Last week I wrote a post about rejecting (often unsolicited) incoming book proposals and manuscripts. I tried to explain what makes a proposal successful or not--by Berrett-Koehler's standards. However, I think an equally important part of BK's reaction to the "slush pile" is how we inform the author of our decision.
The most common response from a publisher to an author whose work will not be published is nothing. My own father, a published Berrett-Koehler author, can attest to this. Many publishers don't even send out a form letter informing the writer of their decision. It's one of the most trying aspects of becoming a published writer. It's more than constant rejection. It's being absolutely ignored.
That's why Berrett-Koehler makes it a policy to personally respond to each proposal. Because I am the one who first reviews them I am also the person in charge of responding to them. Most of the time, this takes the form of a personal phone call. I call every author and give them reasons for our decision. I invite them to ask questions, call me back, do whatever they feel will help them. When possible, I give constructive advice which sometimes includes a referral to another publisher or an agent.
I've talked to my boss, Jeevan Sivasubramaniam, about the merits of this method. Certainly it would be easier to send a form letter (or no letter at all) but that kind of action doesn't fit into the Berrett-Koehler mission of community building. In his own words, responding personally "is just the right thing to do." It's easy to forget that behind each proposal is a person who worked really really hard to prepare that document. It's important to respect that.
In another light, it's also good for business. Sure, the only exchange is communication, but the authors I speak to will remember Berrett-Koehler. Sad as it may seem, this small gesture is a mark of distinction in the publishing world.
0 comments:
Post a Comment