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Writing Linkage
Jan. 21st, 2010 11:01 amAuthor Cherie Priest (![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
cmpriest) has a great post about What authors do and do NOT control about books, and I think this is a good thing for people, especially those outside the publishing business, to read. What is most important, especially for those of us who are already painfully aware that the author has little control over the covers, distribution, and price of a book are these two things:
Whatever else we cannot control, the words are ours. The stories are ours. It's frustrating, but in the end, you do what you can and you make sure you're always writing the best story possible, because that's your job. You're not the editor, marketer, agent, or bookseller. You're the writer.
Another link is this one, The five rules of getting a book deal. I don't disagree inherently with any of the article's content, I just really hate the title. Anyone who tells me the "rules" for writing, or the "rules" for getting published, or the "rules" for a bestseller gets on my last good nerve. Why?
Because there really are no rules in writing or publishing. There are things that work and things that don't. Yes, some strategies (networking, researching) have a much higher probability of getting you a positive result than others. Some strategies (arguing with agent rejections, asshattery on the internet) have no probability of getting you a positive result.
But there are no rules. If they were rules, it would mean that all you had to do was follow five simple steps and Ta-Da! Book Deal! It doesn't work like that. You can do all five and fall flat on your face repeatedly. Some people get lucky and their book is good enough that they send it in, an agent loves it, and somebody that's never attended a convention or workshop in their life gets a deal. There are cases where the agent doesn't enter the equation until the writer is already in talks with the publisher (it's happened).
I get that "Five Probable Strategies That Have Been Shown To Be Successful In Many Cases Over Time for Getting A Book Deal" isn't as snappy - but let's not call them rules. Because there are no rules. Especially for #1. "Write Something Extraordinary" is a sentence in which every single word is a case of extreme YMMV (your mileage may vary).
Also, the article is missing something. And that something are the words: "Getting book deal does not mean you are a successful writer. That's a whole other mountain you have to scale. Repeatedly."
Meanwhile,jaylake has posted the rather funny The larval stages of the common American speculative fiction writer. I confess that I've gone through all the stages except the last one. Also note his quick little footnote about the new environmental perils to the modern larval American speculative fiction writer. Most aptly:
Remember, my fellow larvae, our habitat is perilous. The population of petards upon which we might find ourselves hoisted (notably our own) has greatly increased. I suggest taking a cue from those you have pupated already: if you've gotta vent, go the buddies, beers, and burgers route. Or: bitch, moan and wine (just not on the internet). And for your information, nothing takes the edge off defeat like a nice, full bodied, well rounded Shiraz.
cmpriest) has a great post about What authors do and do NOT control about books, and I think this is a good thing for people, especially those outside the publishing business, to read. What is most important, especially for those of us who are already painfully aware that the author has little control over the covers, distribution, and price of a book are these two things:Things Authors Mostly Control
The words. Yes, we are subject to editorial review, revision, and rewriting. Absolutely — and sometimes, quite a lot of it. But we are responsible for the content, and we usually have some negotiating room with regards to how it is handled.
How we present ourselves to the audience. What we wear, the language we use, and the level of accessibility we offer — both online and in person — these are things within our purview.
Whatever else we cannot control, the words are ours. The stories are ours. It's frustrating, but in the end, you do what you can and you make sure you're always writing the best story possible, because that's your job. You're not the editor, marketer, agent, or bookseller. You're the writer.
Another link is this one, The five rules of getting a book deal. I don't disagree inherently with any of the article's content, I just really hate the title. Anyone who tells me the "rules" for writing, or the "rules" for getting published, or the "rules" for a bestseller gets on my last good nerve. Why?
Because there really are no rules in writing or publishing. There are things that work and things that don't. Yes, some strategies (networking, researching) have a much higher probability of getting you a positive result than others. Some strategies (arguing with agent rejections, asshattery on the internet) have no probability of getting you a positive result.
But there are no rules. If they were rules, it would mean that all you had to do was follow five simple steps and Ta-Da! Book Deal! It doesn't work like that. You can do all five and fall flat on your face repeatedly. Some people get lucky and their book is good enough that they send it in, an agent loves it, and somebody that's never attended a convention or workshop in their life gets a deal. There are cases where the agent doesn't enter the equation until the writer is already in talks with the publisher (it's happened).
I get that "Five Probable Strategies That Have Been Shown To Be Successful In Many Cases Over Time for Getting A Book Deal" isn't as snappy - but let's not call them rules. Because there are no rules. Especially for #1. "Write Something Extraordinary" is a sentence in which every single word is a case of extreme YMMV (your mileage may vary).
Also, the article is missing something. And that something are the words: "Getting book deal does not mean you are a successful writer. That's a whole other mountain you have to scale. Repeatedly."
Meanwhile,
jaylake has posted the rather funny The larval stages of the common American speculative fiction writer. I confess that I've gone through all the stages except the last one. Also note his quick little footnote about the new environmental perils to the modern larval American speculative fiction writer. Most aptly:2. During my own larval phases as a writer, we did not have the Internet we have today. When I was enraged at a rejection or convinced of the banal evil of publishing, I didn't have the conveniences of email or a blog with which to project my ass hattery for the review and amusement of the entire publishing field. All I could do was bitch to my workshop buddies over beer and burgers. Today's aspiring writers have so much more opportunity to achieve high name recognition prior to ever (or never) selling their work, thanks to these new technologies. And with Google, that ass hattery is permanently recorded for future generations to remember you by! Isn't the future awesome?
Remember, my fellow larvae, our habitat is perilous. The population of petards upon which we might find ourselves hoisted (notably our own) has greatly increased. I suggest taking a cue from those you have pupated already: if you've gotta vent, go the buddies, beers, and burgers route. Or: bitch, moan and wine (just not on the internet). And for your information, nothing takes the edge off defeat like a nice, full bodied, well rounded Shiraz.
