tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post831887681594613715..comments2024-03-29T07:43:01.003+00:00Comments on Help! I Need a Publisher!: RISKY WRITING AND THE MODERN WORLDNicola Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-26366922606189438572010-02-21T19:23:00.991+00:002010-02-21T19:23:00.991+00:00Nicola, yes, I need to flesh things out a lot more...Nicola, yes, I need to flesh things out a lot more I know (and I have done elsewhere - I feel anothr blog post brewing - you seem to be my muse!). I'm not sure I see self-publishing authors as the ones who'll get very rich - I certainly don't see Marc and I buying up Harper Collins. I guess I have similar worries when people say it won't happen to publishing that others have when Dan Hollowayhttp://www.yearzerowriters.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-47083000774854991552010-02-21T16:55:06.931+00:002010-02-21T16:55:06.931+00:00apologies for the poor editing of my comment.
don...apologies for the poor editing of my comment. <br />don't you just hate it when that happens?Bernardine Kennedyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15013114730458750417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-36668383692056276742010-02-21T16:53:29.886+00:002010-02-21T16:53:29.886+00:00I loved Valley of the Dolls when it came out and t...I loved Valley of the Dolls when it came out and then re-read it a couple of years ago. Fascinating experience as I rarely re-read books but the time-gap was plenty big enough. (cough)<br />The book held up well and we still all speak about it but most fascinating, now I am an author myself, is how she went Jacqueline Susan went about 'making a best-seller'. Would it work now? Hmmmmmm.Bernardine Kennedyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15013114730458750417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-78692298936571758072010-02-20T22:39:53.564+00:002010-02-20T22:39:53.564+00:00Good post, but you'd best not call Northern Ir...Good post, but you'd best not call Northern Irish girls 'British' because they are not. Northern Ireland is part of the UK but not part of Great Britain. Not being pedantic, just geographic/politic.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-23769084576718582692010-02-20T19:03:42.078+00:002010-02-20T19:03:42.078+00:00> "...and feeding and tending are done on ...> "...and feeding and tending are done on a mutual basis!"<br /><br />Here, here! <br /><br />(Thought I'd better write that, in case anyone thought that in the last sentence of my comment, I was being serious! :-)David John Griffinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01524610087056533062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-9409287805620164782010-02-20T17:26:46.483+00:002010-02-20T17:26:46.483+00:00I can't find that precise Mslexia leader which...I can't find that precise Mslexia leader which Helena referred to (I don't think it is online) but the magazine defines its own title as: <br /><br />"a difficulty, more prevalent in women, with getting into print. Mslexia is the complex set of conditions and expectations that prevents women, who as girls so outshine boys in verbal skills, from becoming successful authors."<br /Daniel Blythehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07487799866651688342noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-18874468369705083182010-02-20T16:46:30.926+00:002010-02-20T16:46:30.926+00:00I had forgotten about Valley of the Dolls, I must ...I had forgotten about Valley of the Dolls, I must read it now I am over 50. I am sure mother will deem that old enough. LOL<br />This English (Essex) girl, and her DH now share all chores, no rest for him while I am writing. Gosh do men really get it easier? Mmmm what's new? LOLGlynis Peters https://www.blogger.com/profile/01175378917872403609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-30264424601264672162010-02-20T16:20:24.371+00:002010-02-20T16:20:24.371+00:00Mmmm... that post certain made me think. I am on t...Mmmm... that post certain made me think. I am on the final draft of my first novel and am trying to make it as polished as I can. Going back to Helen Halme's comment, right at the very top: what are your views about women vs men getting their work published. I actually write horror, and I'm a little bit weary of the fact that this genre is mainly a male dominated one. Do you think this Akasha Savage.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13482147165827577180noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-60332040477124298972010-02-20T15:39:31.025+00:002010-02-20T15:39:31.025+00:00I was never allowed to read that book either -- I ...I was never allowed to read that book either -- I just might have to now! And for the record, girls from New England (in the US) will not be slaves to their men either!Colette Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11685539849318739675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-69392583991861594302010-02-20T14:34:20.615+00:002010-02-20T14:34:20.615+00:00DanielB - I haven't read that article and I wo...DanielB - I haven't read that article and I would also be pretty angry at a "men have it easier" or "women have it easier" jibe. A man once said to me, "Of course, it's easy for you: you're an attractive woman" (yeah, he was probably after something and definitely lying...) and that really annoyed me. On the other hand, I remember chairing a Soc of Nicola Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-2010629599419161022010-02-20T14:34:15.438+00:002010-02-20T14:34:15.438+00:00Cat - re Valley of Dolls - well, I can see why t...Cat - re Valley of Dolls - well, I can see why there was a fuss made about it, because of the content, not because it's amazingly well-written (I guess even in those days a bit of shocking content could win over writing ability). It's a rattling good yarn, though, very readable, and very much with its own voice. I'm enjoying it and enjoying noticing rules that are broken, POV Nicola Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-49500096795868433532010-02-20T14:20:28.041+00:002010-02-20T14:20:28.041+00:00As I was reading it, I was thinking of Mary's ...As I was reading it, I was thinking of Mary's post at KidLit, and then you linked it. With the economy and the world of publishing on shaky ground, it seems like it's harder than ever for new writers to break in.Theresa Milsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03477761307315565259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-64045226901578649642010-02-20T13:39:09.964+00:002010-02-20T13:39:09.964+00:00As I recall, Jacqueline Susann knew a thing or two...As I recall, Jacqueline Susann knew a thing or two about the difficulty of your work heard.<br /><br />I've been reading Arnold Bennett's The Truth about An Author and laughing hard, in a rueful sort of way... It was like that in 1925, too and if you tweaked the style, it could have been written in the last decade.<br /><br />Emma<br />EmmaEmma Darwinhttp://emmadarwin.typepad.com/thisitchofwriting/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-60867684339143923212010-02-20T12:00:36.779+00:002010-02-20T12:00:36.779+00:00Thanks for fixing the link, Nicola.
I'm sort ...Thanks for fixing the link, Nicola.<br /><br />I'm sort of heartened yet kind of saddened too reading the Kidlit link and your post. It's like the "good ol days" when an editor spots a raw talent and nurtures it lovingly are now well and truly over. The talent has to be perfected elsewhere before even considering any sort of submission especially in these lean mean times. <br />Old Kittyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13185547869183611159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-46692905435409939002010-02-20T11:59:20.767+00:002010-02-20T11:59:20.767+00:00Great link... and it all makes sense. Seems to mat...Great link... and it all makes sense. Seems to match what my agent is saying. <br /><br />And men have it "easier"? Ugh! I can feel myself *bristling* with rage already. I'm off to read that Mslexia leader!!Daniel Blythehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07487799866651688342noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-41482430605911187542010-02-20T11:28:12.860+00:002010-02-20T11:28:12.860+00:00I've written a risky chick lit book (half of i...I've written a risky chick lit book (half of it is set in Ancient Egypt) - one top agent was complimentary and said she'd like to see more of my writing if i ever wrote anything less risky, times being hard bla bla.<br /><br />It is frustrating.<br /><br />I doubt it's ever been easy to get something published, though, that is a bit different. I just think it always boils down to the Administratorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13894920115299109640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-26886742114378153852010-02-20T01:05:18.643+00:002010-02-20T01:05:18.643+00:00I haven't read Valley of the Dolls either - sa...I haven't read Valley of the Dolls either - same reasons :) One of these days...Jemi Fraserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02214408467456320167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-26089113450213676692010-02-19T23:15:21.195+00:002010-02-19T23:15:21.195+00:00I'm with Marc on this (funny, for two people w...I'm with Marc on this (funny, for two people with so much in common, we rarely agree on minutiae) - if you are going for a publisher what you have to do more than ever is hand it to them on a plate. Show them the market, show them there's little to be done to polish up; show them - well, like they said in Jerry McGuire.<br /><br />Sadly, the (absolutely correct) caution that big business Dan Hollowayhttp://www.yearzerowriters.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-11706029076661532852010-02-19T22:22:01.875+00:002010-02-19T22:22:01.875+00:00Thought-provoking post, Nicola.
Here are some of ...Thought-provoking post, Nicola.<br /><br />Here are some of them (thoughts, I mean!): So it was always difficult to be published; now it's even more difficult. The stakes are high; the rewards, for the majority of published writers, relatively low. One has to get a novel as "perfect" as can be, for the days are gone when an author can expect major rewriting by any editor. Even David John Griffinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01524610087056533062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-71811648415045272992010-02-19T21:44:52.706+00:002010-02-19T21:44:52.706+00:00Ah, thank you so much! This is what I secretly hop...Ah, thank you so much! This is what I secretly hoped to hear.:-)))) Your blog is a true source of encouragement, thank you so much!GalaktioNovahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17503003883441404979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-48498865573421150232010-02-19T21:23:10.879+00:002010-02-19T21:23:10.879+00:00Not sure whether my tail is drooping or whether it...Not sure whether my tail is drooping or whether it is curled up just far enough to avoid the ground...hmmm it might be the latter even after the KidLit post. I never did get to Valley of the Dolls but I can remember the fuss about it. Should there have been a fuss about it?catdownunderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06959328192182156574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-77438066480387950512010-02-19T20:12:56.554+00:002010-02-19T20:12:56.554+00:00I was unable to get to the excellent post you refe...I was unable to get to the excellent post you refer to. Still I found your post very interesting. ThanksAnnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07524878248746427258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-15948057569169729822010-02-19T20:02:04.384+00:002010-02-19T20:02:04.384+00:00Thanks, Floot, for the hint on how to get the link...Thanks, Floot, for the hint on how to get the link to work.<br /><br />Like in all things, there seems to be this myth that there was a Golden Age when it was 'easy' to be published, like other such ages when your children did as they were told and we were all poor but happy.<br /><br />And I suggest that guy in question doesn't come to this part of Yorkshire (rather than the softy Sally Zigmondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07520579251842006765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-88872944290437333932010-02-19T18:03:03.355+00:002010-02-19T18:03:03.355+00:00The clarion call/reminder for making the work as h...The clarion call/reminder for making the work as high standard as possible can never be restated enough times.<br /><br />As to the risk factor, well some of us are just perverse and relish the challenge of pushing the envelope, er tilting at windmills, um pushing at a locked door and other such cliches that need to be rendered into the 'exception that disproves the rule'<br /><br />Sulci Collectivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03293833259808943096noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-61962956118070846022010-02-19T17:32:19.033+00:002010-02-19T17:32:19.033+00:00"And as for plump English (or even British, a..."And as for plump English (or even British, as some of us prefer to be called, in case we might actually be Scottish or Welsh or Northern Irish) girls to cook and clean for you, fugeddit. Atcha with my pointy shoes."<br /><br />*much laughter*<br /><br />I still had problems with the link - you seem to have two urls. I got to the kidlit article by clicking on the last 't' of theFloothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14031254995050992379noreply@blogger.com