tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post114283500620839675..comments2024-03-28T02:00:11.260-05:00Comments on A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: Twelve Things Writers Won't Ever Admit ToJA Konrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1143471551431992392006-03-27T08:59:00.000-06:002006-03-27T08:59:00.000-06:00I was either wrong, or you're an arrogant prick, t...<I>I was either wrong, or you're an arrogant prick, too.</I><BR/><BR/>That goes without saying...JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1143154194278078152006-03-23T16:49:00.000-06:002006-03-23T16:49:00.000-06:00I know a guy whose book made #13 on the NYT, and I...I know a guy whose book made #13 on the NYT, and I honestly don't like him. I won't tell him that, but only because his book isn't as good as mine and I don't want to hurt his feelings.<BR/><BR/>As for #12 - I thought I was just an arrogant prick. I was either wrong, or you're an arrogant prick, too.Mark Pettushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14650234232914657192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1143066483354007522006-03-22T16:28:00.000-06:002006-03-22T16:28:00.000-06:00Oh, oh... LOL This post could also apply to poets....Oh, oh... LOL This post could also apply to poets. ROFLCyn Bagleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08404416186783891402noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1143009872576345612006-03-22T00:44:00.000-06:002006-03-22T00:44:00.000-06:00I'm not even a writer and I totally agree with #5 ...I'm not even a writer and I totally agree with #5 and #12. And another thing I don't like about the writing racket is that it's really easy to find a mediocre (or worse) writer who will dole out lots of free advice to worse writers than him/herself, but not that easy finding a really good writer doing that. (This is not a dig at you, Joe.) :)<BR/><BR/>Meanwhile, the number of things I love about MY job is close to 150 right now. :)HawkOwlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08506953701159624542noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1142967950177058132006-03-21T13:05:00.000-06:002006-03-21T13:05:00.000-06:00Did you encounter "dirty tricks" Before you were p...Did you encounter "dirty tricks" Before you were published, Joe?Bernitahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05264585685253812090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1142963254596947012006-03-21T11:47:00.000-06:002006-03-21T11:47:00.000-06:00Damn double posting. Sorry...the blogging equivale...Damn double posting. Sorry...the blogging equivalent of publicly breaking wind.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1142963069059939492006-03-21T11:44:00.001-06:002006-03-21T11:44:00.001-06:00I’m talking about pipe-dream enthusiasm, and what ...I’m talking about pipe-dream enthusiasm, and what I should have added was, temper the enthusiasm until you find out what it REALLY means to be published and all the highs and unavoidable lows that come with it. Because there is nothing more depressing than the pre-published bright eyed writer, who turns into a post-published, bitter, disgruntled chain of complaints. For 95%, the honeymoon will come to an end. Doesn’t mean the marriage is over, just that you and your publisher find out the other one isn’t perfect. Approach becoming published like an illiterate Baptist preacher approaches the Good Book....with fear and faith.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1142963055754810802006-03-21T11:44:00.000-06:002006-03-21T11:44:00.000-06:00"Bragging, boasting, and implying worthiness is an..."Bragging, boasting, and implying worthiness is annoying.<BR/><BR/>Enthusiasm, however, is refreshing. "<BR/><BR/>I’m talking about pipe-dream enthusiasm, and what I should have added was, temper the enthusiasm until you find out what it REALLY means to be published and all the highs and unavoidable lows that come with it. Because there is nothing more depressing than the pre-published bright eyed writer, who turns into a post-published, bitter, disgruntled chain of complaints. For 95%, the honeymoon will come to an end. Doesn’t mean the marriage is over, just that you and your publisher find out the other one isn’t perfect. Approach becoming published like an illiterate Baptist preacher approaches the Good Book....with fear and faith.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1142958662578123552006-03-21T10:31:00.000-06:002006-03-21T10:31:00.000-06:00Maybe I'm too new at this game -- one of the 99% w...Maybe I'm too new at this game -- one of the 99% who isn't good enough :) -- but I don't find many things on this list that I agree with.<BR/><BR/>Of course, you covered your ground when you said we never ADMIT to any of them...<BR/><BR/>Since I signed with St. Martin's, life has been nothing but great and few of these things seem to apply. Hopefully, the honeymoon won't be over anytime soon. :)Rob Gregory Brownehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11952008139132652259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1142954442798369622006-03-21T09:20:00.000-06:002006-03-21T09:20:00.000-06:00To Anon who mentioned Allison Brennan:Success bree...To Anon who mentioned Allison Brennan:<BR/><BR/>Success breeds success. That's the way it works in any business. If you win an award or hit one of the bestseller lists, of course you're going to get more attention than you did back when you were struggling. I don't think that makes the people giving the attention "success whores."<BR/><BR/>And the word "wretch" is a noun, by the way. What you meant was "retch."Jude Hardinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1142951660761794142006-03-21T08:34:00.000-06:002006-03-21T08:34:00.000-06:00My big thing isn't on the list. Even with three bo...My big thing isn't on the list. Even with three books under my belt, I'm still struggling with the public nature of what used to be a private activity. It's sort of like stage fright, I guess, and I'm beginning to fear the page. I used to love writing, now it's a job that I don't feel qualified to do (a ghost of 10, but without the ego and bravado).<BR/><BR/>I want to love it again.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1142950344120757852006-03-21T08:12:00.000-06:002006-03-21T08:12:00.000-06:00Temper the enthusiasm, kay? Bragging, boasting, an...<I>Temper the enthusiasm, kay? </I><BR/><BR/>Bragging, boasting, and implying worthiness is annoying.<BR/><BR/>Enthusiasm, however, is refreshing.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1142947559772761552006-03-21T07:25:00.000-06:002006-03-21T07:25:00.000-06:00About reading for blurbs-- I think there's an ass...About reading for blurbs-- I think there's an assumption made that writers simply read everything written in their genre, especially books by the writers they'll meet at conferences and signings.<BR/><BR/>Some authors do read widely. Many simply don't have the time or find the material not to their liking.<BR/><BR/>StephenStephen D. Rogershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12356287007864614439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1142908630929260282006-03-20T20:37:00.000-06:002006-03-20T20:37:00.000-06:00Our careers are precarious, fragile things, and we...<B>Our careers are precarious, fragile things, and we know this all too well, but we hide that fear behind bluster and bravado and say things like, "That book flopped because the author didn't try hard enough" when we all know that but for the grace of God go I.</B><BR/><BR/>But don't you get to a point eventually after you've written nine novels and have not sold a single one, where it just doesn't even matter any more.<BR/><BR/>Seriously.<BR/><BR/>I've probably received between a thousand and two thousand rejections in the past ten years, and I've reached this interesting place in the past 12-24 months, where I've actually begun to realize that "Wow, I may go on to write 15 or 20 novels without managing to get a single one published."<BR/><BR/>When you really do accept that reality and still you push on, you toughen yourself to a place where hope doesn't exist, and, as such, neither does fragility.<BR/><BR/>I mean that's what being "hard boiled" is all about, ain't it - as hokey as the phrase seems today.<BR/><BR/>Am I just completely wrong?<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.staceycochran.com" REL="nofollow">Stacey</A>Stacey Cochranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14128613653591282474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1142905441576873272006-03-20T19:44:00.000-06:002006-03-20T19:44:00.000-06:00Brand new, the-ink-on-the-contract-isn't-even-dry-...Brand new, the-ink-on-the-contract-isn't-even-dry-my-book-hasn't-been-published-yet-but-everyone-is-just-so-great-i-love-my-editor writers piss me the fuck off. Temper the enthusiasm, kay?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1142904227954435522006-03-20T19:23:00.000-06:002006-03-20T19:23:00.000-06:00Here's a paragraph from one of the novels I'm curr...Here's a paragraph from one of the novels I'm currently reading, KILL THE MESSENGER by Tami Hoag:<BR/><BR/>The only single group of people Parker knew who drank as much as cops were writers, all kinds of writers. Screenwriters, novelists, reporters. The nearest watering hole was where the animals gathered to commune and commiserate. As solitary as writers were by nature, they had the particular stresses and paranoias of their work in common. And no matter what the profession, misery consistently loves company.<BR/><BR/>It seemed appropriate to this discussion.Jude Hardinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1142899169408469722006-03-20T17:59:00.000-06:002006-03-20T17:59:00.000-06:00Sand storm - I'm in! We'll all sue Joe and say he ...Sand storm - I'm in! We'll all sue Joe and say he made us alcholic writers, because we thought his books were about bartending :) <BR/><BR/>We'll make a mint! LOLChristinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13809850928628103065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1142892374166606352006-03-20T16:06:00.000-06:002006-03-20T16:06:00.000-06:00Well, this is really disappointing. It seems that...Well, this is really disappointing. It seems that writers suffer the same frailties and wage battle against the same vices as, well, the rest of humanity.<BR/><BR/>And here I thought I'd left behind all that human baggage when I became a writer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1142885586225806052006-03-20T14:13:00.000-06:002006-03-20T14:13:00.000-06:00Some of these apply to me, others don't. I'm still...Some of these apply to me, others don't. <BR/><BR/>I'm still at the point where I like fan mail, but there's only so much I can say in response, and I need to be critical of myself even when others aren't.<BR/><BR/>I have no publisher to blame, but now I want one even more, so I can blame them when things don't go well. ;)<BR/><BR/>I detest being edited, even when it helps. <BR/><BR/>I try to only wish people well when I really mean them well. When someone falsely wishes me well I can taste that artificial sweetness, and--ick. Sometimes silence is better, even if I mean someone well.<BR/><BR/>Envy has been a problem for me since I was four years old. Forty-five years later I'm a little better, but I haven't licked it yet.<BR/><BR/>I need to think I'm better than most unpublished writers because otherwise there's no hope.<BR/><BR/>I don't always think my writing is better. Some writers are so good they alternately intimidate and inspire me.<BR/><BR/>I have a thin skin, and that's a problem in this business. So I pretend to have a thick skin. But I don't.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1142884904620109682006-03-20T14:01:00.000-06:002006-03-20T14:01:00.000-06:00What I hate most is the two-faced writers and succ...What I hate most is the two-faced writers and success leeches. An unknown author strikes it big and it's so interesting to watch all the success whores gather around like magnetic leeches. Blech!!! It's so shallow and pathetic. Phonies that they are. If that same writer were once again a struggling unknown, they wouldn't pay him/her any mind whatsoever. Saw it most recently with Allison Brennan. Before she hit the times list, it was Allison who? The minute she hit, she's suddenly getting gobble-dobbles of "way to goes" "isn't that great" "can't wait to read your books". <BR/><BR/>I could wretch just thinking about it!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1142884491264878762006-03-20T13:54:00.000-06:002006-03-20T13:54:00.000-06:00I think I'd love to be in Dan Brown's shoes (wait,...I think I'd love to be in Dan Brown's shoes (wait, he's not wearing really ugly shoes, is he?). Not really the whole 'I'm suing you because you're book is selling better than mine and you stole the idea from me' thing, but... I was at a store, doing a signing last Sat, and the store was capitalizing on the hype. BOTH DVC and Holy Blood, Holy Grail were on the front rack. Many people stopped and picked it up, some even bought. <BR/><BR/>So yeah, if I'm selling a few hundred thousand extra copies because of the hype, well then...<BR/><BR/>The two that wrote HB, HG should drop at Dan Brown's feet for making their book so popular.Christinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13809850928628103065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1142882982319563412006-03-20T13:29:00.000-06:002006-03-20T13:29:00.000-06:00Joe: I feel sorry for anyone that ends up with mor...Joe: I feel sorry for anyone that ends up with more than 2 or 3 of these qualities.Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01234972022475955356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1142881150694277682006-03-20T12:59:00.000-06:002006-03-20T12:59:00.000-06:00I totally agree with number #6. I think that the c...I totally agree with number #6. I think that the competion between write especially in the same genera is hazardous. I've seen and been a part of it. The publishing industry is a place where you have to watch your back.LA Burtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05345898907635634816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1142878304073685052006-03-20T12:11:00.000-06:002006-03-20T12:11:00.000-06:00Jude said:*One of the cool things about this blog ...Jude said:<BR/>*One of the cool things about this blog is that we unpubbed get to interact with one of the elite.*<BR/><BR/>We aren't elite. We just found someone who would pay us to publish our books. You could be one call away from getting published, too.<BR/><BR/>I love reading blogs by other published authors, but I also enjoy blogs by writers who haven't sold yet. <BR/><BR/>I'm such a polyanna ostrich. I hate thinking that all of things that Joe described in his list actually happen. (Although I haven't escaped that whole 'feeling like a fraud' experience.)<BR/><BR/>The list makes me realize how lucky I am to have such a great bunch of friends who don't act that way to each other and I haven't run up against it much in my still young published career. (At least something about me is still young!)Mary Stellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02186261066656584772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1142870865120055782006-03-20T10:07:00.000-06:002006-03-20T10:07:00.000-06:00I'm drunk with power!Actually, and this may sound ...I'm drunk with power!<BR/><BR/>Actually, and this may sound strange, but I'm a pretty humble guy. I'm opinionated as all hell, and think I'm right all the time, but I don't think I'm 'better than' if that makes sense.<BR/><BR/>If anyone is on a power trip, it's Miss Snark. She provides a valuable service, but inspiring fear isn't as effective as encouraging hope.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.com