Editors Are The Real Time Lords by Marc Gascoigne

Posted by Colin Harvey Jul 1, 2009

Angry Robot, the new SF/F/WTF?! imprint, launches in the UK today, July 1st. Hurrah! It feels kinda strange, though, like it's happening to somebody else, somewhere else. We've found that just picking the right day to break out the fizzy stuff has been a challenge

Do you do it when your found the imprint – August last year? Perhaps when we announced our first releases – January this year? When the books went to print? When they came in from the printers, shipped to stores? Even knowing today is officially the “on sale “day doesn't really help, because some stores have had them on shelves since last week, others since Monday, and one particular store, well, they're on credit stop so they won't get their stock till they pay up.

Meanwhile, there's a large crate that's gone out to Australia, but the size of that country means that while some bookstores have them already, others will get them next week. In the US and Canada, just so we don't die from overwork, we're launching in a couple of months, with a party at the WorldCon in Montreal before that. So many excuses to break out the champagne and cake, then, we really shouldn't complain.

And indeed you get used to it. Because the books that are hitting stores and being promoted now are only one stream. The next lot are at the printers so we can ease up on them, but the ones that follow are hard on their heels. Then there's six months of books at various stages of editing. And then… the books we're developing with authors for the spring of next year. And then… the books we're buying for the summer and autumn, and the two or three gaps we're filling in. And then all the proposals for possible books... And then the boss is asking what our plans are for year three, year five, beyond.

All of publishing is like this, but doesn't stop you feeling like a Time Lord some days. We know today is a special occasion alright, but remind us... what day is it again?