Comments for Opinion: The Peter Principles at http://bookbrunch.co.uk , comment 1 to 1 out of 1 comments http://bookbrunch.co.uk Fri, 10 Sep 2010 20:42:16 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://bookbrunch.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3703:opinion-the-peter-principles&catid=924:publishing&Itemid=117#comment-184 I am very pleased to see this topic being raised by Trevor Dolby. I worked in the industry for 26 years, but now run a postgraduate degree course in publishing. I also do freelance training for publishers,and for the Publishing Training Centre, on the work of the commissioning editor. At my university, I see bright young people wanting to work in editorial, as they see it as the most interesting part of publishing. They believe they will be working on books and with authors and it is going to be challenging but inspiring. On training courses, I am sometimes taken aback by innocent comments made by delegates about how things are run in their companies. The Editor as Drudge seems to be the new role, and it's clear that these young editors are reporting up to 'Publishers' and 'Editorial Directors' too young and too inexperienced to be occuping those positions. How else can one account for a 'Publisher' who doesn't know the difference between a reprint with corrections and a new edition, for example? I feel slightly anxious, therefore, about the kind of publishing world into which I am introducing my students. Many comments have been made about the rise of importance of the literary agent, often now taking on the work of the editor. This is very useful work that is being done, but it should not be to the exclusion of the in-house editor, who appears to think that now that work is done, they need not concern themselves with it. If agents are doing so much content and textual work, what are the editors doing? An important, but blindingly obvious, point seems to be overlooked these days. Publishing is not like most industry. The people who create the content, the authors, are freelancers. Their relationship with the publishing house is not the same as that between employer and employee. Managing that relationship is central to the good health of the house, whether that is about finding new authors or supporting and developing the work of existing authors. So, why is there a shortage of editorial staff, let alone good staff? Probably because the role of the editor has been downgraded, possibly in formal terms, or even sublimally. The balance must be redressed if publishers wish to find and nurture real talent on the editorial side. Experienced and successful editors will always be in demand but most houses, at some time, need to replace them. The pot of potential talent will run dry if the role of editor is continually seen as not worth the candle, and that life is much more fun in marketing. - Gill Davies Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:01:34 +0100