Author-Editor Relations: Sources of Tension
For a variety of reasons, authors and editors typically experience some tension in their relationship. Author and editor need each other to achieve their goals but have differing agenda. When author-editor relationships are unsatisfying or stressful, their book is at risk, much as a child is at risk when parents bicker or separate. In addition to the issues of trust, power, and control in author-publisher relations, described in previous posts, sources of tension between authors and editors range from issues of manuscript preparation to feelings of ownership, as suggested in the following examples.Schedule, Length, and Mechanics
Editor has unrealistic expectations about schedule; nags about deadlines; asks for or dictates “impossible” cuts for length; requests nitpicking formatting changes.
Author cannot be reached or does not return calls promptly; sends manuscript late without notice; does not draft to length; does not attend to rules of manuscript preparation; does not attend to permissions correctly or in a timely way.
Effort and Commitment
Editor requests changes that involve too much time or effort; requests extra rounds of revision or causes more work by changing the book plan in midstream.
Author is too busy (or out of town) or insufficiently committed to get the job done; does not update sources sufficiently; submits manuscript with elements missing or treated inconsistently; avoids responsibility for pedagogical features.
Evaluation and Ego
Editor expects too much or too little, is overly critical, focuses on weaknesses; edits too heavily and is too heavy-handed or else fails to provide sufficient feedback.
Author cannot take valid criticism, is unresponsive to reviewer con¬cerns and sound editorial suggestions, and accepts or insists on mediocre output.
Ownership and Control
Editor dictates cuts and changes but refuses to assist with (or to desist from performing) authoring tasks; acts like this is his or her book. Whose book is it anyway?
Author makes un-negotiated changes to text at the last minute without notice; expects the editor to perform the author’s responsibilities or over-depends; has to be bailed out through unbudgeted help or unscheduled overtime.
Editors, like authors, vary greatly in their personalities, knowledge, abilities, professional commitments, standards, strengths, and needs. They vary greatly in education, subject area knowledge, and publishing experience, not to mention motivation and skill. In failing to deal with tensions, if and when they arise, authors and editors can become unmotivated, suspicious, antagonistic, or alienated. Straightforward communication and a spirit of cooperative problem solving are the antidotes.
In my next post I'd like to offer some rules of thumb for authors on how to deal with editors. After that I have a couple of anecdotes to share anonymously on "authors from hell."
Labels: author-editor relations
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