may unfortunately misplace or forget about your manuscript, or discover another project with a nicer author that suddenly has a higher priority.