A few years ago I was fortunate enough to hear Larry Kirshbaum, formerly the Publisher of Warner Books and now an agent, discuss the process of publishing.  The entire crowd of authors in attendance noticeably moved forward in their chairs when he boldly urged everyone to “become the CEO of your own book.”  His reasoning about not being a passive partner in the publishing process was built on the notion that not no one would care about your book more than you do.  He firmly believed that being a steward of the process, while not becoming an obstacle or an annoyance, was the key to a successful run with a book.

Since that time, publishing has undergone a radical shift, and large houses, in particular, are now finding themselves with more informed authors who want to challenge the status quo.  Knowing they can find many avenues to publish their works that afford them more control of the process and the rights, I believe that authors feel more inclined to speak up, per Kirshbaum’s suggestion. I’d like to suggest that they can do this in a manner which results in strong collaboration, rather than a power struggle from start to finish.

Here are the four keys to creating a great relationship with your editor or editorial team:

• Recognize where you’re the expert. You write a book about start-up success or high level business strategy because this is what you know best.  Recognize that when you walk into the publisher’s office, they hold the same level of expertise on THEIR industry, with an insider’s knowledge of jacket design, marketing plans, promotion and distribution.  Be willing to listen when they suggest the title you’ve become wed to has selling issues, or the jacket image they created has a sales appeal that you might not see.  An open mind is the best method to approach some of the key decisions on the path and the more focused you are on understanding why they have made certain choices.  If you don’t attack, you’re more likely to get a voice about everything from jacket to subtitle.
• Consider your editor as your best advocate within the company. Once acquired, your editor will take your book from the hands of either you or your agent and shepherd it through the process of editing, design, production and publication.  Make your editor your best friend.  Help them do their job by doing yours.  Speak up about the issues most important to you, by all means, but work hard to understand their jobs and how you can help make the process work more smoothly.  That means, if you don’t know something, ask.  Inquire about how you can help, ask for a clear understanding of anything you’re not familiar with and keep the lines of communication open so that everything decided about your book happens in your full view before books hit the marketplace.
• Hold up your end of the bargain. Be sure to watch promises you make on endorsements for your book, media contacts, possible contacts for bulk purchases, and your platform and ability to arrange events at the time of publication.  Authors are regularly now held responsible for creating their own platforms.  Consider how you can best use your resources and present them accurately to the publisher.  If you can deliver 10,000 copies in preorders via your client database, be sure to communicate this clearly to your publisher so that the sales can be maximized.  If you have strong media contacts and think they will deliver for you, communicate that so that publicity can be communicated to sales and therefore give you a bigger boost.  Overpromising can lead to inflated expectations at the publisher and disappointment down the line.  Be optimistic, but realistic about how you present yourself and your power to deliver on all of these key ingredients.
• Recognize their efforts. Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a team to publish a book.   Editors arerarely called out for their efforts on an author’s behalf, so if your editor is working hard for you, serving as your advocate, and giving you better results, let them know you’re pleased.  Better yet, call up the chain of command and let their boss know how much you think of their work.  You may be building a relationship that sees you through the publication of several books and you should operate with that in mind throughout the process.

As the lines blur and publishing elops more layers that come with digital media and all the issues it brings with it, work toward building your own empire with books with an eye toward a long term commitment to your book, your editor and your publisher.  Every book deserves this kind of concerted effort.