Article: Being Professional
Project Type: N/A
Originally published in the October 2007 Newsletter for Authors
Recently on the Authors loop we had a wonderful discussion on being professional and what it means to be an author in this day and age. The authors had some fabulous advice and some really scary stories about other authors who don’t always put their best foot forward.
Here’s a brief summary of tips and advice.
- Don’t go to a conference and get drunk. You might end up saying things you’ll regret. And you don’t want to be known as the “drunk lady at the bar.”
- Treat people with courtesy. Try to answer your email as soon as possible, apologize for delays, give an explaination. Remember that everyone has a bad day now and then and give them the benefit of the doubt. You never know, their parent could have just died or maybe someone ran over their dog that morning. You really don’t know.
- Speaking of other people… don’t brag and don’t gossip. Especially if you hardly know the person.
- Be patient. You’re not the only author in the world waiting to hear from your editor, agent, web designer, etc. And don’t forget #2 above.
- Don’t post personal information on your blog. No we don’t need to know how your doctor’s appointment went.
- And speaking of blogs… it’s not an appropriate place to rant about your agent, your editor, your publisher, another author, a review, a reviewer, or another website. Just don’t do it. Fuss to your friends. Let the rest of the world be blissfully unaware. If you have a serious issue with one of the above, take it to a neutral third party and let them investigate.
- Meet your deadlines.
- Remember that this is a business. If you’re making money off of your work, you’re in business. Your publisher wants to make money off your work. As does the editor, your agent, the cover artist, even the printer, and the mailroom guy. Do whatever you can to make the process go as smoothly as possible. Be thankful. And oh yeah, remember #2 and #3.
- Cut the umbilical cord. Yes, your book is your baby. But when you publish, it becomes the Publisher’s baby and the editor’s baby. And they want to sell it. Don’t throw a fit because the ask for a change. Remember #7 and that you’re all in this together.
- When in doubt play nice or be quiet. Be careful who you say what to because it can always come back to haunt you. This has happened to countless authors. In some cases, they might say something about an editor on day one of the conference and by day two, their words have already made their way to the editor’s ears. No joke!
- Follow the rules. No, not the writing ones. Your agent’s rules. You publisher’s rules. Even when you join a loop to promote your work, take the time to learn the rules. Nothing will make you seem more insincere than doing whatever you please with no interest how it affects others and what rules you’re breaking.
- When in doubt, ask! People are happy to help.
If you have a thought to share, join our Author’s loop and tell us what you think: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CataNetwork-Authors/
filed under Articles