tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post8969002343204243151..comments2024-03-28T06:16:39.508+00:00Comments on Help! I Need a Publisher!: PERSEVERANCE SUCKSNicola Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-16884966073478395912010-08-05T21:21:21.512+01:002010-08-05T21:21:21.512+01:00This thing about perseverance with respect to impr...This thing about perseverance with respect to improvement is interesting. Every time I show my book to a new audience, I end up editing and/or rewriting. Each time I think "this time it's so much better"... but the time after that I always feel the same again. The problem is knowing when to stop, and when to give up, and which series of iterations will be the one that turns the workBeleaguered Squirrelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13699493386984083561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-2207505353145510612010-08-05T05:45:22.378+01:002010-08-05T05:45:22.378+01:00Just stumbled upon your blog. You're on my Fav...Just stumbled upon your blog. You're on my Favourites now and I'll be recommending and linking you to my blog. <br />Bless you. There is so much here...I can't wait to dig in further. Thanks.Colleen Friesenhttp://www.colleenfriesen.com/blognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-77078652905899727832010-08-03T15:35:26.154+01:002010-08-03T15:35:26.154+01:00I couldn't agree more. The idiom "practi...I couldn't agree more. The idiom "practice makes perfect" is also silly, because if you practice the wrong things every day, your work will never, ever be perfect--not that writers are ever attempting to reach perfection, but you get what I'm saying.Jillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05536293384635588296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-5044918435070022762010-08-02T22:35:43.989+01:002010-08-02T22:35:43.989+01:00Sorry, meant: finishing my third...Sorry, meant: finishing my third...David John Griffinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01524610087056533062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-27683882630309439752010-08-02T22:34:48.177+01:002010-08-02T22:34:48.177+01:00Good post as ever, Nicola. Perseverance to get the...Good post as ever, Nicola. Perseverance to get the book right is so right; except, when I've convinced myself that a particular book of mine is right within its genre, I've still come to the conclusion that no publisher would touch it.<br /><br />Its the publishing world now, I think. Literary novels are not wanted. (Even if I do think it's "commercial" literary). So plough David John Griffinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01524610087056533062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-5771334402145896122010-08-02T20:14:38.997+01:002010-08-02T20:14:38.997+01:00Thanks for the insight and showing us the differen...Thanks for the insight and showing us the difference of perseverance of sending it out versus making it all it can be. Well stated.Reginahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03493618594406138554noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-10496595123412996672010-08-02T13:36:12.889+01:002010-08-02T13:36:12.889+01:00Great advice Nicola. I will endeavour to take it ...Great advice Nicola. I will endeavour to take it in stride. ThanksAnnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07524878248746427258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-79719907387237556482010-08-02T11:36:35.046+01:002010-08-02T11:36:35.046+01:00Perseverance sucks ... yes ... and no. I quite agr...Perseverance sucks ... yes ... and no. I quite agree, persevering to send your crime novel to every romantic fiction publisher or agent is a complete waste of time. But that's not perseverance. That's sheer stupidity.<br /><br />Perseverance is about believing in your work and doing whatever it takes to ensure that your work is the best it is and that you send it to the appropriate peopleSimon Whaleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17281341760411123469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-33523208824089479462010-08-02T04:11:20.119+01:002010-08-02T04:11:20.119+01:00Amen. Thank you for your common sense post!Amen. Thank you for your common sense post!Rebecca Gomezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06842712720778708758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-18286503345759599822010-08-02T03:15:12.749+01:002010-08-02T03:15:12.749+01:00I completely agree with this post! Whenever I get ...I completely agree with this post! Whenever I get rejected, I look at the wip again and try to fix the flaws. That's why it's so important to send out queries a very small batch at a time! :PAlleged Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04869021184116123477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-77800153026537594582010-08-02T01:39:13.858+01:002010-08-02T01:39:13.858+01:00You've said this perfectly. In the earlier day...You've said this perfectly. In the earlier days of my career I had perseverance down cold. But now I like to think I have it down "smart" or at least smarter. <br />I'm still determined to be the last one standing. But at this point I hope I'm also holding a decent book in my hand at the same time.Nancy Coffelthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01713279271661289911noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-31492540843589964042010-08-01T22:49:12.970+01:002010-08-01T22:49:12.970+01:00Great advice! And so true. Been there, done that a...Great advice! And so true. Been there, done that and finally found a publisher. :)Kathi Oram Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11959149321213743448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-91769635616411749532010-08-01T20:50:56.676+01:002010-08-01T20:50:56.676+01:00This is also true of military history: when the fi...This is also true of military history: when the first charge fails, charging harder more frequently, probably will only serve to rack up body count.M Harold Pagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08949772130509527838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-56989237272162202842010-08-01T16:22:48.872+01:002010-08-01T16:22:48.872+01:00Just read this and Dan Holloway's post - all s...Just read this and Dan Holloway's post - all so very, very true. I have met many (unpublished) writers who are absolutely gung-ho about persevering, about making the contacts with agents and publishers, about turning up to Bologna ready to sell themselves, about building their web profile, about sending out and sending out and sending out - they're utterly committed to everything EXCEPT Leila Rhttp://www.thewritingden.webs.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-36095725805397976382010-08-01T16:18:41.685+01:002010-08-01T16:18:41.685+01:00you're very right! I'm getting a bit bumme...you're very right! I'm getting a bit bummed out by sending the MS out, so maybe a change in my viewpoint will help! Thanks for the tip!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05075292153806720848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-64883040576295013292010-08-01T15:45:18.590+01:002010-08-01T15:45:18.590+01:00All so true. And brute (as opposed to intelligent)...All so true. And brute (as opposed to intelligent) perseverance can even lead you down a bad road. I can think of a couple of aspiring writers who persevered far, far longer than most, and eventually were picked up - one by an agent, one by a tiny publisher. <br /><br />Only the agent is a rubbish agent: it seems that the previous 59 agents who rejected it were better judges than the one who didnEmma Darwinhttp://emmadarwin.typepad.com/thisitchofwriting/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-41467558315303297872010-08-01T15:45:09.238+01:002010-08-01T15:45:09.238+01:00Nicola, thsi is the link to the post I wrote on th...Nicola, thsi is the link to the post I wrote on the subject for Jane at hprw for her Bad Science series. <br /><br />http://howpublishingreallyworks.blogspot.com/2009/08/guest-post-believe-in-yourself-but.html<br /><br />It really can be as simple as inverted logic. Almost everyone who succeeds has worked their backsides off and perevered through failure after failure. The converse, that everyoneDan Hollowayhttp://danholloway.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-42096908033054889462010-08-01T14:21:49.723+01:002010-08-01T14:21:49.723+01:00I used to say that asked that the three things a w...I used to say that asked that the three things a writer needs are talent, perseverance and a willingness to learn.<br /><br />Seems like if I'd tell people that, they'd only remember the middle one. "Right," they'd say. "Perseverance."<br /><br />It's the third that's most important. People tend to argue with the feedback they get instead of listening to it.Karen Schwabachnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-42397734905088634612010-08-01T13:58:42.770+01:002010-08-01T13:58:42.770+01:00Thanks for this. It's reminded me that the goa...Thanks for this. It's reminded me that the goal is not just to be published but to write stuff that is good, and that people will enjoy reading.Sarah Lnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-83879447183293856452010-08-01T11:06:09.362+01:002010-08-01T11:06:09.362+01:00I think that another problem is persevering in fin...I think that another problem is persevering in finding the right sort of feedback. By that I mean looking for someone prepared to make constructive critical comments rather than someone who will just say it is good but could be better or (even worse) friends who tell you something is wonderful. The latter think they are being kind and helpful but really it is not. <br />I think it is always catdownunderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06959328192182156574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-3963742829680664282010-08-01T11:04:09.080+01:002010-08-01T11:04:09.080+01:00Fab post Nicola.
If you persevere, you may never g...Fab post Nicola.<br />If you persevere, you may never get there.<br />But if you don't, you don't stand a chance.<br /><br />All we can do is keep trying our hardest and keep learning all we can - from fabulous sources like you.Ebony McKenna.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02724727996270658767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-18113147883103884222010-08-01T10:54:06.146+01:002010-08-01T10:54:06.146+01:00The thing is, you can persevere and hone your work...The thing is, you can persevere and hone your work and get it right and you may STILL not succeed, not because you haven't worked yourself to a standstill but because there is no market at this point in time for what you have written. Fiction is harder to sell than non fiction, lit fic harder than genre fiction or the very big guns in lit fic, and if the market is stagnating with a twenty perPhillipahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00264700263885367373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-26388121066154333412010-08-01T10:07:03.815+01:002010-08-01T10:07:03.815+01:00Great post and so true. Thank you for reminding us...Great post and so true. Thank you for reminding us of the importance of constantly reviewing your work.Ness Harbourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07370427313780759711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-63588314840473318902010-08-01T10:04:59.925+01:002010-08-01T10:04:59.925+01:00This comment has been removed by the author.Ness Harbourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07370427313780759711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-29210296816628412052010-08-01T10:04:51.304+01:002010-08-01T10:04:51.304+01:00Oh, Nicola. You are SO right. That's all I can...Oh, Nicola. You are SO right. That's all I can say.Sally Zigmondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07520579251842006765noreply@blogger.com