Eternal optimism must be the attitude if one is to survive the roller coaster ride of the publishing business. There seems to be some new change every month if not every week.
For example, this past week we got word of three different editors at three different publishers leaving their current position. One shifted to another publisher who is glad to fill a needed role. But that means the current publisher will now have a position open that might create yet another shift somewhere else!
While “change” is normal, the variety in our work was illustrated quite well these past few days.
During the week we received news on a possible movie deal whose meeting finally came together.
A client asked me to look into possible accounting irregularities with their previous publisher because the numbers simply don’t add up.
Had an exchange with a foreign publisher regarding the translation rights to a client’s book.
In the past week we secured four new contracts for clients. In the same week we also turned down an offer from a publisher because it ultimately wasn’t the right partner for the project. And we also reviewed a contract where I told the client they should not sign as written because of confusing language I found in certain clauses. I also reviewed a client’s contract offer for a magazine article, because it was an unusual situation.
Then there were the 28 unsolicited email proposal submissions and the eleven received in the mail. (One addressed to the Steve White Agency…???).
Received three new proposals from existing clients. Also talked with an editor about what is happening in their slice of the industry.
As I told my wife on Friday, “The to-do list I started with on Monday did not have a single box checked off.”
Back at the beginning of this post I started with the words “eternal optimism.” There is intentionality to that phrase. The origin of the optimism can only be from an eternal source. I tend to default to the idea that if I just work hard enough and make the right decisions all would be well. But that puts the credit on my shoulders. Instead I should remember the source of it all. It is for God’s glory that we work in this industry of words. The variety of new things that cross the desk is exhilarating at times and daunting at others. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.
