When it comes to love and relationships--and writing about the relationship between a man and a woman in love--most romance authors are experts at the process. When it comes to sustaining a strong, working relationship with the editor who publishes their books, however--well, that’s an entirely different story. 
     Yet, according to the senior editor of Silhouette Desire, Melissa Jeglinski, (speaking at an Orange County RWA meeting) the process of forging a strong editor/author relationship isn’t as complicated as it might seem.  In fact, creating a “desireable” union, says Jeglinski, begins with just five simple elements.

Respect.
     The first item on Jeglinski’s list is respect; respect from both sides.
     “The most productive relationships blossom from an understanding of how each individual works and what you can and cannot expect from one another,” says Jeglinski.
    What an author can expect and should know, she adds, is that an author’s editor is her in house advocate and is pulling for that author’s career at all times.
     “Every editor wants her author base to be the most successful one in house,” Jeglinski says. To make that happen, she adds, editors look at each project with a very critical eye, first to decide whether the project will sell or not.
     “A great idea is not always going to appeal to a wide number of readers,” Jeglinski warns, “and if it doesn’t, then it shouldn’t be published.  Core audience is everything, especially in the category romance business.”
     Reader disappointment, she adds, will lead to poor sales. Several poor sales in a row lead to a discussion with your editor about your career that could ultimately result in no more contracts.
     “An editor always respects an author’s ideas, but in this business of publishing--which is much more cutthroat than it used to be--the bottom line is the bottom line. So an author has to respect what an editor is saying about plots and editor direction.”
     That being said, Jeglinski emphasizes that there’s always a middle ground that can be found, and that a great author/editor relationship will find a compromise that can truly work for both parties.

    Which leads to the next element in creating a great editor/author relationship:

Patience.
     As with respect, patience on both sides.  Authors have deadlines to meet and editors, says Jeglinski, need to try their hardest to schedule books with enough time built in to allow authors time to finish and allow for revisions, if necessary.
     On the other hand, editors have production dates to meet, including some that are “written in stone” and cannot be moved without causing quite a predicament.
     “At Silhouette, we work about six to nine months in advance, which is pretty tight. So when someone misses a deadline, a backlog occurs which could result in our work not getting copyedited or the author not seeing the author alterations.  When you’re late, the book pays the price which could ultimately result in unsatisfied readers.”
     Jeglinski also advises authors to be patient in waiting for a reply from their editors.  “Barraging your editor with emails asking for a response . . . not a good thing. Sending them one email asking when they should expect a response . . . a very good thing.”

Honesty
     Honesty is another trait Jeglinski finds highly desireable in an author.  “If you find that your manuscript is going to be late, be honest and let your editor know well in advance,” she says. “We editors know that authors have lives beyond the keyboard. We realize you have family issues and jobs, and deal with a creative process that does not always perform at will.”
     Being upfront about issues that have crept up, Jeglinski says, will help your editor nip problems in the bud before they get out of control.
     She also recommends honesty when an author isn’t happy with an editing job or a cover or a schedule. “Ask your editor if you can have a few moments of her time to have a phone conversation where feelings can be expressed on a more personal level rather than in an email which can be misconstrued or a tone might not come out the right way.”

Realistic Expectations:
     Hand in hand with honesty is the next item on Jeglinski’s list--realistic expectations.  “Your editor is not your counselor or your sister. She is your inhouse advocate and she is our voice in the business,” she says. “If that relationship progresses to a more personal level--wonderful. But don’t expect it will.”
     Authors should also have realistic expectations when it comes to the development of their career.               
     “There are no overnight successes in this business,” Jeglinski says.  “NYT bestselling authors are built over time.  You have to produce great books, on time, with saleable aspects . . . quickly. You have to be willing to take guidance and accept criticism knowing that everything your editor tells you is in your best interest. You have to be willing to let things go that you love and forge ahead on projects that may not be the ones of your heart, but that will attract readers. When you reach that pinnacle of your career, the ticket is yours to write. But until then, be realistic about what you can achieve and how long it will truly take to get there.”

     Which leads to the final element on Jeglinski’s list. . . . .

Communication
     “Always talk to your editor first if there’s an issue. Or go through your agent and have them talk to your editor before they go above her. There is nothing worse than hearing from your manager that your author is unhappy with your work, especially if that comes from out of the blue and you thought everything was hunky dory,” Jeglinski says.
     She also warns against gossip, online or at conference, which could hurt your editor/author relationship.  “You’d be amazed at how fast the rumor mill gets back to us . . . the world is a lot smaller than you think.”

These elements, as simple as they may seem, are the foundation of a solid relationship with an editor, one you already have, or one you hope to have.  Common courtesy, mixed with common sense are truly the only things a writer really needs to know.

 
Senior Editor Melissa Jeglinski is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After receiving her Bachelor's Degree in English, Melissa relocated to New York City and began working at Harlequin Books. During her years with the company, Melissa has discovered over fifteen first time authors, worked on almost every line the company publishes and sorted through more than her fair share of manuscripts. Melissa currently resides in Queens with her girls--two cats named Esmerelda and Tallulah    

  Click here to read more about Sandra Paul.

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