At a recent writers conference, I heard a literary agent say that one of her top criteria when deciding whether or not to represent an author was: Could she spend eight hours in an airport with that person and like them afterward?

Here in my office, we all try to avoid working with or becoming the dreaded PITA (Pain In The Ass). Word to the wise: If you ever see a PITA surcharge on an invoice you receive, you are one of those people. The next sabotage is pretty clear, yes?


No editor or agent wants to take on a project or an author that will drive them crazy, suck up all their time and energy, or make extensive demands.

What characterizes high-maintenance authors?

• Demands answers immediately; e-mails or calls repeatedly; everything is urgent
  
• Insists on having everything their way
• Unwillingness to negotiate or compromise; general inflexibility
• Tremendous self-importance (ego, ego, ego)
  
• Demands everyone else conform to their schedule and preferences

Editors and agents fall in LOVE with people who are:

• Confident in themselves, but not egotistical
• Flexible and know how to compromise or handle change
• Strive for excellence; seek every opportunity to improve their work
• Have a positive attitude and don't play the victim
  

A few additional words about the author-editor dynamic, and a thank-you to Executive Editor Kelly Nickell for these points:

• It’s likely that you and your editor will have some good and bad times.
• It’s easy to be kind during the good times, but it’s just as important—if not more so—to be kind during the bad times.
• Remember that your editor is your voice—your supporter and champion—within the publishing house. If you throw a tantrum or resort to name-calling, etc., your editor is likely to come to think of you as a “problem author.”

It falls on your editor to create and maintain in-house interest in your project. She’s the one responsible for making sure that your book doesn’t get overlooked by sales and marketing. Cultivating a strong partnership with your editor (as well as your agent) is vital to the future success of your book.

The overarching lesson: Be a pleasure to work with, rather than someone that people take pains to avoid.

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