It's hard. So very hard. Here are things you can do to easily get published.Murder.
Shoot up a school.
Be a fucked up celebrity.
Be married to a fucked up politician.
Be president of the United States.
Know someone.
Write a couple of best sellers and then just churn out a bunch of crap to make a buck.
Yep. I'm not sure I'll be doing any of those things soon. I don't mean to sound bitter or jaded, but real literature, good literature gets passed up to make room for the crap listed above. (and yes I know it's not all crap, but I'm trying to make a point)
I know there are some Cinderella stories out there, but for most writers it takes years of hard work. I've seen it first hand. Hours and hours of pouring over edits and revisions. Endless querying to agents, which may be the most humiliating part of the business. And then what happens? Rejection. To take the time to get your query letter perfect just to have them scrawl back on it, not for me. We're not even worth the cost of a piece of paper.
Most the writers I know says it has taken them ten years to go from conception to publication. TEN YEARS!!!!
Yes, I'm ranting, I'm raving, but sometimes I get frustrated.
And what really bothers me is the non writers who think it's easy. It's not. It's like trying to become an A list actor, a professional athlete, or a rock star.
So what do I do? I keep working. I keep writing. I keep revising and editing. I keep querying. I keep learning and reading. And maybe one day it will be my turn.
Kisses
:*
Megan
So true!
ReplyDeletejust keep swimming, just keep swimming...
ReplyDeleteI've read that stat too--that if you keep at it for ten years (and have talent), you probably can get there. That's a hell of a lot of stamina. I gotta believe it's going to happen, but on my fourth year of neglecting my share of the housework, I'm a little worried my husband might murder me first.
I keep dangling it out there as our retirement plan.
Gave you a blog plug today... not sure how much traffic it will bring you, but it can't hurt:
ReplyDeletehttp://waterytart23.blogspot.com/2010/02/hand-jobs-and-other-gossip.html
The publishing industry is lazy. They are not looking for quality writing to publish they are looking to make a buck. You need to sell yourself out and write something cheesy. :)
ReplyDeleteTry Penumbra Publishing. They did well for me when I submitted a 12 novel science fiction series called America's Galactic Foreign Legion last November. Walt Knight
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info. :)
ReplyDeleteWhen I fisrt contacted Penumbra Publishing www.penumbrapublishing.com I sent them an entire manuscript by E-mail. They sent it back with a courtesy edit. How is that for author friendly? Usually most authors are lucky to even get a form letter.
ReplyDeletePenumbra Penumbra Publishing published my first book and committed to the whole series. They have great inhouse cover art. And no, they did not want any money. They are honest and for real. Of course, they are a new and small publishing company, so you have to do most of the marketing yourself. I've already done two newspaper interviews which I hope to post this week or so. But, my first book America's Galactic Foreign Legion is selling online on Amazon and Barnes & Noble three months after first contact. So screw that ten year rumor. Don't accept it. OK, that's my rant, too.
You seem to have mastered online publicity, so you have an advantage there. They set up my website for me (I'm tech challenged lol). Their follow up edit was tough, but I needed a tough edit. I have tense problems. I followed 90 percent of content changes with out too much argument.
Anyway, my point is Penumbra Publishing will give your work a real look. Sincerely and good luck with writing, Walter Knight www.waltknight.yolasite.com