Monday, September 18, 2006

Juggling

Just got an editorial letter for a Fall 07 novel out last week, struggling to get another one out for another Fall 07 novel by tomorrow and stayed at work till 9 pm tonight but still didn't finish. Right now am reading the manuscript that just came in today of a long nonfiction project (also on the Fall 07 list) so that I can get it into copyediting on Wednesday. Am loving it so far but am only on page 46 of a 200+ page manuscript...need to get to at least 100 tonight and it's past my bedtime. Am expecting a revised manuscript of another Fall 07 novel in tomorrow, and need to turn that around with more edits within a few days so that there's time to do another revision so I can get it into copyediting by mid-October. Next week I should get the revision of the novel I did an edit on last week, and will have to also turn it around quickly in order to keep it on schedule. Inherited a whole paperback series from another editor and am preparing for and leading a big meeting with the owners of the estate on Monday. Updating fact sheets for our Pre-Sales conference this week, too. Getting out jacket copy for my Spring 2007 novels by next week. Sending out two of my Spring 2007 for blurbs. Dealing with reprints. Reviewing final art for a Fall picture book. Waiting for late final art of another Fall picture book. Feeling guilty about keeping authors and agents waiting on promised revision notes for at least three projects. Trying to book my flight to Oregon for the SCBWI conference next month, but having to coordinate with my cousin and two authors out there first. Fielding calls from my mother about our family reunion in Taiwan in November. Fielding calls about submissions sent to me over 4 months ago. Not reading the manuscript in my reading pile. Needing to keep training for the marathon.

But it's all good. It will get done (with a LOT of help from my super assistant, Connie).

But I need to stop writing this RIGHT NOW! Back to work.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

That sounds like a description of where I'm at right now. Minus the family reunion in Taiwan.

Anonymous said...

Connie is pretty super!

I have to send out for blurbs for my Spring 2007 title too. I just have to wait for the typeset manuscript to come in. *sigh*
~T.S.

Anonymous said...

If ever you have a spare moment - I know, I'm asking for a lot! - just a word or two about what goes through your mind when reviewing final art would very interesting to us illustrators....

alvinaling said...

Well, of course we always hope that there are no "mistakes" or things that fell through the cracks, and we've already reviewed the sketches and seen revised sketches, etc by now, but mainly we're looking for mistakes that would need to be fixed, or if things look a little off or weird. Since final art is usually the first time we see the art in color, we pay special attention to that--is a sweater pink on one page and red in another? Does a character's hair and skin color stay consistent throughout? And so on. The copyeditor, Designer, and I all review the art, so ideally there will be no mistakes when the book is printed.

But that aside, getting final art in is one of my favorite parts of my job--it's always so wonderful to see it in person--such a different experience from seeing it in the printed book. I don't work on as many picture books as I used to, unfortunately (one or two per season), but maybe that makes it extra-special when I do see the art.

Laura Atkins said...

You have all my sympathy, Alina. I remember how crazy life as an editor can be. Though life as a freelancer is starting to feel scarily similar! Glad to hear you're enjoying it at the same time
-Laura

Anonymous said...

ahhh, the memories. amazingly it's been long enough so that i felt twinges of fond nostalgia as i read this. but not that much, though. mostly i'm like, woo hoo, unemployment is awesome!