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Enter the latest recipient of the Savas Beatie Darwin Author Award: Mr. Smith (not his real name)
This is yet another lesson in what NOT to do if you are an author who wants to get published by a reputable house. Hint: They set the rules, and you follow them.
BACKGROUND: When we accept manuscripts, the speed we bring them to press depends on a host of things (the condition of the manuscript, the need for that book in our offerings at a given time, etc.)
The publishing world is structured around two cycles per year: Spring (January 1 - June 30), and Fall (July 1 - December 31). We work well in advance of each. For example, we recently finalized our Spring 2019 titles (so we work about six or seven months ahead), and have 2/3s of our Fall 2019 locked up.
When it is time to prepare for the next cycle, we generally have about a solid month to select the titles, design the cover, write up catalog copy for the book, estimate length, number of illustrations, etc. and set a retail price. That is how it works, and that is what works best for Savas Beatie. All this info goes to the distributor on THEIR time-table. The publishing world is very regimented, and if you want the best chance to sell as many copies of the book as possible, you follow what the distributor, wholesalers, Amazon, etc. require, and what your publisher knows works with their production logistics.
Enter Mr. Smith . . .
We accepted Mr. Smith's manuscript (decently written, he has a few books to his credit) in 2017 and told him to stand by for instructions. Sarah Keeney, our marketing director, attempted to slate it in the next possible six-month period, which was Spring of 2018, but Mr. Smith did not get back to her in time (I believe he was traveling—and he is not favorably disposed to email or technology in general, apparently). We pulled it, let him know it was not that big of a deal, and to stay tuned as we would slate it for the next cycle.
We attempted to schedule his book for Fall 2018 with the same result. He was slow to respond despite repeated emails requests, and finally sent something snail mail—and too late. We had no choice but to yank it.
Finally, two
months ago we went through the same process, with the SAME result. This time he
sent in some of what we requested a couple weeks late,
Sarah, who invented the word "kind, "wrote him the following email:
Hi Mr. Smith,
I am copying Ted Savas on this email.
Thank you for your email.
We want to publish your XXX book, but are concerned about how best to move forward at this point. We have missed deadlines to get your book added to our catalog three times now. So, we're no further along in publishing your book than we were a couple years ago.
It is important that you be proficient enough in email to communicate with us that wayl within the deadlines we give or it won't work. We can't accept things in the mail now or moving forward.
Is there someone you can work with to help make sure that you can get us what we ask for via email by the deadlines given? We aren't set up to operate efficiently any other way. Again, we want to publish your book but are concerned about how to proceed at this point.
Please let me know your thoughts to see if we can make this work.
Thanks,
Sarah
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This was Mr. Smith’s finally crafted Darwinian reply (with no salutation, by the way):
So the schedule for publishing my book is back to start. No progress after two years.
The question is not "what" but "why." Seems like we're playing a game called "Meet my Deadline." You ask for input and give me a very short period to comply. If a fail to respond on time, I get a six month punishment, e.g. the publishing date is returned to start. No credit given for the work I've done. My last failure was (gasp with a deep voice) using the US Mail instead of email, the biggest "boo boo" in your little game.
I, of course, have made mistakes. The most crucial one was to sign a book contract with Savas Beatie. As a result, I've wasted two years in an effort to see my biography of Marmaduke published. No more. I now look forward to a mutual decision to terminate our agreement.
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Sarah was hurt and appalled. I replied personally:
Dear Mr. Smith,
Your reply demonstrates a complete lack of appreciation for my staff, and for how trade publishing works.
We can't move forward without your book being slated into a publishing schedule and the "six month punishment" you allege is ridiculous. The publishing world works in six-month cycles, so when the time comes, we give all of our author authors WEEKS to comply. All of them have done so--except you. Three times. Playing the victim is so untoward and beneath an SB author. I won't have any of this nonsense.
The fact that you would go off on Sarah in an email, our marketing director who has bent over backward to help you, speaks volumes about you.
Consider the contract terminated, and happily so.
Best Regards
Theodore P. Savas
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The publishing world in general is much smaller than you think. This Civil War publishing world is tiny by comparison. I know this book will likely end up with a particular publisher who does almost no editing, prints small runs, slaps a $50.00 price tag on a paperback book, and sells them mostly to libraries. Mr. Smith will end up with what he deserves, i.e., practically nothing.
Authors: Be forewarned. Acting like a jackass is more than foolish and will quickly make quality publishers run when they see your name.
--tps