tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post114070609429631533..comments2024-03-28T02:00:11.260-05:00Comments on A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: DeadlinesJA Konrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1140844188124278932006-02-24T23:09:00.000-06:002006-02-24T23:09:00.000-06:00Thanks for answering my question.Thanks for answering my question.HawkOwlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08506953701159624542noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1140841151230957492006-02-24T22:19:00.000-06:002006-02-24T22:19:00.000-06:00I did NaNoWriMo this year for the first time...50k...I did NaNoWriMo this year for the first time...50k words in 30 days...and it's actually coherent! So I know I could do it if I had to...Now to just get to the place where...I have to!<BR/><BR/>DZ...finger strain is never a problem...I have voice recognition software...now if I sprain my tongue that's another matter!<BR/><BR/>I agree with Christine...deadlines make me focus!<BR/><BR/>Boy, Joe...your cup runneth over...Would your publisher accept you under another name? Your a proven commodity with them.Bonnie S. Calhounhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11769607640246518804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1140828322858025492006-02-24T18:45:00.000-06:002006-02-24T18:45:00.000-06:00Jamie--If you wanted to finish a 100K word novel i...Jamie--<BR/><BR/>If you wanted to finish a 100K word novel in 30 days, you would have to write almost 3500 words/day. I guess I could do it, maybe if I locked myself in a motel room and completely ignored the outside world and my other responsibilities for a month.<BR/><BR/>Hmm. That doesn't sound too bad, actually. Maybe I'll give it a shot some time.Jude Hardinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1140820447673048072006-02-24T16:34:00.000-06:002006-02-24T16:34:00.000-06:00Nice post on your art/entertainment argument.It's ...<I>Nice post on your art/entertainment argument.</I><BR/><BR/>It's an empassioned post, but her conclusion basically still states that art is subjective, and the best art is judged by popularity---though she says the judging is more selective than just what the unwashed masses deem good.<BR/><BR/>Yet the unwashed masses still vote with their dollars, and they choose McDonalds.<BR/><BR/>Also, I bet a lot more people would choose McD's as their favorite burger than the author might guess.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1140819097860558022006-02-24T16:11:00.000-06:002006-02-24T16:11:00.000-06:00Ouch, Rob. I guess she thought she was encouragin...Ouch, Rob. I guess she thought she was encouraging you to put more time into it, but whoa, too unfair. So, the lesson is that some people equate time spent to quality. Something to remember when talking to an editor/agent, maybe....Lynn Raye Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05823590040842807378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1140818998651755432006-02-24T16:09:00.000-06:002006-02-24T16:09:00.000-06:00Thanks, Kathie!how much do you revise and rewrite?...Thanks, Kathie!<BR/><BR/><I>how much do you revise and rewrite? Have your editors ever come back to you and said you have to rewrite or revise a portion of the book?</I><BR/><BR/>The editor always has suggestions, which I always follow. But each book as had less and less editorial input.<BR/><BR/>I usually work the book through three drafts--I'm constantly revising as I'm writing. <BR/><BR/>Hawk-Owl: Multi-book deals are great. They insure a commitment from the publsiher, even if your numbers aren't very good. It's hard to make a deadline, but it's harder wondering if your next book will sell or not. You should always take a multi book deal if you can get it.<BR/><BR/><I>Joe, why not sell another series to a different publisher?</I><BR/><BR/>Because I'm new, and not a name brand, my publisher has a clause in my contract saying I can't sell any other compteing titles using the name "JA Konrath." This is standard.<BR/><BR/>I'm tryign to sell a book under a different name, but so far, no takers.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1140811687102382192006-02-24T14:08:00.000-06:002006-02-24T14:08:00.000-06:00"I stand by my work, whether it took ten minutes o..."I stand by my work, whether it took ten minutes or ten years to write. If critics or fans want to point fingers, they're welcome to."<BR/><BR/>This reminds me of a time when I was in college -- which wasn't for long. I had a class for which we were required to do an essay every other day. I would usually do my essay, hand written, ten minutes before class and I always got A's and B's.<BR/><BR/>Then one day the professor saw me scribbling before class and asked me what I was working on. "Today's essay," I told her. "Same as always."<BR/><BR/>It came back with D.Rob Gregory Brownehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11952008139132652259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1140809756611325462006-02-24T13:35:00.000-06:002006-02-24T13:35:00.000-06:00I've written to a deadline, but that was technical...I've written to a deadline, but that was technical writing, pretty cut and dried. In that line of work a deadline was a good thing, because it provided a timetable I could use to get others to provide me the information I needed.<BR/><BR/>I was a procrastinator in school, finishing things the night before they were due, but I learned as a technical writer to pace myself and do a portion each day, with an organized approach. I try to write that way now, but I'm lazy.<BR/><BR/>With fiction, so far I'm more of a binge writer, and I've been known to produce 3,500 words or more in a day, when I'm in a flow, but overall I'm a slow writer, and did I mention lazy? One book every two years would be more my speed. <BR/><BR/>If there were money and a deadline, though, I'm sure I could do it. It's just that until you have a contract, when you're writing with no idea of whether anyone will want it, the only motivator is the story and your desire to write. Sometimes I'm not too sure about the story. Other times I question my sanity wanting to write.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1140803879182969532006-02-24T11:57:00.000-06:002006-02-24T11:57:00.000-06:00Joe, why not sell another series to a different pu...Joe, why not sell another series to a different publisher?Jerihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13986567025249948237noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1140802823643214092006-02-24T11:40:00.000-06:002006-02-24T11:40:00.000-06:00Nice post on your art/entertainment argument.<A HREF="http://www.accessromance.com/blog/2006/02/24/what-makes-a-good-book-or-mcdonalds-doesnt-have-the-best-hamburgers/" REL="nofollow">Nice post on your art/entertainment argument.</A>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1140802648312521922006-02-24T11:37:00.000-06:002006-02-24T11:37:00.000-06:00Jude--3500 is not a realistic pace to sustain over...Jude--<BR/><BR/>3500 is not a realistic pace to sustain over 30 straight days. But for one day, to meet a deadline? Not a problem. And I you could do it too. Don't sell yourself short.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1140802477320188772006-02-24T11:34:00.000-06:002006-02-24T11:34:00.000-06:00You didn't answer my question. :( Oh well. Thanks ...You didn't answer my question. :( Oh well. Thanks Jude for your comments... I guess for me, since I wouldn't want writing to be my main source of income, I could afford to tell a publisher where to put their multi-book deal. But then again I don't think a publisher would offer me a multi-book deal, because I don't write anything that works in a series. If I look at any of my projects, none of them leave any room for re-using the characters, the theme, the setting, anything. So the next book wouldn't be remotely like the first.HawkOwlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08506953701159624542noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1140798234701651432006-02-24T10:23:00.000-06:002006-02-24T10:23:00.000-06:00"But I also polished the first 180 pages of the bo..."But I also polished the first 180 pages of the book, which took a few hours."<BR/><BR/>That sort of answered my question about whether you submit your first draft or not. If I didn't have a day job, I could probably polish off a first draft in a month or two (with the day job I wrote one book in four months), but how much do you revise and rewrite? Have your editors ever come back to you and said you have to rewrite or revise a portion of the book?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1140797478505679282006-02-24T10:11:00.000-06:002006-02-24T10:11:00.000-06:00I envy your ability to write thrillers. I write w...I envy your ability to write thrillers. I write women's lit and love that, but I'm always picking up one thriller or another. I could never sift through all the technical crime stuff as you described here. Anyway, thank Goodness people like you are out there for people like me! I'm to the book store today, I will pick up yours next.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1140793822996051412006-02-24T09:10:00.000-06:002006-02-24T09:10:00.000-06:00Stacey said: "I heard someone say recently that se...Stacey said: "I heard someone say recently that selling your second book is actually harder than your first - to readers, that is.<BR/><BR/>She said this is so because the first book tends to be collectible, whereas the second book is just a book."<BR/><BR/>God, right now, I'd be happy with that!<BR/><BR/>Next year I'll be worried though.Sandra Ruttanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06109584805469336742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1140793650292870832006-02-24T09:07:00.000-06:002006-02-24T09:07:00.000-06:00Can I?Hell yes.My second book is better than my fi...Can I?<BR/><BR/>Hell yes.<BR/><BR/>My second book is better than my first and I wrote it while going through extreme family upheaval as well as the thrill ride of first publication. Wrote the third during a medical scare, crushing poverty, and a friend's death, among other things.<BR/><BR/>I can write a book in about 6 weeks if I have to. I prefer to plan ahead and deliver early - to my agent about a month before it's due to my editor - but that's just me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1140792402590871072006-02-24T08:46:00.000-06:002006-02-24T08:46:00.000-06:00I couldn't write a salable novel in a month, but J...I couldn't write a salable novel in a month, but Joe does somehow. I guess it helps knowing the characters already and having an outline to work from, but it's still pretty amazing.<BR/><BR/>I don't think critics and fans are concerned with how long it took to write. It's the end product that counts.Jude Hardinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1140788112724967262006-02-24T07:35:00.000-06:002006-02-24T07:35:00.000-06:00Thanks Frank, and to all who chimed in.Do you writ...Thanks Frank, and to all who chimed in.<BR/><BR/><I>Do you write more than one book a year? If not....do you mind if I ask why not?</I><BR/><BR/>I could comfortably do about four a year. But my publisher only wants (and lets) me do one. That means I'd have to do the others under pseudonyms---which is like starting a new career from scratch.<BR/>I'm trying--we'll see what happens.<BR/><BR/><I>Writing a novel in a month is not something I think one should advertise.</I><BR/><BR/>This blog is about my reality and my experience. I hope that one of the things that makes it so popular is that I'm not afraid to be unpopular.<BR/><BR/>I have many unpopular stances:<BR/><BR/>Art is a product.<BR/><BR/>Don't include SASEs.<BR/><BR/>Give all agents who ask for an exclusive an exclusive.<BR/><BR/>Internet publication doesn't count as first rights.<BR/><BR/>And so on.<BR/><BR/>I stand by my work, whether it took ten minutes or ten years to write. If critics or fans want to point fingers, they're welcome to.<BR/><BR/>I know hundreds of writers, and more than 75% of them could write a book within two months if push came to shove. Many of them already do.<BR/><BR/>And no, I missed my goal yesterday, and stopped at 3300 words. But I also polished the first 180 pages of the book, which took a few hours.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1140785881619172652006-02-24T06:58:00.000-06:002006-02-24T06:58:00.000-06:00Writing a novel in a month is not something I thin...Writing a novel in a month is not something I think one should advertise. Just saying. Critics can hoist you on that one. So can readers who don't love the books.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1140785697443712102006-02-24T06:54:00.000-06:002006-02-24T06:54:00.000-06:00In HS and undergrad I left things until the last m...In HS and undergrad I left things until the last minute. Often they were late and/or subpar, but I always had the excuse that "if I'd had more time" I could've done better. Procrastinating was my way of dealing with the fear of "What if I try my best and it's still not very good?" I got a B average--some A's, some C's, even an F here and there.<BR/><BR/>Grad school changed all that. Deadlines were non-negotiable. I had to make work schedules, set up daily, weekly, monthly goals in order to do well (and if I didn't do well, I'd lose my fellowship). I got straight A's.<BR/><BR/>I apply those same strategies to my writing. Sure, I fall behind schedule, but I don't panic, because there always comes that rush at the end where 15 pages a day (for a very limited time) is easy.<BR/><BR/>But I couldn't write a 100K book in a month, or even two months. An average of 8 pp/day (roughly 1700 words) is my limit for now. Any more and the quality suffers. <BR/><BR/>Then again, a year ago I thought 5 pp/day was a lot. Now that would be a vacation.Jerihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13986567025249948237noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1140771200679980752006-02-24T02:53:00.000-06:002006-02-24T02:53:00.000-06:00When I wrote my nine part short story for a local ...When I wrote my nine part short story for a local magazine, I inevitably wrote the next installment the day before it was due. It would have made more sense to write the story completely out and then split it up. Of course I didn't do what made sense. The deadline would be looming and I'd be panicked over what came next. I'd go reread what I wrote up to that point and then write the next installment. Needless to say, when they asked me to do it again this year, I declined. :)<BR/><BR/>I always wrote papers at the last minute. Hell, I'm writing a master's thesis at the last minute. I operate very well with deadlines, though it's stressful too. When it's over, I swear I'll plan better next time. I never do.Lynn Raye Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05823590040842807378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1140764151798062412006-02-24T00:55:00.000-06:002006-02-24T00:55:00.000-06:00I write better with deadlines. I procrastinate. Bu...I write better with deadlines. I procrastinate. But the adrendlin flows and I write faster and better as the deadline nears. But I'm also a binge writer. I can write 30 pages in a day (about 4 hours) or nothing.<BR/><BR/>When I was in school, I always waited until the night before to write the big comprehensive essay, or read the book for the big test, whatever. I always got A's. Certainly didn't teach me to plan ahead. In my former career, all I cared about was when the project was due, and it would be done by then. I absolutely HATED when someone would nag me. For example, Let's say on Monday I was given a project that was due by 5 on Friday. I figured it would take me 5 hours, take or leave. Well, some people expect that I should be 20% done with the project on Monday, 40% done on Tuesday, etc.<BR/><BR/>No, I would start it at noon on Friday and turn it in at 5.Allison Brennanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02872860080644987843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1140762735788680302006-02-24T00:32:00.000-06:002006-02-24T00:32:00.000-06:00Stephen King, one of the most prolific novelists o...Stephen King, one of the most prolific novelists of our time, states that his goal for words/day is 2000. Sorry. 3500 is not "cake" for anybody. <BR/><BR/>Appreciate 3500 for what it is: Pretty fucking impressive.Jude Hardinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1140761238874183592006-02-24T00:07:00.000-06:002006-02-24T00:07:00.000-06:00I work in advertising so I'm on a mobius strip of ...I work in advertising so I'm on a mobius strip of perpetual deadlines every day anyway. (Yesterday I worked 14 hours on a campaign). Before that I was in the newspaper biz so I’m kind of battle hardened and numb to deadlines.<BR/><BR/>3500 words a day is cake.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1140757568404985372006-02-23T23:06:00.000-06:002006-02-23T23:06:00.000-06:00Just curious, Joe. Did you make it to 3500 words ...Just curious, Joe. Did you make it to 3500 words today? That seems like such a monster to me.Jude Hardinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.com