Blogger: Janet Kobobel Grant
Location: Santa Rosa Main Office
Today I’m in a mood. Thunderclouds have gathered over my office, and I’m not feelin’ groovy, even if I do live in California. How come?
Because I’m observing authors becoming less and less concerned about making the deadlines they committed to in their contracts. Here is a case in point.
One of my clients casually mentioned to another client of mine that she had never made a deadline on any of her five contracted books. Hey, it was no big deal.
My second client, a new author with his first contract, called me to ask if deadlines are kind of taken casually by everyone in publishing.
I clarified to said second client that deadlines are to be taken very seriously. Sacrifices need to be made to make deadlines; one’s professional reputation is on the line (speaking of lines) with a deadline; publishers pay attention when deadlines are missed.
The bottomline (another kind of line) is that someone pays the price if you miss your deadline. The further from the deadline you turn in your manuscript, the more people pay prices. The first person is your editor. It will fall to your editor to make up the time you ate up. Because the editor’s projects are lined up by the production department, if your project comes in late, the editor still has to finish your manuscript on time or the next project (which might have come in on time) will be late releasing. So the editor burns the midnight oil the author failed to burn.
Note: I’m not writing about justifiable reasons for missing a deadline. We’ve all experienced the unexpected that makes a tossed salad out of our lives. Instead, I’m writing about those instances in which the author put off doing the work of writing the book until it became inevitable the deadline would be missed.
What should you do when you realize you’re going to miss your deadline? As soon as you know, when that sinking feeling in your gut won’t go away, that the manuscript just can’t be ready on time, call your agent (or call your editor, if you don’t have an agent). The longer you wait to confess, the more repercussions for the publishing house. Phoning the day of the deadline won’t do. Confessing a month before the due date is better. (Come on, if you haven’t started writing it with one month left, and you know it takes you three months to complete a manuscript, you really can ‘fess up early.) Publishers won’t be happy the deadline will be missed, but with several weeks to adjust the production schedule, they at least have some flexibility to figure out what to do.
Tomorrow I’ll write about the uber-late manuscript and the fallout from that. I’ll also write about why I think deadlines are missed.
By the way, I decided to write about deadlines not to be curmudgeonly but because I’m concerned that authors don’t understand the implications of being late. For there are implications, even when, on the surface, there seem to be none.
My WIP features a writer who’s been out of writing for a few years due to her daughter’s serious health issues. Is it possible that she could still have a book owed a publisher from her original contract? Or is that unreasonable? How long would a publisher wait?
I saw something else in the last two weeks about deadlines (can’t remember where) so I believe this is a serious issue. Do you think it’s always been problematic, or has the stress from the economy increased writers’ block?
I am such a crazy rule follower, I’m always surprised when people assume deadlines are “general guidelines”.
I think it’s helpful for people to see that there are real repercussions – although I wonder if they don’t directly affect them personally, if that will matter.
Making deadlines is part of writing professionally. Signing contracts is a serious legal commitment and yes it does throw everyone out if you are late. I’ve only been late once in 13 contracts and that was when I suffered with burn out whilst beginning to write my prayer and meditation book ‘Into God’s Presence’. It was my biggest contract to date and Zondervan were amazingly caring and understanding. I had to take 6 months off to recover and they were wonderful. An author rarely forgets such kindness. God bless Zondervan!
As an editor, I stress to my writers that “deadline” is made up of two words: dead and line. Cross this line and you’re dead.
I finished a book for Harper Collins with an ice pack down my pants after double hernia surgery, so I have little patience for excuses.
And, the best part, if you turn in a manuscript a week or two BEFORE the deadline, you are awarded sainthood at publishers!
Jim
Professionalism becomes us in all aspects of the journey.
Missing deadlines…not good. It’s like breaking a promise.
Being a newspaper editor, I face deadlines every day. Even my feature reporters who might not be working for a daily deadline face deadlines. It’s my job to help my reporters do the best work of their lives. But I can only do that if they meet deadlines. Filing a story late gives me less time to edit it, less time for the page designer to design it and so on. It’s not fair to the editor or the designer. Everyone must meet deadlines in order to keep the train running. Period.
Dawn Marie, multi-book contracts can especially catch the publisher and author unprepared for when life interrupts the creative process and a deadline is missed. Yes, your protagonist could have a deadline hanging in midair for a couple of years IF the publisher were willing to wait that long to receive the manuscript. The publisher does have the option to ask for the advance back and to cancel the contract. I’ll be writing about major missed deadlines tomorrow.
Is the economy causing more missed deadlines? I don’t think so. As a matter of fact, publishers are canceling more contracts than ever because they’re pulling back on titles to publish. So meeting deadlines is imperative.
Thank you so much for that info Janet, it really helps me (and my plot) out! I’m looking forward to rest of this week’s posts.
I guess I’m a bit surprised that the economy isn’t the culprit because the only thing that leaves is unprofessionalism. I’m back in a writing class for my WIP, mainly to have strict deadlines and accountability. As someone trying to break into the business, it’s upsetting to think of people not being professional. I will! I will! 😀
I have spent too many days stressing over deadlines when my sources don’t return calls or emails as promised to ever make an editor go through that. Unfortunately, this year I did miss a couple, through no fault of mine but it still rankled. Deadlines are part of the job and as a professional I have to take that seriously or my editor will turn to someone else that does.
THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU
I just heard from the fourth author this week that she’s not going to turn in her manuscript as contractually obligated. Deadlines are not suggestions, and as I’m staring down another weekend of making up for time authors did not use well, I’m realizing that I probably won’t contract any of them again. It’s that important. Thank you for pointing it out, Janet.
I’ve got a question: let’s say you get a contract, you do meet your deadline, the publisher gets the manuscript, and let’s say the publisher canceled your title because of the economy. Would they ask for your advance back? Is it wise to put an advance in the bank until it is safe to spend (safe as in the book is in bookstores)?
Deadlines are serious stuff. The only time I’ve ever missed one was when I unexpectedly caught chicken pox from my son. Talk about being thrown a curve ball! The problem was, they were on my hands (among other places) and it drove me insane to type. I immediately contacted my editor (for whom I was writing devotions) and asked him if I could have an extra week. He was very understanding, and as soon as my itching subsided, I got right back to work. Thank you Don Hoeferkamp, wherever you are!
Beth, thanks for speaking up on behalf of editors.
If you sign a contract, you are obligating yourself to an agreement.
What if it was the other way around?
or… What if they just forgot to pay you?
That’s what they have agreed to do, right?
As several have suggested, it’s called professionalism.
Thanks for a good topic.