My publisher and I have just about finished the final edit of my guidebook. I have found something I need to change for informational/inspirational purposes, constituting an additional 2 paragraph. I requested to make alterations, but was asked to wait until the 2nd edition. This is a new publishing company, which is only just starting to develop firm guidelines/parameters to their business model, and as a 1st time published author, I too am learning (what not to do in this case) through this process. From other peoples experiences w/ publishing on either side of the coin, I was wondering what I could do to respectfully get this critical change put in?
I know that no one hand-sets type any more (do they?), but I would guess that even in these computerized days there is surely a point where page count, widows, orphans, location of illustrations and other layout issue, are done, and that adding two paragraphs might cause a cascade effect that would produce a great deal of work. But that's just guessing - does anyone know?
I agree with CF If this is an improvement to the text/info. - which being that they have asked you to wait until the second addition, I think they possibly agree with you. My guess is (and it is only a guess) that they are so far down the road of publishing your book that it would prove to be too costly or too time consuming to change at this stage. I would go along with what they say and learn for the next time.
It couldn't have been essential to the guide book if you only thought of it now - anything truly essential would've jumped out like a big gaping hole and either you or the publisher would've spotted it, especially as you're nearing the finish of the FINAL edit, so you've really had plenty of time. This shows me that, yes, you should listen to your publisher and just include the new material in the 2nd edition, because while it does add to the book (hence the inclusion in the 2nd edition) it is not absolutely necessary to the book, which is why there's no reason now to change it.
sad, but true!... you're at the mercy of your publisher on this... take a look at your contract and you may even see such a situation covered there... next time, be sure you won't want to add anything before you submit the ms the first time...
Hmmm. If the change is crucial information in the sense that if you leave it unchanged damage is incurred (e.g., a law has been changed and the 'old' information guides the reader into the wrong direction) you can insist on the amendment, because the unchanged version will damage your reputation/integrity as a writer (not to speak about subjecting you and the publisher to litigation risks for punitive damages). If it just an amendment on your path to perfection, just leave it to edition#2. HTH
Easy. Just crank up your time machine, go back and revise your submission. Repeat until the altered draft is no longer rejected in the new timeline. What? You don't have a time machine? Oh, in that case you're pretty much SOL.
Thanx to all whose comments provided clarity and confirmation on what is going on behind the front lines of writing. My publisher and I are working to put out a great product, as we are both relative novices to certain spheres of this project: I to the publishing aspect, and she to publishing a new genre such as mine.
