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.

David Marseilles · 12-23-2012, 02:12 PM

Cheating is under-rated

12-21-2012, 08:42 AM	#1
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 55,142 Karma: 27556397 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Touch, PW, Fire HD, iPad 3, iPhone 4, Samsung Tab 2 7 + More	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 __________________ Harry Currently proofreading The Poison Belt, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

12-21-2012, 09:15 PM	#2
gmw cacoethes scribendi Posts: 1,492 Karma: 64251211 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Australia Device: Sony650	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. __________________ G. M. Worboys Author website or find me on Amazon.

12-22-2012, 07:06 AM	#3
kennyc Priorities! Priorties! Posts: 29,967 Karma: 38212058 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Galaxy SIII; Xoom; Kindle Fire	Practice, practice, practice, it's how you get to Carnegie Hall. __________________ Kenny A. Chaffin Art Gallery - Print Gallery - Writing&Poetry "Strive on with Awareness" - Siddhartha Gautama

12-22-2012, 08:41 AM	#5
kennyc Priorities! Priorties! Posts: 29,967 Karma: 38212058 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Galaxy SIII; Xoom; Kindle Fire	As long as it's Google Maps not Apple. __________________ Kenny A. Chaffin Art Gallery - Print Gallery - Writing&Poetry "Strive on with Awareness" - Siddhartha Gautama

12-22-2012, 08:45 AM	#6
kennyc Priorities! Priorties! Posts: 29,967 Karma: 38212058 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Galaxy SIII; Xoom; 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 __________________ Kenny A. Chaffin Art Gallery - Print Gallery - Writing&Poetry "Strive on with Awareness" - Siddhartha Gautama

12-22-2012, 06:21 PM	#8
Lazybones Groupie Posts: 153 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. __________________ A magical competition goes bad, and a young wizard must fight for survival in The Labyrinth, a free download in the Kindle store. My books are available at Amazon and Smashwords.

12-23-2012, 03:03 AM	#9
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 55,142 Karma: 27556397 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Touch, PW, Fire HD, iPad 3, iPhone 4, Samsung Tab 2 7 + More	Unfortunately, in these days of self-publishing, all too often the million words of rubbish do get inflicted on the world. __________________ Harry Currently proofreading The Poison Belt, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

12-23-2012, 02:12 PM	#12
David Marseilles fortune favors the bold Posts: 574 Karma: 4922058 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: HTC Touch Pro2 w/XDAndroid GB2.3.7 Tablet:TF700 Infinity	Cheating is under-rated

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