The Author's Desk Book Being a Reference Volume upon Questions of the Relations of the Author to the Publisher, Copyright, The Relation of the Contributor to the Magazine, Mechanics of the Book, Arrangement of the Book, Making of the Index, Etc.

"The Author's Desk Book" by William Dana Orcutt is a detailed handbook that explains the connections between authors and publishers, including things like copyright rules and how books are made, as it was understood in the early 1900s. The book talks about all the complicated parts of publishing, highlighting how important it is for authors and publishers to work well together, depending on each other for success. It starts by looking at the basics of their interactions, showing why trust and understanding are so important in their often tricky relationship. Orcutt points out that while everyone wants things to go well, problems can happen because authors and publishers might see business differently, especially because many authors don't know much about publishing. The book also discusses agents and how important contracts are, pointing to the way publishing rights change, especially with things like movies coming into the picture. Orcutt sets the stage for a closer look at the rules and real-world stuff that guides how books are created and shared.