AMA: I work in book publishing

[booksandstories]

Recently advertised for a job joining the team I lead and received 200+ applications so I thought there might be interest in book publishing!

I work for one of the Big Five book publishers and have done for several years.

I work across fiction and non fiction.

Ask me anything!

[booksandstories]

@bloodyunicorns

How diverse is your company? Do you get paid a reasonable amount? Is your company doing a drive to recruit fewer middle class white women and more people of colour?

It's fairly diverse - editorial less so, but there are lots of initiatives and drives. Not to get middle class white women out, but to make sure it's an attractive industry for a broad range of people.

I get circa £50k and a bonus.

[booksandstories]

@Whatsthepointofmosquitos

Hi, I’m late thirties and looking for a career change. Used to be a lawyer, also done some freelance writing. I’d love to get into publishing at one of the big 5, but all of the entry level ‘editorial assistant’ jobs seem to be for administration assistant stuff like diary management. I would make a terrible admin assistant 😬 am I right that there is no other way in? I don’t mind taking low pay, or doing another qualification, but only for a job that’s going somewhere.

Which department would you like to work in? We have in house lawyers, in house copywriters and in house creatives, so there are opportunities. The in-house creative copywriters tend to stay in role for a long time, though.

[booksandstories]

@stayathomer

Williams is not well-liked in publishing. Many people in the industry don't really mind celebs writing books as long as they are interested in it rather than just making money. Lots of people really like Tom Fletcher (McFly/Christmasaurus) and he works v hard on his books.
I’m so surprised by this!! Have seen David Walliams both on tv and in real life talking about his writing and he came across as so passionate and dedicated to helping young readers. He also seemed so realistic in terms of his timelines putting out a book- I hate the mantra that you can only put out one quality book at a time- he was saying about how he works on the next one while his books are with editors and was talking about that old adage of ‘finding time to write’. (I have 4 kids, was working at the time and putting out 2 books a year- I am self published but hire an editor so it was refreshing to hear we weren’t just throwing out substandard material if we put out more than one book a year!!!) great thread op!!

Thank you! Not a diss on the quality of his work, but he won't be coming up with every story from scratch. Two-book-a-year authors are the dream, they build backlist quickly and tend not to stress too much on the edits!!

Best of luck with your writing!

[booksandstories]

@Numbat2022

A question from someone in a different area of publishing - do you still have a production department in-house, or has it all been off-shored? Or was all that type of work always done by freelancers?

Yes, ours is still in-house. They are quite petrifying, particularly with non-fiction editors trying to rush the process because of late deliveries!

They do freelance out lots of the work.

[booksandstories]

@snowqu33n

Fascinating thread!

Have you had authors who panic at the last minute about publishing and want to make changes right up until the end? Do famous authors get post-publishing blues?

How do editors learn how to do developmental editing for plot and pace? Is it just following beats like in the Save the Cat?

Have you ever had a good writer come from nowhere and produce a great book with no writing training whatsoever?

GREAT questions! Yes, there was a massive panic from an author this year who was petrified that everyone would hate her. It tends to be worst for memoir writers as it is so personal. Usually by publication, they are really familiar with what is in the book so they are a bit more immune to it, though with late deadlines they sometimes don't have time to switch between 'innermost thoughts' and 'product to sell'.

Pacing is a skill that can be learned, like in Save the Cat, but it's more that you know when things feel 'wrong' - if a section is baggy or goes nowhere it's fairly evident. Authors say editing your own work is like trying to do your own brain surgery, which is why agents and editors are so helpful to point out your own blind spots and help un-knot the problems you can't see.

Big authors get massive post-publishing blues too - some of the biggest ones get just as nervous as anyone else around publication.

And yes, sometimes writers just fly in from nowhere with an amazing book they have written that needs barely any change. Often they haven't even told anyone around them that they are writing! I had one like that this year who had just sent the book to an agent who picked it out of the slush pile. No contacts, no previous experience, just a brilliant book.

[booksandstories]

@bloodyunicorns

@booksandstories -
If not, there is a day-long course you can do - bigger publishers will pay for you to do it. Then you need to contact publishers (managing editorial) and they will give you samples to try. They usually start copyediting and then try proofreading.

Do you really think that a day course is enough to learn proofreading or copyediting??! 😱😱

My experience has been that you start with proofreading then go on to cooperating. Why do you think the opposite works better?

It's a skill to learn, but on-boarding new freelance staff if they haven't previously worked in-house involves that one day course as a starting point. Usually freelancers have already worked in-house.

How did you get into it?

And you're right about the order, my mistake.

[booksandstories]

@TeddyHunters

Oh! Also ... do you read from a kindle & listen to audiobooks as well as paper books?

Absolutely! I always have an audiobook on the go.

[snowqu33n]

Thank you for responding!
I don’t want to monopolize the thread but I have a couple more questions😅:
I am interested in how book cover designs get chosen these days.
Because of thumbnails in Amazon etc., I heard that title and author name have to be big enough to stand out, but how do you see illustration trends evolving?
If everyone is keeping to the same style of illustration in order to convey the genre, how can individual books stand out? It feels like a contradiction.

[ShaneTwane]

Great thread op thanks. Is there any genres particularly that agents wont pick up nowadays?

Im feeling very deflated. Ten years ive written 4 very different novels very focused on two, a YA sci fi and a thriller comedy and in ten years have had lots of nice comments from agents and beta readers and writing groups but never any hint of a deal. Recently an agent told me comedy just doesnt sell.

[booksandstories]

@TeddyHunters

Ooh I love this thread! Thank you!

How often do you read?

Who are your favourite authors to read?

I read most days for pleasure. Reading for work is also enjoyable but I'm much more looking for the commercial value. If it's someone else's book I can just enjoy it.

The books I work on are fairly commercial and mostly fiction, where I actually love reading non-fiction and poetry. Authors like Eckhart Tolle are my slightly guilty pleasure!

[booksandstories]

@noodlezoodle

Great thread, thank you OP!

Why are kindle books often the same price as physical books? They don't have anywhere near the same production or distribution costs so I'm always surprised by this.

Ebooks go up and down in cost a bit more. You'll find they tend to hover around the same cost, at a couple of pounds cheaper than a physical book.

But broadly although there isn't a distribution cost attached, the author still needs to earn their advance and royalties, and sometimes we publish books we know will sell better in ebooks.

There are still editing, marketing, publicity and production costs behind ebooks that need to be covered, plus profits for the publisher to invest in new authors. Also, if readers are happy to pay circa £5-£10 for a book the publishers will price them at that level. There are lots of one day deals or Kindle Monthly Deals where readers can snap up a bargain too.

[booksandstories]

@autienotnaughty

My dd really wants to get into publishing. She had an eng lit degree. She works as a self employed copywriter and in sales for a magazine. Any advice as to how she can get in to book publishing?

Sales is a great way into publishing as it's less competitive than editorial. Sales teams are hardworking but brilliant.

She can just start applying and see where she gets to - the Bookseller has job listings.

Even if she eventually wants to work in editorial it's a great grounding.

[booksandstories]

@cliffdiver

Fabulous job!

What happens to all the content errors I report when reading my Kindle? Do they all get read / acted on?

Yes! The editors will make changes fairly swiftly for ebooks and gather them into changes for the next print run. Once the editors have stopped cringing!

Thank you for reporting them!

[booksandstories]

@ReadtheReviews

Would you correct an author using sat instead of sitting? Especially in a children's book? Or other grammatical errors?

Definitely, unless it was a deliberate use of non-standard language.

[OliveOyl321]

Really great thread OP. Is the children’s book market overrun or how would you go about getting published in that field? Probably not much point having an editor? Are there any publishers you would recommend?

[booksandstories]

@NancyIris

I am considering a career change to start working in publishing (mid-40s). What roles should I be looking for to start at the bottom and work my way up - Editorial Assistant?
My background from uni is in lit and lang.
Any other advice for new starters?

What do you do now (presumably not too outing)? I'd try and think about your transferable skills and be open to departments other than editorial.

[NancyIris]

@booksandstories thank you - I work in IT Support and system administration currently but would like something more creative. Am guessing there is a technical side to configuring production processes and systems? What department title would that be?

[WillhelminaBoot]

Straight white men are complaining that no matter how good their work, they can't get published. There does seem to be an element of truth in that. Whats do you think?

I'm a reasonably well-known writer (earn a living entirely through writing) and this is complete and utter bollocks.

Look at any actual statistical data on publishing, bestseller lists, etc. The overwhelming majority of books published are by white men. Being a white man is still a massive advantage if you want to be a writer.

However, the only people I've ever met who whine and play the discrimination card to excuse their personal lack of success, have been white men. I regularly meet blokes who have been trying for years or even decades to get some terrible novel published and rather than take advice on how to improve their writing (or accept that they're just not talented and put their efforts into something else) they decide it's all the fault of evil feminists, or wokeness. I never see women or non-white people do this - yes we have discussions about systemic inequality (my area of writing is extremely male dominated) but not "I personally deserve this huge success and the only possible reason I'm not rich and famous is wokeness".

It's only ever blokes who are so convinced they are geniuses they can't fathom why the rest of the world has not recognised it. They are usually just really shit writers. It's sheer male entitlement.

[TeaAndALemonTart]

Thank you very much for your advice. I actually have significantly more than 10k followers.

Not sure how but they seem to like what I do . I will follow your advice.

[Numbat2022]

@booksandstories

Yes, ours is still in-house. They are quite petrifying, particularly with non-fiction editors trying to rush the process because of late deliveries!

They do freelance out lots of the work.

😂Being petrifying is the only way to get people to do things, production is like herding cats!

It's good to know the big publishers are still employing in-house staff. I'm in academic publishing and don't feel I'm adding any value anymore as the work is so rushed or is taken completely out of house, so am hoping to move elsewhere in a year or so. I would prefer to stay in publishing if I can, I like the industry.

[Bideshi]

@WillhelminaBoot

Straight white men are complaining that no matter how good their work, they can't get published. There does seem to be an element of truth in that. Whats do you think?

I'm a reasonably well-known writer (earn a living entirely through writing) and this is complete and utter bollocks.

Look at any actual statistical data on publishing, bestseller lists, etc. The overwhelming majority of books published are by white men. Being a white man is still a massive advantage if you want to be a writer.

However, the only people I've ever met who whine and play the discrimination card to excuse their personal lack of success, have been white men. I regularly meet blokes who have been trying for years or even decades to get some terrible novel published and rather than take advice on how to improve their writing (or accept that they're just not talented and put their efforts into something else) they decide it's all the fault of evil feminists, or wokeness. I never see women or non-white people do this - yes we have discussions about systemic inequality (my area of writing is extremely male dominated) but not "I personally deserve this huge success and the only possible reason I'm not rich and famous is wokeness".

It's only ever blokes who are so convinced they are geniuses they can't fathom why the rest of the world has not recognised it. They are usually just really shit writers. It's sheer male entitlement.

Interesting. I carry no brief for white male writers, but the article I read said that Martin Amis wouldn't get published now. Of course, some might say that's bad thing.......

[ginghamstarfish]

Hi OP. I asked earlier whether prospective editors and proofreaders are tested re their knowledge of grammar, spelling and punctuation. I realise the pandemic may have affected how people work, but that doesn't account for the generally poor standard of English in almost all published material these days (and was evident prior to Covid). I review books and it is so rare to read one which does NOT have poor grammar, spelling errors, wrong words, and appalling punctuation. These errors all place a burden upon the reader who has to fathom out what is meant. I really don't understand it!

[booksandstories]

@snowqu33n

Thank you for responding!
I don’t want to monopolize the thread but I have a couple more questions😅:
I am interested in how book cover designs get chosen these days.
Because of thumbnails in Amazon etc., I heard that title and author name have to be big enough to stand out, but how do you see illustration trends evolving?
If everyone is keeping to the same style of illustration in order to convey the genre, how can individual books stand out? It feels like a contradiction.

Good question! It varies between literary and commercial publishing. Usually there are a couple of titles that sell well and become leaders in the industry then everyone copies what has done well and that moves it along!

Some books (usually more experimental) push the boundary a bit more. Recent-ish examples are Our Wives Under the Sea, Tomorrow & Tomorrow & Tomorrow, and Percival Everett's The Trees. All a bit different and you'll see them copies.

For genre titles, eg action thrillers, they all look pretty similar to signpost what reading them is like. If there's a guy running off into the middle distance and a road, you know it'll basically be like a Lee Child!

Covers do evolve quite quickly - think back to even 10 years ago when loads of 'women's fiction' had stilettos or cupcakes on.

[booksandstories]

@ShaneTwane

Great thread op thanks. Is there any genres particularly that agents wont pick up nowadays?

Im feeling very deflated. Ten years ive written 4 very different novels very focused on two, a YA sci fi and a thriller comedy and in ten years have had lots of nice comments from agents and beta readers and writing groups but never any hint of a deal. Recently an agent told me comedy just doesnt sell.

Interesting. I've always thought comedy is incredibly hard to write but there are lots of funny books that sell - if anything at the moment the incredibly serious books are struggling a little bit in the market.

Have you had any professional critique? If so, what were their thoughts? If you are getting good feedback but still no deal I would either widen the agents you're submitting to, or if you know in your heart they are the very best they can be, then I'd think about whether they are just stepping stones for your next book.

One author I work with wrote six books and had no luck and was about to give up. She then realised she'd need to carry on writing again even if she WAS successful, so she just ploughed on and that book (number seven) was the one that got her a big deal with an agent.

Sometimes the market doesn't align with your writing but your books will find their audience eventually, either through an agent who shares the vision, a future project, or self-publishing if that is a route you'd find worthwhile.

[booksandstories]

@OliveOyl321

Really great thread OP. Is the children’s book market overrun or how would you go about getting published in that field? Probably not much point having an editor? Are there any publishers you would recommend?

If you mean picture books, they still get edited! The Writers and Artists' Yearbook can help with children's agents. Often publishers are tempted by book series they can also merchandise with toys and tv shows too.

It is pretty competitive to break through in children's publishing and takes AGES (as in, can be two years before an illustrator even has time to work on a book after acquisition) but there are always spaces for talented authors who can write books children love. The biggest stumbling block I see is that writers sometimes write the books they think children should like rather than the topics and situations children actually like.

If you want to try your hand, reading out loud, testing them on children, and having ideas of which words and rhymes children learn during National Curriculum phonics teaching can all help. Randomly lots of children's authors also write reading books - Julia Donaldson used to write them.