A good quote from Iain M. Banks

HarryT · 12-21-2012, 08:42 AM

Q: How difficult it was for you to get published in the first place?

A: "Quite difficult. It took me about a million words and five or six novels before finally doing it. There is a theory that says you have to write a million words of rubbish before you get published. Unless you're really clever - my pal Ken MacLeod, he's clever and he got his very first novel published, which is cheating I think."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20774879

gmw · 12-21-2012, 09:15 PM

As with so much else in life, we'd all like to think that we are one of the exceptions the rule ... and every now and then one of us turns out to be right - which gives everyone else continued hope. It's a bit like the lottery in that way.

kennyc · 12-22-2012, 07:06 AM

Practice, practice, practice, it's how you get to Carnegie Hall.

VydorScope · 12-22-2012, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

Practice, practice, practice, it's how you get to Carnegie Hall.

Or you could use a map: http://goo.gl/maps/XwJgE

kennyc · 12-22-2012, 08:41 AM

As long as it's Google Maps not Apple.

kennyc · 12-22-2012, 08:45 AM

The 10,000 hour rule (Gladwell):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outliers_%28book%29

and a different opinion:

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/2012...hour-rule-myth

VydorScope · 12-22-2012, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

As long as it's Google Maps not Apple.

I guess that is what the practice practice practice is for

Lazybones · 12-22-2012, 06:21 PM

I wrote five novels while in grad school, and another million words of genre fanfics that I published to a gaming Web site, before I self-published my first novel. All that in addition to my dissertation and a few years working as an editor, which I think really helped me iron out the mechanics of my writing. I go back every now and then to my early novels to see if anything there is salvageable, but each time I come to the same conclusion as Mr. Banks.

HarryT · 12-23-2012, 03:03 AM

Unfortunately, in these days of self-publishing, all too often the million words of rubbish do get inflicted on the world.

VydorScope · 12-23-2012, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Unfortunately, in these days of self-publishing, all too often the million words of rubbish do get inflicted on the world.

And I am glad they do. I have read several first time authors that could have used an editor/etc - but the story was great. Some of them now have full time careers based on their writing. Would not have happened otherwise.

mr ploppy · 12-23-2012, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Unfortunately, in these days of self-publishing, all too often the million words of rubbish do get inflicted on the world.

Which will be invaluable to future historians. Just think if we had the first million words of rubbish written by Charles Dickens or Katie Price. The stuff they wrote after that would still exist, so it's not as if anything would be lost.

Marseille · 12-23-2012, 02:12 PM

Cheating is under-rated

12-21-2012, 08:42 AM	#1
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	A good quote from Iain M. Banks Q: How difficult it was for you to get published in the first place? A: "Quite difficult. It took me about a million words and five or six novels before finally doing it. There is a theory that says you have to write a million words of rubbish before you get published. Unless you're really clever - my pal Ken MacLeod, he's clever and he got his very first novel published, which is cheating I think." http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20774879

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12-21-2012, 09:15 PM	#2
gmw cacoethes scribendi Posts: 5,809 Karma: 137770742 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura One & H2Ov2, Sony PRS-650	As with so much else in life, we'd all like to think that we are one of the exceptions the rule ... and every now and then one of us turns out to be right - which gives everyone else continued hope. It's a bit like the lottery in that way.

12-22-2012, 07:06 AM	#3
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Practice, practice, practice, it's how you get to Carnegie Hall.

12-22-2012, 08:41 AM	#5
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	As long as it's Google Maps not Apple.

12-22-2012, 08:45 AM	#6
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	The 10,000 hour rule (Gladwell): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outliers_%28book%29 and a different opinion: http://www.bbc.com/future/story/2012...hour-rule-myth

12-22-2012, 06:21 PM	#8
Lazybones Groupie Posts: 162 Karma: 1719250 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Sacramento Device: Kindle	I wrote five novels while in grad school, and another million words of genre fanfics that I published to a gaming Web site, before I self-published my first novel. All that in addition to my dissertation and a few years working as an editor, which I think really helped me iron out the mechanics of my writing. I go back every now and then to my early novels to see if anything there is salvageable, but each time I come to the same conclusion as Mr. Banks.

12-23-2012, 03:03 AM	#9
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Unfortunately, in these days of self-publishing, all too often the million words of rubbish do get inflicted on the world.

12-23-2012, 02:12 PM	#12
Marseille Guru Posts: 687 Karma: 5700000 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: kindle	Cheating is under-rated