A great tip for aspiring writers: read something

[eric11210]

It's an interesting article and she is totally right on her view. Of course, if you happen to want to write stuff like the Great Gatsby or To Kill a Mockingbird, well then I suppose she was wrong in that regard:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/melani..._b_638236.html

Eric

[neilmarr]

Hya Eric:

After a working lifetime at the sharp end and, for the past decade, heading the wee editorial team at a tremendously selective small indie that's always considered unsolicited and unagented submissions, I couldn't agree more with that piece.

And I'll take it an extra mile. Not only should wannabes read, read, read ... they also make a point of reading some released books by the publisher or agency they're submitting to if they're at all serious.

I don't need a receipt to prove they've done this -- I can tell in short order from a mere submission of synopsis and partial ms whether it's been properly targeted and adjusted as per by an author who means business and has taken the trouble to read some of our stuff before sticking his neck out and risking a quick chopper-job.

Best. Neil

PS: Here's karma to ya for such an important link. N

[ardeegee]

I'm always mystified to see "self published" and "fan fiction" works by people who have supposedly spent their lives reading who manage to utterly mangle the English language.

[eric11210]

Well as someone who earns his entire living from writing, albeit mostly copy writing, not fiction (which I do for fun and relaxation), my own feelings on the subject tend to somewhat mimic those of ardeegee.

The way I always put it: Fully half of all Americans believe they have "at least one book in them." After reading some really awful self published work or work in some writers forums from people who clearly don't know what they're doing, my humble opinion is that in many if not most cases, "in them" is exactly where that book ought to stay.

I think most people fail to realize how incredibly difficult it is to actually write an entire book, never mind one which people would actually want to read. I remember reading something by a well known author (the name escapes me at the moment) where he would ask people who told him they wanted to be an author a simple question: "why?" Then, when people gave the pat answer that they want to be famous, they want to be rich, they want to see their names in print, he reminded them that 99% of published authors are not rich or famous.

People only see the nice display of books with the author in a life size cardboard cutout and they imagine that it's so easy that they could do this too. I think that's really what this is all about. By demanding that people show they've read something recently, the place hopes to weed out the people who only see the table with the books and the cardboard cutout from those who write simply because they have a need to write and who love what they do and will do whatever is needed to hone their craft.

[neilmarr]

Folks often don't realise, Eric, that since the advent of the word processor it's become far too easy for someone to painlessly knock out 60,000 words -- and since internet, then blitz (spam?) agents and publishers, instantaneously, simultaneously and freely with the result. (Think typewriters, carbons, fountain pens, quills, copying and the cost of paper and postage earlier authors had to take into the equation.)

Maybe everyone does have a book in them (most doubtful in my opinion). But I can tell you with confidence and from bitter experience over four and a half decades, that it's a very rare few who have a good book in them and can write it well enough to interest the rest of the world.

And now we have 'self publishing'. Instant exposure with no selection process or professional editorial intervention. Hmmm ... sift your own massive slushpile reader? Save the pros a job? Thanks. Maybe you'll wake up one day.

Cheers. Neil