In a recent interview, I was asked how I balance all of the different stages of a book. How do I keep all those balls I’m juggling in the air at the same time? My answer was something along the lines of “Not very well.”

Of course, sometimes it is easier than others. I don’t always have as many books in varying stages as I have had in August and September of this year. The stress of trying to meet all the different deadlines—writing, revising, line edits, page proofs, marketing forms—on time re...