What's an editor got to do?

This week's Editorial class was mainly intro. So there isn't an aweful lot here you won't have already read about in other people's blogs or websites. Still, I thought it was good to hear it again from my professors.

The editorial process begins with an idea. The OED defines "idea" as:

I. General or ideal form as distinguished from its realization in individuals; archetype, pattern, plan, standard.

Yes, they used "ideal" in the definition, just goes to show the OED is starting to lose touch. The idea might come from the editor or an author or even someone else. Once there is an idea, it needs to be put into motion. If the idea comes from the editor, s/he will need to decide whether it's worth turning it into a book. There are a lot of great ideas but not all of them would turn a profit and that's what an industry, any industry, is about. Sometimes, you just have to sacrifice it either because you don't have the ressources or there's no market for it.
If the idea's good, then the editor will look for an author to write it. This is commissioning. Then, the author sends a manuscript to the editor and the long process of making it the best it can be starts. This process involves a lot of people in a lot of departments.
If the idea comes from the author and an editor decides to take it, then it's called acquisition. But you already knew that, right? ;)

It is important to build relationships. A good relationship with the author, with other people in your company as well as outside the company (freelancers etc) are crucial. The editor has to be the champion of a book within the company after all s/he will have to fight for the book to be published so they must really believe in it. There are very big risks taken in publishing. Imagine you offer a huge advance to a celebrity for their biography then that biography doesn't earn out? That's a lot of money lost right there. Or you commission a book that should sell like hot baguettes in a Paris boulangerie but the process is delayed for whatever reason and the book is published a little too late and...doesn't earn out?

An editor needs to know to know a lot of things and juggle them deftly (hence why I'm considering joining the circus society, hardeehar). Obviously, the market is one of them. You'd be surprise how disconnected you can actually be from the market. You think you know what's selling lately but you're likely to be wrong. You have to do your research. What is the need you can fill? You either have to guess right or react very quickly.

You also have to know about trends. Sometimes it's good to publish for a trend but remember somethings become over done very quickly like tragic childhood memoirs, and , IMO, vampires (but the damned bloodsuckers are getting a revival now, we'll never be rid of them will we?). Sometimes, you'll do your research and see there's a market where there is no competition. Sometimes this means "brilliant untapped niche market!" and sometimes it means "there ain't no money here".

So if you want to be an editor, you have to be creative, imaginative, patient (publishing is slowwww), have a thick skin, good with people, dedicated and financially aware, you know, among other things.
Oh, and... you fail more often than not. Kind of like being a writer I guess. Except the writer doesn't stand to lose a couple tens of thousands.