Senior Editor

[gerrydodge]

Does anyone know what the difference is between a senior editor and just a plain editor? Does a senior editor have more say in whether a book gets purchased? Or is it much the same as in the academic world--the status is elevated and you get more dough.

[gerrydodge]

There must be someone out there who knows what distinguishes a senior editor from the rest of the editorship.

[Danthia]

I would guess it has to do more wth seniority. Senior editors have been there longer, more experience under their belts, etc. "Senior" and "Junior" titles in most professions mean that so I imagine it applies to publishing as well.

[gerrydodge]

I would guess it has to do more wth seniority. Senior editors have been there longer, more experience under their belts, etc. "Senior" and "Junior" titles in most professions mean that so I imagine it applies to publishing as well.

The strange thing is, Danthia, is that the senior editor who requested the rest of my ms. has only been at Penguin for a few years--she's young and she was an agent dealing in foreign rights stuff before that...hmmm

But thanks so much.

[Jamesaritchie]

The strange thing is, Danthia, is that the senior editor who requested the rest of my ms. has only been at Penguin for a few years--she's young and she was an agent dealing in foreign rights stuff before that...hmmm

But thanks so much.

The average stint of an editor is only about four years, so it often doesn't take a good editor very long to reach senior status.

[gerrydodge]

I'm still wondering, though, what is the distinction between an editor and a senior editor. Do they have more clout when deciding if a book should get purchased? Or do they just make more money.

[funidream]

My editor at Berkley (a division of Penguin) is an Executive Editor. She has a long track record. I think she answers to the Publisher.

[gerrydodge]

My editor at Berkley (a division of Penguin) is an Executive Editor. She has a long track record. I think she answers to the Publisher.

So does that mean that if she really, really likes a novel from someone, she can go out on a limb and purchase it?

[funidream]

I can't speak for all houses and all editors, but in her case, absolutely not.

She does have clout, as she "bought" more than several manuscipts that turned out to be big bestsellers - but she told me that there have been many books she just loves and pitches with all her might, but mainly for sales reasons ($$$) the answer is no.

The sales and marketing departments seem to wield the most clout.

[gerrydodge]

I can't speak for all houses and all editors, but in her case, absolutely not.

She does have clout, as she "bought" more than several manuscipts that turned out to be big bestsellers - but she told me that there have been many books she just loves and pitches with all her might, but mainly for sales reasons ($$$) the answer is no.

The sales and marketing departments seem to wield the most clout.

Thank you so much, funidream. That's what I wanted to know. I thought that was probably the case. The "black shoes" run the joint as one agent said to me once.

[Citizen Rob]

My editor at St. Martin's is an Executive Editor, and she seems to get what she wants. I talked to someone who used to work there, and was told that Senior Editors and Executive editors (whatever a particular publisher calls them) still has to answer to the publisher, but when it comes to picking graphic designers and publicists, they tend to get their way. I'm still in the middle of the whole process, so I have no idea how true that is, but I did like the preliminary cover design, and I've noticed that when I ask for things that I think seem to be pushing my luck (such as adding a photograph to the book itself), I've been surprised at how quickly I've been told yes.

But I've also been told that yes, sales and marketing wield a lot of power.

[Torgo]

Like a lot of job titles, the various flavours of Editor are not exactly distinct; but it's unlikely that someone whose title is "Editor" is doing much commissioning (officially, anyhow.)

It's never entirely true to say that sales and marketing departments have all the power, although I do hear it said a lot - they are easy to blame for things because they're 'just bean-counters'. But publishers are supposed to make money, like any other company, and they have to produce products that can be marketed and sold for a profit, which isn't particularly easy in this business.

[Namatu]

I don't know how it works in commercial publishing companies, but in my experience the distinction between editor and senior editor is: not much. Same work, but the senior editor is recognized as being more of an "authority." It has nothing to do with age or seniority.

[dclary]

When I was at Black Belt, Jim Coleman was the Senior Editor. Basically the magazine was his baby. I was an assistant editor. When I moved up to take the editorship of Karate/Kung Fu Illustrated, I became an associated editor -- that was essentially any in the company's editorial staff who wasn't a regular part of that magazine's masthead.

So senior editor is often the guy in charge. Editors and assistant editors are the guys doing the work. Copy editors, as always, are the scapegoats. :p


But that's magazines. Book houses likely differ somewhat.