Comments on: Worth a Look

By: Jordan

Jordan — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 16:37:40 +0000

Patrice, I think drive and tenacity are definitely attributes you need for this business. I just don’t think that will necessarily guarantee success. :/

By: Patrice Michelle

Patrice Michelle — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 05:11:08 +0000

I think the best attributes you can have in many areas of this business are drive and tenacity. Do you want it bad enough?

By: Jordan

Jordan — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 00:55:35 +0000

Lauren, ***It’s not failure that’s made me a better writer, it’s going through the process again and again - writing, being critted, revision and then editing for final release.***

Very well put. I think that’s what has taught me the most, too. There is no magic bullet, number or book. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it don’t. Sucks, but true. Don’t cry. (((Hugs)))

By: Jordan

Jordan — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 00:49:57 +0000

Ursula, Absolutely fabulous points. I think both posts are referring to self-publishing, but I do see areas where they stray into grouping everything but N.Y. into one pile. Much of this is due to lack of information. I think (and this is my interpretation) that they were both talking more about the attitude of ‘I’ve finished my first book, therefore I should be published’, than anything else. Of course, I could be wrong. *g*

By: Lauren

Lauren — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 21:49:27 +0000

Yes, it’s hard work and no, you can’t be prepared for how much of your heart and soul go into something you have to send out into the world. And you really have no idea how much it hurts when others don’t love it the way you do. And people don’t know how hard it is because everyone who’s an author has heard, “oh I’m going to write a book someday” from some relative or old co-worker who tosses it out like what we do is so easy they can’t be bothered to spend the time.

There’s a lot of important learning that happens through rejection and then getting up and trying again and again and sure, when it finally happens, you’re freaking overjoyed. But you know, I enjoy and appreciate it when I don’t get rejected too, LOL.

At the same time, I’m not one for the idea that if you don’t ache for something and go through extreme pain for it, you don’t deserve or appreciate success. It seems like hazing and I don’t like that either.

I’ve been thinking on this for a while now (especially in the last few months). It’s not failure that’s made me a better writer, it’s going through the process again and again - writing, being critted, revision and then editing for final release.

Sometimes it’s just the “I will sell a manuscript or die trying” that gets me through because man, this industry makes my cry more than law school ever did (and that says a lot, LOL)

By: Ursula

Ursula — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 21:28:28 +0000

One thing I notice lately, as publishing and communications in genearl go through an evolutionary growth process is the growing pains experienced by folks who take a more traditional path. I am not a proponent of complete vanity press publishing, however, I have noticed many of the ‘I paid my dues so should you’ crowd tend to lump in small press along with vanity. And, to point, the vagaries of publishing don’t meen unpublished = crapola. I have read so much trash I couldn’t even finish this last year that was published it’s almost laughable. I don’t think that just because you suffered 13 ms before publication, #14 was so much better. There are elements of validity to buildling craft and process, but it’s not uniform for everyone, no magic must write this number of books before you’re ‘publishable’, and there’s enough randomness to publishing that skill and craft are sometimes negated. I also do believe that there’s an element to the communication revolution that terrifies some established writers and publishers and rather than examine those feelings and what might generate them, they lash out and attempt to sterotype, further stratify and categorize, and subsequently marginalize. I think it’s up to us individually to seek our own ratification of our art, rather than use something as subjective as the taste of a single editor amongst many as the be all and end all sign that we have finally ‘arrived.’ If we do that exclusively as our goal marker, many of us may get discouraged far too soon into the process.

By: Jordan

Jordan — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 19:37:45 +0000

Cece, The same adage holds true in music. I knew a tremendous amount of extremely talented musicians and singers in L.A. They weren’t the ones getting recording contracts. They weren’t even the ones working steadily. Talent truly had little to do with who made it and who didn’t out there. The only thing they all had in common was that they all worked their asses off.

By: Cece

Cece — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 19:18:05 +0000

Jordan your point on talent may be what I’m missing =) I think you’re right–or at least have a darned good point. The ‘net is definitely a double edged sword!

By: Jordan

Jordan — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 18:26:46 +0000

Cece, I think talent will only keep you publishing. I don’t think it’ll ‘get’ you published. I started out the same way as you, excited that I’d actually finished a book. Didn’t know if I could do it, before I wrote ‘THE END’. I believe the internet with its instant access to new sales is what changed my joy into frustration.

By: Jordan

Jordan — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 18:24:16 +0000

Raine, You’re absolutely right. There is no logical progression in the publishing industry. I’ve seen the auctions, the first books hit out of the park, the agents picking up clients immediately after a query. Publishing is like lightning strikes, you never know where they’re going to hit.

I made a conscious decision to approach e-publishing first because I wanted to get paid as I was learning. It doesn’t work for everyone. I still think it’s important not to get so discouraged that you feel the need to pay your way into publishing. Yes, it has worked for a small few, but for most, it does nothing. I understand the frustration. I REALLY do. That just doesn’t ‘fix’ it.