Chug Roberts

Editorial background and publications

Experience as an acquisition, development and line editor with hundreds of authors across the country, including
- Lawyers
- Judges
- Journalists
- Professors
- Lobbyists
- Computer consultants
- Marketing consultants

"[E]ditors ... exist to keep authors, publishers and readers in harmony...."
- Arthur Plotnik 

EDITOR, n. A person who combines the judicial functions of Minos, Rhadamanthus and Aeacus, but is placable with an obolus; a severely virtuous censor, but so charitable withal that he tolerates the virtues of others and the vices of himself; who flings about him the splintering lightning and sturdy thunders of admonition till he resembles a bunch of firecrackers petulantly uttering his mind at the tail of a dog; then straightway murmurs a mild, melodious lay, soft as the cooing of a donkey intoning its prayer to the evening star. Master of mysteries and lord of law, high-pinnacled upon the throne of thought, his face suffused with the dim splendors of the Transfiguration, his legs intertwisted and his tongue a-cheek, the editor spills his will along the paper and cuts it off in lengths to suit. And at intervals from behind the veil of the temple is heard the voice of the foreman demanding three inches of wit and six lines of religious meditation, or bidding him turn off the wisdom and whack up some pathos.

O, the Lord of Law on the Throne of Thought,
A gilded impostor is he.
Of shreds and patches his robes are wrought,
His crown is brass,
Himself an ass,
And his power is fiddle-dee-dee.
Prankily, crankily prating of naught,
Silly old quilly old Monarch of Thought.
Public opinion's camp-follower he,
Thundering, blundering, plundering free.
Affected, Ungracious, Suspected, Mendacious,
Respected contemporaree!

J.H. Bumbleshook

- Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary
 

"Like a counterterrorism operative, a good editor has done her best work when you don't realize she's done anything at all."

The incredible vanishing editor: What we can learn from Martin Scorsese's new documentary They're invisible until something goes wrong, as in Alessandra-Stanley-gate. But we need editors now more than ever, by Laura Miller

Editorial management

Recruiting and leading editorial staff of as many as 27 lawyers and journalists
Developing and implementing a training program for new acquisition editors
Designing and developing a national online legal news service using an SGML-based editorial system
Citation and style guides

Acquisition and development of manuscripts

Identifying potential titles
Competitor evaluation
Identifying and recruiting authors for state and national products
Negotiate publication agreements
Regular travel to meet with authors and potential authors
Outline and manuscript development
Developing and maintaining editorial relationships
Designing and editing group publishing projects for national organizations, coordinating the work of hundreds of authors
Working with authors from across the country


Working with diverse information

Law, legislation, software
Articles for news and professional publications
Substantive and line editing
Publishing new and revised titles
Writing and editing briefs and memoranda for attorneys throughout the U.S.

Marketing the finished product

Assisting in developing marketing and publicity for new titles
Presentations to sales people and telemarketers
Working trade shows
Design and monitor implementation of publishers' marketing plan
Alternative copyright and licensing arrangements
Media relations
Development and placement of articles based on longer writings

Testimonials
"An excellent editor"  Experienced Author

"A real gift for inspiring his authors to do their best." Business Attorney

"It's been the happiest and most fruitful of collaborations." Experienced Trial Advocacy Author

"Mr. Roberts' pen is mightier than the sword." Trial Lawyer

"A motivating speaker." Head of Telemarketing

"... the best editor I've ever worked with." Trial Lawyer, Barrister, and Experienced Author

Titles

The following include print (hard and soft, offset and POD) and ebook (epub, Kindle, Nook, PDF), single and multi-volume. Many included identifying and recruiting authors (paid and volunteer), developing project and outline, establishing timelines and deadlines, editorial development and guidance through manuscript submission, substantive and line editing, working with production editors and designers, publishing and pricing final product, and working with marketing or developing and executing marketing and promotion plans.

* = Published first edition or substantially revised edition

TheCapitol.Net
A Better Congress: Change the Rules, Change the Results, by Joseph Gibson *
Capitol Learning Audio Courses *
Citizen's Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials, by Bradford Fitch *
Common Sense Rules of Advocacy for Lawyers, by Keith Evans *
Congressional Deskbook, by Michael Koempel and Judy Schneider *
Congressional Operations Poster *
Congressional Procedure, by Richard Arenberg *
Federal Regulatory Process Poster, by Ken Ackerman *
Forbidden Citizens: Chinese Exclusion and the U.S. Congress, A Legislative History, by Martin Gold *
Government Series *
Legislative Drafter's Deskbook: A Practical Guide, by Tobias A. Dorsey *
Lobbying and Advocacy, by Deanna Gelak *
Media Relations Handbook, by Bradford Fitch, Editor Jack Holt *
Persuading Congress, by Joseph Gibson *
Pocket Constitution *
Pocket Guide to Advocacy on Capitol Hill, by Bradford Fitch *
Real World Research Skills, by Peggy Garvin *
Testifying Before Congress, by William LaForge *

WEST
National
West's Legal News *
Administrative Law and Practice
Blashfield, Automobile Law and Practice
The Common Sense Rules of Trial Advocacy *
Corbin on Contracts, Revised Edition
Elderlaw: Advocacy for the Aging, 2d *
Environmental Law: Hazardous Wastes and Substances (Vol. 4) *
European Community Business Law: Handbook and Sourcebook *
Federal Civil Rules Handbook *
Federal Court of Appeals Manual, 2d
Guidelines for State Court Decision Making in Life-Sustaining Medical Treatment Cases, Revised 2d *
International Joint Ventures: A Practical Guide *
Law Office Series *
- Getting Started with WordPerfect 6 for Windows in Your Law Office
- How to Use WordPerfect 5.0/5.1 in Your Law Office *
- Moving to a Windows Word Processor from WordPerfect DOS
Lawyering Skills Series
- Depositions: Procedure, Strategy and Technique, 2d
- Effective Client Communication: A Lawyer's Handbook for Interviewing and Counseling *
- Effective Negotiation and Mediation: A Lawyer's Guide *
Legal Malpractice, 3d (4th edition: Vol.1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3, Vol.4)
Limited Liability Companies: A State-by-State Guide to Law and Practice *
Lobbying, PACs and Campaign Finance: 50 State Handbook *
Medical Proof of Social Security Disability
Photographic Evidence
Products Liability, 2d
Products Liability: 50 State Handbook *
Rationing Justice on Appeal: The Problems of the U.S. Courts of Appeals *
Social Security Disability Practice
Summers on The Law of Oil and Gas

Editorial Training Materials (West Publishing)

STATE
ARIZONA PRACTICE
Arizona Civil Trial Practice
Arizona Law of Evidence, 3d
Arizona Marriage Dissolution Practice

ARIZONA FORMS
Business Organizations-Corporations
Business Organizations-Partnerships
Civil Procedure
Commercial Transactions
Criminal Procedure
Debtor-Creditor
Domestic Relations

COLORADO PRACTICE SERIES
Krendl's Colorado Methods of Practice
Colorado Business Corporation Act, Deskbook *
Colorado Personal Injury Practice, Torts - Insurance
Colorado Creditors' Remedies/Debtors' Relief
Colorado Civil Procedure Forms and Commentary
Colorado Civil Rules Practice
Colorado Jury Instructions--Criminal
Colorado Criminal Practice and Procedure
Colorado Civil Trial Practice

GEORGIA PRACTICE
Georgia Methods of Practice
Georgia Rules of Evidence

IOWA PRACTICE
Iowa Business Organizations
Iowa Criminal Law and Procedure
Iowa Evidence
Iowa Methods of Practice

KANSAS STATUTES ANNOTATED
Kansas Code of Civil Procedure
Kansas Code of Criminal Procedure
Kansas Criminal Code
Kansas General Corporation Code
Kansas Probate Code
Kansas Uniform Commercial Code

OKLAHOMA PRACTICE SERIES
Courtroom Guide to Oklahoma Evidence
Oklahoma Evidence--Commentary on the Law of Evidence
Oklahoma Probate Law and Practice, 2d
Vernon's Oklahoma Forms with Practice Commentaries

WASHINGTON PRACTICE SERIES
Courtroom Handbook On Washington Evidence *
Washington Methods of Practice
Washington Civil Rules Practice
Washington Evidence Law and Practice
Washington Trial Practice--Civil, 4th
Washington Pattern Jury Instructions--Civil, 3d
Washington Pattern Jury Instructions--Criminal, 2d
Washington Criminal Law
Washington Criminal Practice and Procedure
Washington Real Estate Law
Washington Tort Law and Practice *
Washington Civil Procedure Forms with Practice Comments
Washington Civil Rules Practice, 4th
Washington Uniform Commercial Code Forms

CLE
Bankruptcy, by Hon. Sidney B. Brooks (CLE in Colorado, Inc.)
Colorado Rules of Evidence/Trial Objections at a Glance, Co-Author and Editor (PLI, 1987)

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