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Aspiring To Publish - Authors Thread

neonlyte said:
I want a thread devoted to the task of helping one another climb the hurdle to the world of Publication.

I'll be 'up-front' and admit a degree of selfish ambition. I want to find a publisher and/or an agent in 2008.

This thread will be a place to post for peer comment/correction/ridicule:

1) Enquiry Letters - i.e. would you Mr/Ms Publisher/Agent consider taking me on as a writer
2) Synopsis - a fundamental requirement of every Publisher/Agent, i.e. a summation of your plot, main characters, genre in less than 1000 words
3) First 3 Chapters - the usual Publisher/Agent requirement. Some may be more comfortable doing this through PM, but I would like this thread to be a place where volunteers can be found to 'proof' those vital first three chapters.
4) Log any NEGATIVE dealings with Publishers/Agents - i.e. Is someone demanding reading fees, up-front editing fees, etc.

THREAD RULES
1) Constructive critique only
2) Give and Take in equal measure - i.e. like SDC, if you want a critique, be prepared to provide the same service for fellow writers.
3) Each writer MUST commit to the task of attempting publication. I propose a signature addition to serve as a target for your ambitions. For example: I intend to send out 1 Enquiry letter every month - my target for the year is 12, thus far I've sent out 0 so my 'sig' contains 12/0. It's a kind of 'kick-up-the-backside' for miscreants :)

Who wants in?

- neonlyte
- Vermilion
- CeriseNoire
- RedHairedand Friendly
- Stella Omega
- jomar
- Alex De Kok
- Fieryjen
- Rumple Foreskin

USA LINKS
www.the-efa.org ~ freelance editors


UK LINKS
www.sfep.org.uk ~ Society of Editors
Click to expand...

Actually I was in from the beginning, but one thing holds me back and that is your statement on constructive critique only. While I am all for it, publishers, real ones, usually are not constructive. What about honest critique? Without honesty in a critique, there is nothing. How say you?

Also, edit to add ... What about SDC?
 
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neonlyte said:
OK... but that is your target. Your name is on the list. Add a 12/0 to your sig (that's an undertaking to contact at least one possible agent/publisher a month - 0 says you haven't started :))so we can see how you progress.
Click to expand...

I'd be likely to get to December and fire out 12 to make the yearly quota! :rolleyes:
 
CharleyH said:
Actually I was in from the beginning, but one thing holds me back and that is your statement on constructive critique only. While I am all for it, publishers, real ones, usually are not constructive. What about honest critique? Without honesty in a critique, there is nothing. How say you?
Click to expand...

Semantics... pssh

Yes, critique is valueless without honesty and publisher honesty may be a different shade from writer honesty/constructive critique. However... no pissing contests on this thread, though I doubt that would arise from the crowd willing to participate.

I'll sign you up. How goes the paperwork? My next thread will be... :kiss:
 
neonlyte said:
Semantics... pssh

Yes, critique is valueless without honesty and publisher honesty may be a different shade from writer honesty/constructive critique. However... no pissing contests on this thread, though I doubt that would arise from the crowd willing to participate.

I'll sign you up. How goes the paperwork? My next thread will be... :kiss:
Click to expand...

Pssh. If there is no honesty, there is no way to critique then. I personally, am not about to say what a FAB story, when I know it's not. I am willing to be fair and honest. Can writers handle fair and honest?
 
neonlyte said:
Yep - and I'd like to hope we might support one another in this area.

I'd like people to post sample 3 chapters, possibly in another thread, critique will pick up problems in the three chapters, often repeated through the whole. It is the first 3 chapters one needs to hone, editors will take care of the rest.

Procedure:
1) First 3 chapters
2) Novel Synopsis (max 1000 words)
3) Enquiry/Inquiry Letter

If we can make this active enough, I'll petition L&M to allow a new 'Publishing Catagory' similar to AuthorsWrite.
Click to expand...
You know, English Lady has a forum site, and would set this up-- she probably already has! And she can make that forum non-bot-able.

You don't really want to post pre-publication work where Google can find it, yanno?
 
CharleyH said:
Pssh. If there is no honesty, there is no way to critique then. I personally, am not about to say what a FAB story, when I know it's not. I am willing to be fair and honest. Can writers handle fair and honest?
Click to expand...

We can, so long as it is tempered by consideration and good judgment... which I know you have from personal experience. I think Neon is just wary of broad sweeping statements of negativity couched as criticism when it is anything but constructive. Not something you are known for.
x
V
 
CharleyH said:
Pssh. If there is no honesty, there is no way to critique then. I personally, am not about to say what a FAB story, when I know it's not. I am willing to be fair and honest. Can writers handle fair and honest?
Click to expand...

This one can. Just check out the kind hammering I got for Chase Cooder on the SDC. (Amazingly, the thread is still on the first page - slow forum and all.)
 
Stella_Omega said:
You know, English Lady has a forum site, and would set this up-- she probably already has! And she can make that forum non-bot-able.

You don't really want to post pre-publication work where Google can find it, yanno?
Click to expand...

I've had that problem, fortunately cured by Pure.

I'll PM EL.
 
neonlyte said:
I've had that problem, fortunately cured by Pure.

I'll PM EL.
Click to expand...
UNfortunately, it seems she's deleted that site for now.

I can set up a forum at probablepossible.com, if you guys like... Just give me 24 hours...
 
CharleyH said:
Pssh. If there is no honesty, there is no way to critique then. I personally, am not about to say what a FAB story, when I know it's not. I am willing to be fair and honest. Can writers handle fair and honest?
Click to expand...

Some can, some can't. Rules are similar to SDC, participants participate, give and take else no one gains. I would think most willing to take part are able to handle fair honesty. Spoilers can be ignored.

I'm still smarting from not realizing one of RF's SDC contributions involved racism, then again, I'm colour blind. :rolleyes:
 
Vermilion said:
We can, so long as it is tempered by consideration and good judgment... which I know you have from personal experience. I think Neon is just wary of broad sweeping statements of negativity couched as criticism when it is anything but constructive. Not something you are known for.
x
V
Click to expand...

Say again, V.
 
Stella_Omega said:
UNfortunately, it seems she's deleted that site for now.

I can set up a forum at probablepossible.com, if you guys like... Just give me 24 hours...
Click to expand...

Might be an option, Stella.

What sort of site?
Forum based?
Should we take a vote?
 
neonlyte said:
I would think most willing to take part are able to handle fair honesty.
Click to expand...

Willing to take that, but fact is some love and some hate what I have to give. I would give an honest POV (mine) and I'd enjoy taking part Neon, when I can.
 
CharleyH said:
Willing to take that, but fact is some love and some hate what I have to give. I would give an honest POV (mine) and I'd enjoy taking part Neon, when I can.
Click to expand...

It was just a cunning ruse to lure you back :D

I for one value your opinion, I'll look forward to your comments, as and when.
 
neonlyte said:
Might be an option, Stella.

What sort of site?
Forum based?
Should we take a vote?
Click to expand...
Yes, a forum, to start with. it could go further, but could stay very simple.

I'll load a forum and you all can take a look.
 
CharleyH said:
Pssh. If there is no honesty, there is no way to critique then. I personally, am not about to say what a FAB story, when I know it's not. I am willing to be fair and honest. Can writers handle fair and honest?
Click to expand...

I can. Actually, I can even handle hearing my story's a steaming pile of dung as long as you (or other honest commentators) are kind enough to point out why it's a steaming pile of dung.
 
CeriseNoire said:
I can. Actually, I can even handle hearing my story's a steaming pile of dung as long as you (or other honest commentators) are kind enough to point out why it's a steaming pile of dung.
Click to expand...

There ya go.
 
neonlyte said:
Some can, some can't. Rules are similar to SDC, participants participate, give and take else no one gains. I would think most willing to take part are able to handle fair honesty. Spoilers can be ignored.

I'm still smarting from not realizing one of RF's SDC contributions involved racism, then again, I'm colour blind. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
And I'm vewwy sneaky. ;)

Rumple Foreskin :cool:
 
I would like to participate, however, I'm not really going to have a lot of extra time until the beginning of June. If things go as I hope, I will be able to go back to being a SAHM at that time and can once again devote time to trying to get published (I've kind of put it on a shelf for now.)

When I say "published" I'm talking more about the erotica e-market than anything else. I'm not sure I have what it takes to write a "mainstream" novel, find an agent, and get it published.

EDITED TO ADD: I'm also talking more of the short story area than anything else at the moment, though I do have one novel and the possible beginnings of another to do something with.
 
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Before you can start worrying about being published you have to worry about whether you have something actually worth being published. That's the one sina qua non--something of genuine value. No one's going to piublish you just because you love to write.

My criteria for literary quality is simplicity itself: the hand test. It has to be something I'd rather read than spend my time beating off. Not much of my own stuff meets that kind of acid test, and I cut myself a lot of slack. It's a tough standard indeed.

--Zoot
 
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