Babel Clash

Occasionally, Lou, you do go home. I know this because you have a child…

Seriously, Lou (and Jeremy, I would assume) have both the blessing and the curse that comes with not working for a Large Mainstream Publisher. Referring to Lou’s list, here’s what I don’t do:

* read all manuscripts. I only read agented or solicited submissions, I have a very, very, very smart assistant who clears the unagented/unsolicited material that is sent to me specifically, And on our webpage, there are instructions as to how to submit to Ace/Roc in general, Those submissions (and we only accept e-material) are cleared by my assistant and the other Ace/Roc junior staff members.

* present to any committee. We’ve always been able to pretty much buy what we wanted in Ace and Roc, up to a certain money level. Susan Allison, who is now Editorial Director of Berkley, was the Ed in Chief, Ace/Roc and an editor wanting to acquire something would simply sit down with her. Now I’m Ed in Chief and they come to me. It either reflects confidence in us–or the notion that what we do is so completely bewildering that it is best left alone! <g>  Of course, P&L’s (Profit and Loss statements) always have to be done, even for a very low advance acquisition. But P&Ls are the computer equivalent of killing a chicken to read omens in the innards—they can be interpreted however one wishes….

*Draw up contracts (Praise Ghod…) We have an entire department for that.

*Art direct. We have two (count ‘em) two art directors, one for Ace and one for Roc. Both are excellent!

*Develop or produce any of the marketing materials (although editors do have advise/consent in this area)

Lou and Jeremy’s blessing is a level of direct control that I don’t have. Their curse is that they have to do it all themselves! My blessing is the support staff. My curse–more people have to be a”advocated.”

(By the way, if any of you could see the rough drafts of these posts before I go over them and spell-check ,you would immediately know that I ain’t no copy-editor, no how…)

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