"Hmm…"
"It's, um… I didn't have much to work with in the way of photos."
"Yeah, I know. You should see the crap we're using inside. Look, this'll do, but I want you to change the subtitle."
"The subtitle?"
"Yeah, I want you to add the word 'Canadian'. I want it to say 'The Canadian Shipwreck of HMS Raleigh'."
"But it was announced as just 'The Shipwreck of HMS Raleigh'. It's in the catalogue."
"Never mind that. No one's ever heard of this thing. We've got to play up the Canadian angle."
"Well, 'Canadian' won't fit. Not unless we go with a smaller font."
"Make is 'Canada' then. 'The Canada Shipwreck of HMS Raleigh'."
"The Canada Shipwreck? That doesn't even make sense. Besides, Newfoundland wasn't even part of Canada back then.
"Look, do you want to be paid or what."
I look forward to three slightly different versions of the subtitle between the cover, the title page and the copyright. Because if there's one thing we've learned from How to Writer a Be$t $eller, it's that the author must be in complete control of editing and design. If you leave it to some dope, they'll just arse it up.
ReplyDeleteIn the proud tradition of Toronto's News Stand Library.
DeleteRaleigh on the Rocks is listed as HMS Raleigh on the Rocks in Generally Speaking and Ultimatum 2.