tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post8915903303351594460..comments2024-03-28T02:00:11.260-05:00Comments on A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: Peers and the Healthy WriterJA Konrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-83975835199895995542008-05-07T12:03:00.000-05:002008-05-07T12:03:00.000-05:00The thing about peers that always cracks me up is ...The thing about peers that always cracks me up is those people who go around saying stuff like, "I don't care about awards" and "I don't care what people think about me." And then you see them kissing so much ass their lips are chapped.<BR/><BR/>If you're not a complete douche bag in the first place, you don't have to worry about your peers thinking you're a douche bag. It's sad when you see a writer who absolutely destroys his reputation by boorish, drunken behavior.<BR/><BR/>Sometimes peers look down on us for good reason.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-26183390174045979252008-05-07T10:50:00.000-05:002008-05-07T10:50:00.000-05:00I hugged a lot of fellow writers on May 3--I was a...I hugged a lot of fellow writers on May 3--I was at Maass' Tension on Every Page workshop. It's so great to know I'm not the only insane one...Conda Douglashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12972790965426924941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-52085141174216539662008-05-04T08:05:00.000-05:002008-05-04T08:05:00.000-05:00When I was in the BFA program, I noticed a lot of ...When I was in the BFA program, I noticed a lot of rivalries/jealousy/general nastiness.<BR/><BR/>I'm pleasantly surprised to find my current writing circles aren't that way.Martha O'Connorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17915815056340085345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-16665432956317815192008-05-04T05:24:00.000-05:002008-05-04T05:24:00.000-05:00I happen to like lurking:)this is a good article, ...I happen to like lurking:)<BR/><BR/>this is a good article, and adds in nicely to one I read by Richard Morgan recently, calling for SF writers to leave off the bitching and fighting about nothing of consequence:<BR/><BR/>http://www.richardkmorgan.com/article_soundfury.htm<BR/><BR/>Regarding workshops and whatnot - you know, it's interesting, most writers swear by them but Mike Resnick (who has made a living off writing for a quarter decade) says no. Admittedly, recently he said that it can work, under the right circumstances and with the right people.<BR/><BR/>That's always the problem though. <BR/><BR/>Thing is, I think it's good to critique and do workshops for a while but there's a point where you have to limit them, possibly leave them behind.<BR/>They're great shortcuts for learning some things, but not all.<BR/>But there's also a few fantastic "how to" books out there, dealing with specific aspects of writing craft. Some are better than others, but you can learn a hell of a lot from them.<BR/><BR/>Good advice, either Resnick or Orson Card I think, is to beware of staying with any crit group for longer than a year or so. There's a danger of complacency and not being challenged by new perspectives.<BR/><BR/>Critique groups and workshops can be stimulating to some, for me eventually they began to mentally exhaust me.<BR/>When the second guessing gets too much, I think you have to take a break and step away, until you actually enjoy critiques again. Giving critiques, not receiving them. For me, that's important, reading and critting because it provides me pleasure to do so. <BR/><BR/>Also, there is a danger in being overly dependent on critiques. There is such a fine balance between being open to feedback and knowing when you have to dig in and stand your ground, trusting yourself. <BR/><BR/>Well, this is a topic one can go on and on about, so I'll stop my rambling here, hopefully it's somewhat coherent.<BR/><BR/>As to lurking and not interacting - I agree, a great deal of the pleasure of blogs comes from interaction, rather than passive take-in. The blogger is boosted by the commentary adn the commenters get more interested when they invest time and energy.<BR/><BR/>My feeds got up to over 300 blogs, with about 200-400 daily updates. That, too, is exhausting. And stupid.<BR/>So, I cut them down to the most basic, the ones I truly enjoy the most.<BR/>of which this is one.<BR/><BR/>Last thought on crit groups and workshops and blogs - the biggest thing I get from them is a sense of community, of talking to people with the same goals and aspirations as I do. <BR/>That turned out to be more important to me than critiques or feedback, and all that.<BR/>Just hanging around with like-minded people.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-34252027562958840882008-05-03T20:52:00.000-05:002008-05-03T20:52:00.000-05:00Another fine post, Joe, and I'm going to link to s...Another fine post, Joe, and I'm going to link to some of your work through Blackboard for a class I'm teaching on dark fiction at a small college here in Florida. I think some of those horror tales in *55 Proof* will fit nicely in the course. <BR/><BR/>We read King, Poe, Hawthorne, Oates, Perkins Gilman, Bierce and others last term, and could you guess whose work the students liked best?<BR/><BR/>They loved Cory Doctorow's "When Sysadmins Ruled the Earth." It's another great reason, I think, for publishing selected works on your site.<BR/><BR/>Thanks again for all of the great advice you compile on this blog, and I wish you continued success.Daniel Powellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17773792243682789399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-70337969069457748442008-05-03T13:28:00.000-05:002008-05-03T13:28:00.000-05:00I thought every day was Hug Another Author Day.I thought every day was Hug Another Author Day.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-36447118810014164302008-05-03T11:29:00.000-05:002008-05-03T11:29:00.000-05:00HUGS to you, Joe. Thanks for all the advice over t...HUGS to you, Joe. Thanks for all the advice over the years.<BR/><BR/>Hugs all around as well.Lisa McMannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03079642578284968215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-77880676717622570102008-05-02T21:26:00.000-05:002008-05-02T21:26:00.000-05:00Joe, you're absolutely right...we should help out ...Joe, you're absolutely right...we should help out our fellow writers with advice. When they ask me for advice, the first thing I do is take them by the arm, put their fingers on a mouse, and point them to this blog!<BR/><BR/>I think this is one of the best place for a new writer to start.<BR/><BR/>And if they still have questions, I answer them as best I can.Picks by Pathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03210946161490466694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-86342305610923342182008-05-02T20:02:00.000-05:002008-05-02T20:02:00.000-05:00Here's my virtual hug for today...oops...I was sup...Here's my virtual hug for today...oops...I was suppose to wait until tomorrow..GRR!PokerBenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01861605814143830904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-13321958388790783922008-05-02T15:23:00.000-05:002008-05-02T15:23:00.000-05:00Offer that advice, but always make sure they know ...Offer that advice, but always make sure they know that your way isn't the only way, and that just because you're a so-called expert doesn't mean you know everything<BR/><BR/><BR/>Amen, brother.<BR/><BR/>And great post. And if you ever need an ms. read...Mark Terryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09410424046477699059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-89321737343137317462008-05-02T15:00:00.000-05:002008-05-02T15:00:00.000-05:00I've added Barry's link to the blog entry, because...I've added Barry's link to the blog entry, because for some reason Blogger isn't letting anyone post links.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-37705257433456485912008-05-02T14:50:00.000-05:002008-05-02T14:50:00.000-05:00I so appreciate your maturity.I so appreciate your maturity.Janethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04600030574995481267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-91617430187405963532008-05-02T12:08:00.000-05:002008-05-02T12:08:00.000-05:00Thanks, Joe! When I first started reading your blo...Thanks, Joe! When I first started reading your blog nearly two years ago, you were kicking off your breakneck tour of 500 bookstores. Since then I've come back each week for my next lesson. It continues to be a great course for newbie's.<BR/><BR/>In the meantime I've written my first four books and posted them on my site and self-published them. I've just begun work on the first book of a new cozy mystery series. This time I will not post the book online. And when the book is perfected :) I will seek an agent.<BR/><BR/>One of the great things about this site is that you go easy on the newbies. You try to lead them in the right direction, but you don't slap their hands when they say they are going to do something that you know won't work. Sometimes people just have to find out the hard way.<BR/><BR/>This was true for me. I tried a lot of things, like self-publishing, that didn't work. But at least, in the process, I learned a lot about writing by completing four books. And I learned a lot about the publishing biz from this blog.<BR/><BR/>Hugs to you, Joe, and to everyone who contributes to the discussions here.<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.robertburtonrobinson.com" REL="nofollow">Robert Burton Robinson</A>Robert Burton Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07821314494504718440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-20787005376795469342008-05-02T11:35:00.000-05:002008-05-02T11:35:00.000-05:00Let's try that again... for some reason, the link ...Let's try that again... for some reason, the link won't post. If it doesn't work this time, anyone who's curious can track down the article ("Blurbersion") on the For Writers section of my website. <BR/><BR/>**************<BR/><BR/>Momentarily abandoning my unibomber existence to comment here...<BR/><BR/>You said that stuff about blurbs just to rile me, right? ;D<BR/><BR/>Here's my contrary view, including a rejoinder from Joe:<BR/><BR/>http://mjroseblog.typepad.com/buzz_balls_hype/2006/09/blurbersion.html<BR/><BR/>And dude, where's the new manuscript? I'm waiting...<BR/><BR/>:)<BR/>BarryBarry Eislerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17785333622697500192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-24538003739009338132008-05-02T10:51:00.000-05:002008-05-02T10:51:00.000-05:00"the fact is that your peers aren't your main audi..."the fact is that your peers aren't your main audience"<BR/><BR/>Thank you for saying this. I think a lot of authors waste their time pimping at writer conferences. Educate, sure. Entertain, definitely. Hard sell? Wrong audience.Jaye Wellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09407478042834459126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-49099713750171838142008-05-02T10:46:00.000-05:002008-05-02T10:46:00.000-05:00I think this as healthy a take on the subject writ...I think this as healthy a take on the subject writers as peers as I've ever read. I'm just coming out of an MFA program which I imagine creates some of the same feelings inside of writers that an internment camp sparks in its inmates. At first, praise seemed scarce, and we battled for it like fat kids for cake. That said, I've come out with a new respect and admiration for writers. I truly do think that every good sentence that's written by anyone makes the world a better place. And with that in mind, I thank you for your post.Fake Namehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00481789320628119521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-49195804508720915942008-05-02T10:43:00.000-05:002008-05-02T10:43:00.000-05:00I just love the word "unibomberish." :)Very nice p...I just love the word "unibomberish." :)<BR/><BR/>Very nice post, Joe. Hugs all around.Jude Hardinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-50710652247785304672008-05-02T10:36:00.000-05:002008-05-02T10:36:00.000-05:00Here's a hug now, since I won't be around tomorrow...Here's a hug now, since I won't be around tomorrow! Glad you take the time to encourage us all!<BR/><BR/>MaryMary Duncanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09099418115687661920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-14926491052175098842008-05-02T10:29:00.000-05:002008-05-02T10:29:00.000-05:00I sure am thankful for the peers I've met in works...I sure am thankful for the peers I've met in workshops, conferences and through my blog!Carleen Bricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01433203126527081458noreply@blogger.com