Blogger: Rachel Kent
Location: Books & Such main office, Santa Rosa, Calif.
I’ve run out of days for the number of “newbie” assumptions I have to write about! For today, I’m going to list five more, and then we can discuss them.
1) All agents represent the same types of books.
2) My book is so good I don’t need to follow the rules.
3) The book market hasn’t changed since I wrote this book ten years ago.
4) I am a good writer, so I will be published someday.
5) The publishing industry moves quickly.
What have you learned about these five assumptions at this point in your writing careeer? Do you have anything you would add to this list?
Here are some brief comments from me:
#5 is still the craziest for me! I can’t believe how slow we are in this industry–and I’m including myself in that. I work hard each day but never can catch up with the work I have to do. *sigh* At least I love my job!
Writers who believe #2 tend to create more work for everyone around them, and the books are rarely worth the effort.
#4 is sad. I wish all good writers could be published! But so often marketable ideas are picked over beautiful writing.
#1 is a reminder for everyone to check websites before submitting! It saves everyone time.
I based #3 off of a writer I know who has created a single manuscript that was relevant many years ago, but is now trying to sell it into a market that has moved on. Remember not to get stuck in the past!
Thanks Rachel….and of course, we all hope we aren’t “one of those newbies” you’ve described! Hopefully, if we’re reading blogs like Books & Such, attending conferences, researching the industry, and are part of a writing group, we’ll be more fun (less exasperating) to work with on projects.
Have a great weekend…..
Thanks so much for this week of fantastic, expectation-correcting posts. Perhaps you would consider adding # 6: “Agents will magically fall in love with me and sign me to a multi-million dollar, multi-book deal even though I haven’t actually finished writing my first novel yet.”
P.S. This comment is purely, I repeat, PURELY, hypothetical…
Had to giggle at these! Made my day – and inspired a few truths.
1)All agents represent the same types of books. Really? In that line of thinking – do all doctors treat the same ailments? I have a toothache – better call the podiatrist.
2)My book is so good I don’t need to follow the rules. Hey now, does the same apply to driving? I’m a pretty good driver; are Stop signs optional for me? Who knew!
3)The book market hasn’t changed since I wrote this book ten years ago. Huh? My kids tell me my phone is outdated and I got that on Wednesday.
4)I am a good writer, so I will be published someday. Well then, I make a mean pot roast – I think I’ll open a restaurant.
5)The publishing industry moves quickly. Remember the tortoise and the hare? The tortoise’s 98 year old arthritis ridden grandmother works in the publishing industry; I hear she’s pretty speedy.
The fact of the matter is, that ANY writer can be published today … if they have the money. Self-publishing models abound, and that route is being followed by so many who don’t want to be bothered with the traditional way of doing things. More and more when I speak on writing I run into the fact that the reading public doesn’t seem to know the difference between me and writers who self-published. To the reading public, they are all “published authors.” It makes for interesting discussions sometimes.I’m not saying that self-publishing equals bad books at all. But when I speak on writing now I often start with, “Did you know that every person in this room could be a published author?” And then I explain the different ways of getting published. It’s my effort to educate the reading public and always brings up lots of discussion!
I’ve enjoyed your “assumptions posts” this week. #4 is making me cringe, though. I think I’ll just pretend that’s still for real.
As a magazine publisher, I run into #2 all the time. These people think that their writing, their stature, or their idea is so good that they can ignore the rules.
This includes sending an article that:
– is too long or too short
– is in the wrong format
– does not address our target audience
– is sent well past the deadline
– needs to be drastically reworked
– that was merely copied from their blog
Then they become offended when I don’t bend over backwards to accommodate them.
#4 makes me sad too. Some of my favorite writers, who produce beautiful stories with gorgeous prose haven’t been published. I haven’t been in this industry long, but long enough to see success seems to come from a funky blend of talent, great ideas, perseverance, dogged hard work, a thick skin, happening on a trend, being in the right place at the right time – and overall, God’s timing.
Re: # 5. Oh, good, I am not the only one. 🙂 I hate feeling so behind while working so hard everyday! This is a personal frustration that I have debated blogging about. Either that or begging for 45 more hours in my day.
What a fabulous way to end the week, Rachel. I’ve really enjoyed following along. Here are my thoughts:
1) All agents represent the same types of books. – Gosh, I hope not or all that research I keep doing will be wasted.
2) My book is so good I don’t need to follow the rules. – When I went back to school I had an excellent English teacher who asked to see some of my work. He liked it, but he point blank said, “You’re not into grammar, are you?” 🙂 I laugh at it now, but then it bugged me. I didn’t think my grammar was bad. I’ve improved a lot since then, but I feel I still have a lot to learn.
3) The book market hasn’t changed since I wrote this book ten years ago. – Really? Why am I doing all this research then?
4) I am a good writer, so I will be published someday. – My husband compares writing to figure skating. He’s told me more than once, “No matter how good you are, you still have to get the nod from the judges.” He’s right. That’s why I think self-publishing has taken off the way it has. Frustrated writers aching to see their names in print have decided to go for it however they can make it happen.
5) The publishing industry moves quickly. – From a technology perspective, I feel this is true. I don’t think the process for traditional publishers has changed as much, except for those now publishing eBooks. I’m excited about the new options available, but I still enjoy being part of that slow process of writing a book, waiting for an acceptance or rejection, and looking to the future.
Thanks again for a great week of posts.
At sixteen I believed #4. Now late thirties I have grown comfortable with my brand of success. I love writing and love the online platform I have, but I will never give up on writing no matter how long it takes. Maybe the secret of writing is the passion and finding contentment in writing in between the waiting?
The list brought back memories of Abnormal Psych class . . . I was pretty sure I had every symptom of every disorder.