Two related themes run through this book. The first is the importance of seeing writing as a process – as an activity that happens over time and in which one thing leads to another. The second is the role of anticipation in preventing problems and creating opportunities.

In Chapter 6 (see pp. 74–80) I used the images of the sheepdog and the maze to explore these themes on a micro-level, showing how they impacted on writing in terms of the selection of words and the construction of sentences. In contrast, this chapter is concerned with the bigger picture. The focus shifts from how to write a book, to how to develop an authorial career. The question we explore here is not ‘How does one word (or sentence or paragraph) lead to another?’ but rather ‘How does one work lead to another?’

NEW EDITIONS

The most obvious way in which one publication leads to another is through the publication of a new edition. This is most common with adoptables and reference works (especially annuals). New editions are often popular with publishers: they provide a means of continuing to sell a book over a number of years or even decades. This makes for a better return on investment and also provides a predictable stream of revenue. Authors too are generally pleased to see their books move into new editions, though – as we will see – this can require a good deal of work.