Re: Deadlines?

[Paul DuBois <paul -at- kitebird -dot- com>]

On Mon, Jan 13, 2003 at 08:28:35AM -0800, Sean Hower wrote:
> -------------------------------
> you wrote:
> That requires, of course, editors who are willing to drink Maalox and
> explain to *their* superiors why I'm not done yet.  And my prinicple
> isn't completely absolute, in the sense that I'll *try* to make my
> deadlines and sometimes end up throwing out material in order not to
> make the manuscript even later than it already is.
> -------------------------------
> 
> So, you're just putting the responsibility onto someone else then? Doesn't that destroy any sense of teamwork and create a hostile working environment. I know I'd be a little more than mad if I had to work with a writer who ignored deadlines and then expected me to make up for it. :-(
> 
> Or am I misunderstanding you?

Yes, you are.  I didn't say I ignored deadlines.  I explicitly said that
I try to make them, but fail.

No, this doesn't create a hostile working environment (well, a better
word than environment would be relationship, because I've never actually
met anyone in person or worked in proximity with anyone who's worked
on editing or producing one of my books).  As it happens, my editors
are pretty happy with my work.  I suppose in part this is because one
of the consequences of my dogged determination to try to get the manuscript
right is that they have to do almost nothing to it to get it to press.

So, it's not just that I'm bullheaded, recalcitrant, and obstreporous.
The editors know that I'm as interested as they are in turning out good
work, and they're willing to take some heat for it from their higher-ups.
I appreciate this on their part, and consider myself fortunate that they'll
do this.  Editors are a necessary evil, but they are after all my
representatives to the publisher, and it's not a good idea to alienate
them.

I suppose I should mention that there sometimes comes a point when an
editor will tell me, "we've now moved the deadline as far as it can go,
and it canNOT be moved again."  At that point I go into overdrive (or
double overdrive as the case may be) and work even harder than usual.

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