DOING TIME FOR THE WRONG CRIME
From the OTHE SIDE OF THE DESK
Piers Blofeld says that an ideas thief has overlooked what really matters in publishing
Piers Blofeld
One of my favourite tales of bad behaviour in publishing is that of the author who was commissioned to write the official biography of a major global sport star. It was going to be a big book in the publisher’s autumn schedule but the author kept on extending the delivery date and the publisher were starting to become a little bit frantic.
Eventually things got to the point where the author had to deliver the last two chapters within three days or else the publisher would miss their slots at the printers and the book would have to be pulled from its prime spot in the autumn schedule, driving a coach and horses through the publisher’s budget for the year. It was at this point that the author rang up his editor and said that he really didn’t think he had been paid enough and that if they wanted the book on time, they would need to transfer another £20,000 into his account. Of course the publisher paid, so the book was delivered (and was a great success).