Susan Orlean recounts one real aspect of writing a book: being switched from editor to editor:
My first book was acquired by two people I will call Editor A and Editor B, who ran a small imprint at a big publishing house. We had a great lunch to celebrate. A few months later, Editor A left book publishing to become a newspaper writer. Editor B became my primary editor. She and I had a nice lunch to talk about my book.
Later:
I was assigned to Editor C. Editor C and I had lunch. A few months later, he got a new job at another publishing house. I was assigned to Editor D. Editor D and I had lunch. It was a pleasant-enough lunch, but Editor D had no actual interest in my book or me; he was just taking it on because Editor/Publisher B, now his boss, had asked him to.
And later still:
I was assigned to Editor F. I was very scared of Editor F, and I don’t think we had lunch.
Beware of the lunch cycle and daily déjà vu; too often they’re a sign there’s something absent.
