Publishing: the brutal reality

September 22, 2011 Gary Corby

This morning I woke to find that the following conversation had taken place while I slept. I'm passing this on (with permission) to show you the tense dynamics of the publishing world. What you're about to read is a for real, blow-by-blow dialogue between one of the greatest and most successful editors in publishing, and one the most renowned literary agents. I have not changed a word.

Keith the Editor:

Hi Gary:

So production has released the original copy-edited ms. of The Pericles Commission back to us. Traditionally, original manuscripts were returned to the author – for reasons both long and no longer nearly as germane in this digital world – but nowadays most authors prefer that we simply recycle them at our end. However, if you want this back for posterity – or some authors include the ms. in the papers that they donate to an archive somewhere – just let Hannah know and she’ll send it on to you via ~~slow boat to Australia~~ winged steed. Or something like it.

Best,
Keith

Janet the Shark:

Or you could send it by smelly donkey over to FPLM. I have several you can borrow if you don't keep a stable anymore.

Keith the Editor:

Okey dokey. Over to you. As soon as we can find a spare llama to port it over to you on. Or the postal service, for as long as it lasts.

Hannah the Editorial Assistant:

I've located a menagerie of animals to escort the MS back to you-- it will be on its way soon!

So that's how publishing works! Seriously, these guys are the ones who should be writing the funny books.