tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post6750390585002626892..comments2024-03-18T06:16:18.802-05:00Comments on A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: How Good is Good Enough?JA Konrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-79267504971737598182017-04-02T14:26:54.817-05:002017-04-02T14:26:54.817-05:00Always take pride in your work. The End. I stop wo...Always take pride in your work. The End. I stop working on a story when my instincts tell me it's done, but that doesn't mean its perfect. Every once in a while I find small things I want to change in a book I've already published, so I make the changes and re-upload, but I always try to put my best work out there. Great Post. Thank you.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04588620738995909960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-83600937506474482572017-04-01T08:20:55.389-05:002017-04-01T08:20:55.389-05:00Make it the best you possibly can, always. Every r...Make it the best you possibly can, always. Every reader deserves that, and every book deserves that. We owe that to them. Every time I write a book, of course I want it to sell well and generate some interest in my backlist. But I also want readers to find it after I'm dead and still gain from the experience. Sometimes I'm after deep philosophical life-changing themes, sometimes I just want readers to get a lot of "me too" moments, and sometimes I'm just giving them something to relax to and forget their problems for a while. But all of these pursuits deserve our very best, always.Michael LaRoccahttp://www.michaeledits.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-6666879381048659942017-03-24T14:17:12.835-05:002017-03-24T14:17:12.835-05:00I have read this pdf of Rich Dad Poor Dad by Rober...I have read this pdf of Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kyiosaki and in that pdf he tells us how he once met this young lady who was writer, so he read her book and he loved it, but she told him that book didn't do well on market and could he offer her some tips. He said sure, would you consider go to selling classes. Obviously she got angry like "I have finished this and this college, I don't want to be salesman bla bla", he understood that and he told her: yes, you don't want to be salesman and he showed her his best selling book that he wrote where on top right corner was this sign which says "The #1 New York Times Bestseller" it have not been written best writer. She packed her stuff and went home. Point is, you can be good at just one thing, but that thing will not provide you value as it would knowing much more things.Tomislav M.http://bussinessebooks.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-76815281980673662642017-02-26T03:19:48.200-06:002017-02-26T03:19:48.200-06:00Aw, this was an incredibly good post. Taking the t...Aw, this was an incredibly good post. Taking the time and actual effort to create a top notch article… but what can I say… I hesitate a whole lot and never manage to get anything done.<br /><a href="http://tutorialsrex.com" rel="nofollow">TutorialsRex</a><br /><a href="http://tutorialsrex.com/increase-jio-4g-speed/" rel="nofollow">Increase Jio 4G Speed</a><br /><a href="http://tutorialsrex.com/hindi-movies-torrent-download-sites/" rel="nofollow">Hindi Movies Torrent Download Sites</a>Aryan Patelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16554087626473346586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-31738336014478482832017-02-25T01:56:49.508-06:002017-02-25T01:56:49.508-06:00Thanks for sharing such as unique ideas.Thanks for sharing such as unique ideas.Self Publishing in Indiahttps://www.onlinegatha.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-23952024117070945932017-02-24T08:10:27.443-06:002017-02-24T08:10:27.443-06:00From a reader's perspective, these will simply...From a reader's perspective, these will simply be new Konrath books to read. So I fully expect them to be up to your normal standards - in other words, you are not wasting time by polishing them.<br /><br />It doesn't matter to me when they were initially written, it only matters that they are up to par with the rest of your work. Think of it this way...the time it takes you to revise these 3 books will be far less than it would take you to write something brand new, and they are still going to be considered as new books to readers.<br /><br />So, it is time well spent to improve them to get them ready for publishing, no need to second guess that. I'm looking forward to reading them...I mean, who doesn't love P. Trout?!William J. Thomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03363006166880987871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-18635501819457579852017-02-23T09:13:43.936-06:002017-02-23T09:13:43.936-06:00A book is basically a story. Unless you're cha...A book is basically a story. Unless you're changing the plot as part of the re-write, the story doesn't change. Only the delivery of the story changes. If the existing delivery is competent enough to get the story across, you've largely accomplished the goal. I personally find it a lot more satisfying to come up with a brand new story than improve the delivery of a story I've already developed. I write the first draft of a book, do one minor edit, and then I'm done. No re-writes, ever. Plus, the first draft always has a looseness and continuity that makes it gel. Re-writes can often destroy what was already there. Personally, if I were you, I'd publish the books and move on to a new JD.<br /><br />RJ JAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-27586405721239624342017-02-21T22:24:26.844-06:002017-02-21T22:24:26.844-06:00I think you'll regret not doing any polishing/...I think you'll regret not doing any polishing/rewriting of the books if you push them out as-is. It'll always be in the back of your mind when you see the books in passing online. <br /><br />So I think it's worth the time to do them right.kyrilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13255785237261444905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-26416910832975873322017-02-20T20:20:30.643-06:002017-02-20T20:20:30.643-06:00I'm a big McCammon fan and I can't imagine...<i>I'm a big McCammon fan and I can't imagine his books being anything other than what they are.</i><br /><br />The problem is being satisfied. Once you're satisfied, there is no need to create anymore.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-56209128334891229822017-02-20T20:18:02.017-06:002017-02-20T20:18:02.017-06:00You seem to have a very good stream of income so y...<i>You seem to have a very good stream of income so you can afford the luxury of polishing just like you can afford to take weeks off when not writing. </i><br /><br />Luck. I truly have no idea why I keep selling. I'd love to think that the writing has something to do with it, but I can't prove it.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-38286094791205459302017-02-20T20:16:37.323-06:002017-02-20T20:16:37.323-06:00OTOH, if you never wrote another book, your legacy...<i>OTOH, if you never wrote another book, your legacy would be fine</i><br /><br />I dunno. I like to think my best work is ahead of me.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-78933920262614379722017-02-20T20:15:46.127-06:002017-02-20T20:15:46.127-06:00You're clearly a perfectionist, so for God'...<i>You're clearly a perfectionist, so for God's sake, do it! </i><br /><br />I dunno if I'm a perfectionist, but I'm not into doing things half-assed.<br /><br />So I'm going into this full-assed. :DJA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-89913844983599674942017-02-20T20:14:18.336-06:002017-02-20T20:14:18.336-06:00You were on vacation! You had fun.
My life is a v...<i>You were on vacation! You had fun.</i><br /><br />My life is a vacation. :)JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-68494655210925182792017-02-20T20:13:26.568-06:002017-02-20T20:13:26.568-06:00Please blog more. I miss your voice.
I plan on i...<i>Please blog more. I miss your voice. </i><br /><br />I plan on it. I'm experimenting with ads. It's interesting.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-30170335271776656352017-02-20T20:11:57.905-06:002017-02-20T20:11:57.905-06:00Are you having fun getting the first of the three ...<i>Are you having fun getting the first of the three ready for prime time?</i><br /><br />I'm slipping into the story, which is what happens when I get into the meat of a narrative. So yes, it's fun. JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-86826344855351149112017-02-20T20:10:19.214-06:002017-02-20T20:10:19.214-06:00Get it "good enough" and put a note at t...<i>Get it "good enough" and put a note at the very beginning indicating that it is an early work.</i><br /><br />I was planning a note at the end. May move it to beginning.<br /><br />What I'm finding, at least with the first of the trilogy, is that it is character driven. Every other one of my novels I'd describe as plot driven. So this will be a bit of a change.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-55522700914349986252017-02-20T15:20:55.153-06:002017-02-20T15:20:55.153-06:00In an interview Robert McCammon was once asked if ...In an interview Robert McCammon was once asked if he was satisfied with his body of work. He said that if he could he'd go back and rewrite all his novels. <br /><br />I'm a big McCammon fan and I can't imagine his books being anything other than what they are.<br /><br />I think writer's stress too much over unimportant things. Do the best you can and send it out to the world. Mark Edward Hallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09348437062900925019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-28358389909837453192017-02-19T18:42:52.413-06:002017-02-19T18:42:52.413-06:00Joe said: "I believe, as far as time and mone...Joe said: "I believe, as far as time and money goes, this will never pay off for me."<br /><br />You will feel better about the books. That counts for something. <br /><br />You seem to have a very good stream of income so you can afford the luxury of polishing just like you can afford to take weeks off when not writing. <br /><br />And you never know -- you may pick up a few extra readers rather than alienate those same few if their first exposure to your work is one of your poorer efforts. Over time those readers may buy your other books. Mark Asherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13758940020912520294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-4660860924090783122017-02-19T10:36:44.138-06:002017-02-19T10:36:44.138-06:00I have the advantage of having published for the f...I have the advantage of having published for the first time at an age much more advanced than yours.<br /><br />And I'm very slow due to illness. And I write mainstream. I won't be able to write that many books in my life, so they will be the 'books of the heart.'<br /><br />We are vastly different as writers.<br /><br />I think this affects everything you said in this post: I have two modes, final - and not ready yet. It took me fifteen years to get that first book out, and it is done. Final, As perfect as I can make it. <br /><br />Makes sense for me - but not for you. <br /><br />OTOH, if you never wrote another book, your legacy would be fine - so you get to decide exactly what your standards are - and will have gobs of readers for all of it because of your hard work.<br /><br />I think you already know your own answer: what feels right to you.<br /><br />ABEhrhardthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17211038591900883672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-81074170712242847872017-02-18T18:37:58.486-06:002017-02-18T18:37:58.486-06:00Joe, you're going to worry about those books i...Joe, you're going to worry about those books if you don't do the work they need. Look at the time you've wasted writing this blog post and replying to the comments. You're clearly a perfectionist, so for God's sake, do it! Then you'll get some peace.Geraldine Evanshttp://geraldineevansbooks.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-4086725165929449472017-02-18T17:13:06.392-06:002017-02-18T17:13:06.392-06:00Joe, great to have your voice back. Ever take a va...Joe, great to have your voice back. Ever take a vacation? One or two week vacations, even a long weekend are not value judged on money we'll make while vacationing, but doing something we "want" to do. Joe, take a "WHISKY SOUR vacation" (rewrite) for the time needed to reach the level of quality accomplishment you desire. Then get back to work on your new projects, refreshed, not burdened mentally whether it was the best investment of your time. You were on vacation! You had fun.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13650618703761755628noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-91843355826297311782017-02-18T16:53:09.030-06:002017-02-18T16:53:09.030-06:00Joe, I believe you know what you're going to d...Joe, I believe you know what you're going to do. You pulled these books from the attic and deemed them good enough and are now blogging about them, which indicates you're invested in their future. You have a standard to make every book you write and publish as good as you can make it at the time. You have enough experience under your belt to know you can make these unpublished books better. Since this decision is a one-time event (you implied your other trunk novels aren't good enough to publish), I wouldn't sweat this further. Spiff up these puppies, publish them, and move on. <br /><br />I appreciate you posting about this. I rarely look back -- nostalgia's not my thing -- but on occasion I find myself wondering if I should dust off my own unpublished novels to see how awful (or salvageable) they truly are. So far, at least, I haven't done that. Perhaps I'll feel differently when I reach your level of experience.<br /><br />One selfish closing request: Please blog more. I miss your voice. :-)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17105613678704115441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-40144580106734430962017-02-18T13:32:30.516-06:002017-02-18T13:32:30.516-06:00Are you having fun getting the first of the three ...Are you having fun getting the first of the three ready for prime time? If you are, then carry on. Maybe it's feeding your creative voice in some unexpected way. Or maybe there is some unexpected benefit to the work that you intuitively perceive, even though you cannot articulate it logically right now.<br /><br />Or are you finding the work onerous? If so, I'd follow @jim kosmicki's advice above: publish them with only a quick copy edit and a foreword that presents them as early works.J.M. Ney-Grimmhttp://jmney-grimm.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-380227886529075682017-02-18T12:24:43.107-06:002017-02-18T12:24:43.107-06:00there are readers who want story, but there are ot...there are readers who want story, but there are other readers who want craft and skill. Sometimes they are the same readers, but sometimes not. I see this in comics all the time: people who hate the art or the story, but read anyway because they love the other part of the equation. It's easier to separate with comics because you do have the two interacting elements. We aren't always able to separate them as easily with writing. For example, I think that Fitzgerald writes some beautiful prose, but I find his stories to be boring and predictable. My English teacher colleagues who prefer beautiful prose styling over other aspects of writing continue to teach him in class. I choose to teach other writers who may not write as beautifully, but I think have more to say.<br /><br />I think you can please both masters. Get it "good enough" and put a note at the very beginning indicating that it is an early work. I love John Irving as an author, but while I've read all of his works, I've never chosen to re-read his first three because they simply weren't as strong as his later, more mature works. But they weren't presented to me as NEW JOHN IRVING books - they were presented to me as EARLY John Irving books. Context is important. Similarly, an album release of early works by a band I like is not going to be expected to be up to par with their later, more evolved works, but it still has a value to show us where they came from.<br /><br />Context is important. jim kosmickihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08085710372093169851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-74435265615585755112017-02-18T09:46:32.370-06:002017-02-18T09:46:32.370-06:00I agree, Iain. But I believe, as far as time and m...I agree, Iain. But I believe, as far as time and money goes, this will never pay off for me. <br /><br />And yet I persist.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.com