Cover Story: Susan Isaacs: The Insider Interview

I think we have not only fewer readers but fewer greedy readers who want to read two to three books a week. Some of it has to do with women going to work—there ain't no time!

Do you have any advice for publishers on how to foster good relationships with their authors?

● Honesty and directness are always a plus. … There should be weekly reports including sales figures. … They don't want to hurt the author or get the author angry but essentially they're still dealing with authors as if we're children, and very sensitive children. I think we all have to grow up and if there's good news, let's celebrate, and if there's bad news … the point is there should be more contact.
The question that hasn't been asked yet is where does the agent fit into all this, and the answer is, I don't know, because the agents are just as much at sea as the publishers are. They're getting a lot of material … but publishers aren't buying because the author isn't telegenic. One of the reasons people become writers is that they're dorks. They may be a lot of other things—some of them are delightful and charming and even good-looking—but a lot of them are not…

There's really very little told to the author [along the lines] of "this is what you should do—this is what we need you to do." Someone should check out the author at a reading and see if he happens to scratch his crotch and drool as he's doing it. [If so,] then it should be suggested to him that he keep his hands in his belt loops and try to control his saliva, or whatever it is. When I had my first TV experience, which I think was in 1980, I asked the publicist "What do I do, what should I know for TV?" She thought and she thought and she said, "Don't wear ruffles."