tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post8283889151475884970..comments2024-03-28T06:16:39.508+00:00Comments on Help! I Need a Publisher!: FAILURE TO BE PUBLISHED: HARSH REALITYNicola Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-51519135740755456112011-07-09T00:34:27.009+01:002011-07-09T00:34:27.009+01:00Here's another harsh reality...I'm a succe...Here's another harsh reality...I'm a succesfully published author (3 bestsellers on the shelves and an offer on the table from my publisher to write another 3) shortlisted for a major international award, number 1 bestseller on amazon kindle female detectives, inundated with invitations from bookshops (I'm booked for May 2012)... I could go on but the harsh reality of being published Leigh Russellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15080517449825380527noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-52301029579893510002009-12-19T22:04:11.498+00:002009-12-19T22:04:11.498+00:00We are, I'm sad to say. And not only because w...We are, I'm sad to say. And not only because we respond to comments from eons ago, in a transparent effort to pretend that we're not speaking only to ourselves, but also because:<br /><br />a) In the US, writers do not get royalties from public libraries. I consider this moral failing as serious as cannibalism or Rowling-worship.<br /><br />b) Our political discourse revolves around one Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-26731754961834711892009-12-11T10:02:28.678+00:002009-12-11T10:02:28.678+00:00Proe, are you feeling a bit crabbit today? What...Proe, are you feeling a bit crabbit today? What's happened? What have you done? I am not aware that Americans are any worse than other people...Nicola Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-66103554230108015372009-12-09T01:30:28.919+00:002009-12-09T01:30:28.919+00:00The comments section is becoming way too sweet--I&...The comments section is becoming way too sweet--I'm getting a contact sugarhigh. <br /><br />I've got nothing to say except what the fuck is wrong with Americans? Jesus Christ. I'm sick of us. <br /><br />ProeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-72329736623973761232009-12-08T15:27:48.762+00:002009-12-08T15:27:48.762+00:00I love that you admitted to the rhyme. I also love...I love that you admitted to the rhyme. I also love how direct these posts are. It seems to be really hard to get nice no nonsense advice like yours.<br /><br />Thanks for another interesting and useful read.<br /><br />Kate xxxKatehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05940810066436848209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-70087370270179007402009-12-08T01:00:02.689+00:002009-12-08T01:00:02.689+00:00I appreciate this post. The rejections that provi...I appreciate this post. The rejections that provide feedback have been the most helpful because I use any critique to improve my manuscripts. I've also been reading blogs and books to improve my writing.<br /><br />I wrote a post about rejections on my blog:<br /><br />http://theresamilstein.blogspot.com/2009/09/positive-rejections.html<br /><br />I've started this blog as a daily Theresa Milsteinhttp://www.theresamilstein.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-9613833647646063572009-12-07T22:07:41.866+00:002009-12-07T22:07:41.866+00:00Very timely post, and very relevant. I've had ...Very timely post, and very relevant. I've had great feedback for one of my earlier manuscripts, and have been lucky enough to have it critiqued by the RNA New Writers Group, an interested publisher, and 3 judges at the Golden Rose Comp. I initially muttered to myself that it didn't achieve publication, but decided to re-read it as if I hadn't written it, and discovered a lack of Sally Clementshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00126442284080778860noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-35638664062860140212009-12-07T20:23:36.982+00:002009-12-07T20:23:36.982+00:00Thanks Sally. I think there might be another probl...Thanks Sally. I think there might be another problem too. I am submitting from the other side of the world and upside down. (That's why I get so irritated and upset with being completely ignored. It tends to be very expensive from here.) I have had people say all sorts of 'helpful' things like 'submit to an Australian publisher' and 'find an Australian agent'. catdownunderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06959328192182156574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-49550686249747561972009-12-07T15:02:30.110+00:002009-12-07T15:02:30.110+00:00Thanks for re-posting this, Nicola. I've writt...Thanks for re-posting this, Nicola. I've written four novels in total - two I'm confident with (alas both rejected by two agents - still querying), the other two novels make my eyes hurt when I read my typed mush. But these have potential, they're on the back burner while I get on with 'the right one.'The Woohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13834615682430494596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-36808264348775592162009-12-07T14:57:27.690+00:002009-12-07T14:57:27.690+00:00I read this post yesterday. I woke up thinking abo...I read this post yesterday. I woke up thinking about it in the night. I even thought about it while I was eating my breakfast. It's hit a creative raw spot. I too have had lots of 'stuff' published but not my novel, the one that I love so much, the one that I wrote for me.<br />I'm looking forward to reading that future post of yours on writing the right book.Rosalind Adamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05363027308436257933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-36707446272229349462009-12-07T14:30:24.858+00:002009-12-07T14:30:24.858+00:00This comment has been removed by the author.David John Griffinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01524610087056533062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-25838239214504811522009-12-07T13:25:26.887+00:002009-12-07T13:25:26.887+00:00Excellent post, Nicola. Excellent blog, too... wis...Excellent post, Nicola. Excellent blog, too... wish it had been around when I started!<br /><br />An observation from someone mid-career... ten years after my first book was published (Song Quest, which won the inaugural Branford Boase Award), I am STILL trying to write the right book! So it's not just something you have to think about at the start, but something to bear in mind throughout Katherine Robertshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17196712319655603442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-47453216106411364682009-12-07T12:25:41.818+00:002009-12-07T12:25:41.818+00:00Me again. This is mainly for Samantha.
You descri...Me again. This is mainly for Samantha.<br /><br />You describe your novel as "time-slip, chick lit, historical, paranormal." Ouch. I hope that's not what you put in your submission.<br /><br />You see, it's not because agents are blinkered. It's because publishers' editors (in the bigger companies, anyway) they might wish to send your manuscript have different Sally Zigmondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07520579251842006765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-65006531332805145402009-12-07T12:08:07.766+00:002009-12-07T12:08:07.766+00:00Cat. I agree that Nicola that most agents are not ...Cat. I agree that Nicola that most agents are not physically able to reply to every query they receive. They get hundreds every week.<br /><br />Having said that, I have always had a reply--mostly negative, it must be said--from every agent I have queried.<br /><br />I know that every country and every agents works slightly differently but this is what I do.<br /><br />I first send a short letterSally Zigmondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07520579251842006765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-63241972337369782012009-12-07T09:57:14.915+00:002009-12-07T09:57:14.915+00:00Harry - sounds as though you have a very constru...Harry - sounds as though you have a very constructive and admirable attitude. Being patient is a rare virtue in a writer!<br /><br />Terresa - I hope so!<br /><br />Dan - interesting re the psychology. I think I would like to do a post on that soon. (But I think first there's a demand for me to give some practical advice about what this elusive "right book" is). I wonder if theNicola Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-25692665996791618712009-12-07T09:14:19.222+00:002009-12-07T09:14:19.222+00:00Interesting, Nicola, maybe i am misinterpreting my...Interesting, Nicola, maybe i am misinterpreting my friends a bit. I do try to keep an eye on the market, and one reason i forged ahead with this book was that paranormal chick lit was supposed to be (and is) dipping it's toe, across the Atlantic, into the UK market.<br />But yes, i will be keen to read about how you keep your passion.<br /><br />Linda, possibly! <br />You are right though, Administratorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13894920115299109640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-25292192072918333982009-12-07T07:39:33.737+00:002009-12-07T07:39:33.737+00:00With luck, I've stumbled onto a writer's g...With luck, I've stumbled onto a writer's gold mine here. Thanks for the candid advice and humorous bits, too.<br /><br />PS: Note taken, I will never, not ever, submit a query in rhyme.*https://www.blogger.com/profile/06484208765656281917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-23175111028945840492009-12-07T07:34:44.543+00:002009-12-07T07:34:44.543+00:00This comment has been removed by the author.*https://www.blogger.com/profile/06484208765656281917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-29751320947275142112009-12-07T07:16:30.114+00:002009-12-07T07:16:30.114+00:00Samantha - my books cross genres, too. And one of...Samantha - my books cross genres, too. And one of my WIPs defies categorisation completely, although it is, I suppose, very slightly scifi. When I write queries, I pick the genre that best defines the novel (young adult so far) and I stick with that.<br /><br />I used to write YA SF Romance, which would have been offputting, I guess.<br /><br />Whatever the main element of your book is - the Catherine Hugheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17540552933192453722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-5628193061686224522009-12-07T04:38:44.379+00:002009-12-07T04:38:44.379+00:00I probably respect you even more now that I know y...I probably respect you even more now that I know you had sent a cover letter in rhyme. First of all, it's impressive that you could write a whole letter in rhyme and then have the guts to mail it. You tried every trick you could think of to get published and well trial and error, trial and error. <br /><br />Thankfully I am not there yet. I am working on that first novel, I finished, but Harry Markovhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09140305922494369576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-4208182829721626402009-12-07T00:33:21.266+00:002009-12-07T00:33:21.266+00:00Personally speaking, I'm beginning to accept t...Personally speaking, I'm beginning to accept that if neither of my two novels are published, then I'll try with my third (WIP at the moment). Just keep writing, until it happens (or might happen). This was a difficult decision for me but one I'm beginning to get to grips with.<br /><br />This is just one of the things I've learned from your excellent posts, Nicola. I know we all David John Griffinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01524610087056533062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-19975741100226370852009-12-07T00:13:41.118+00:002009-12-07T00:13:41.118+00:00Its all true. But it's also true of staying p...Its all true. But it's also true of staying published - which can be just as difficult and disheartening. It seems even harder to twist the arm of the accountant at the acquisition table these days.Melinda Szymanikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10202080805759494767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-31088308836840193642009-12-06T21:34:35.204+00:002009-12-06T21:34:35.204+00:00In rhyme? Oh, that's too wonderful. I wrote ...In rhyme? Oh, that's too wonderful. I wrote a rhymed essay in junior high English, and the teacher didn't even notice, or pretended that she didn't--perhaps so I wouldn't one day think I was clever enough to repeat the trick.Jillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05536293384635588296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-54022103685956248172009-12-06T20:43:01.809+00:002009-12-06T20:43:01.809+00:00...I wrote a time-slip, chick lit, historical, par......I wrote a time-slip, chick lit, historical, paranormal book...<br /><br />wow, this sounds like about three books in one Samantha! Don't you think you might have put too much into the pot at once?<br />But I agree that you have to write something that gives you a buzz, otherwise not only would it be horrible and boring to write, but also probably pretty terrible. <br /><br />Although Linda Strachanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04354324158228109351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-52692903829009476882009-12-06T19:36:57.137+00:002009-12-06T19:36:57.137+00:00I suspect that Nicola's remarks were aimed fai...I suspect that Nicola's remarks were aimed fairly at me. I agree with what she said too.<br />However, in all fairness, I was not having a "grumble, grouch, it is not fair" moment about not getting a response about my mss from those concerned. I was, and I think rightly, growling about people not having the common courtesy to respond at all. When a would be author takes the time andcatdownunderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06959328192182156574noreply@blogger.com