Many of you know that I am an Ann Landers fan. I came to understand how valuable the questions from her readers and her own pithy answers to those readers were to living a less dysfunctional life when I was responsible for writing headlines for her column and for editing them down to the space we had available for said column in the what we then called the society section of the Salt Lake Tribune.
Now, I love to run occasional columns "A la Ann Landers." For writers. From writers. About writers. I hope you find them as much fun as I do.
QUESTION:
Hi, Carolyn,
My team mate Sarah Moore and I have a question from a client (read below). I've never had this question before and I'm not sure how to answer. It seems to me that a book having won an award would be one that a house would want to publish. However, to be sure, I am checking with you to see what insight you might have.
Thanks so much,
Yvonne Perry
Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services
Author of More Than Meets the Eye
615-415-9861
THE LETTER FROM YVONNE’S CLIENT:
As you know I have entered my book for The Claymore Dagger Award. My question is if it is acceptable to continue to submit it to literary agents as well. I do not want to be unethical or anger the literary world before I even get my foot in the door. I have read the home page for the contest and all that is stated is that the manuscripts must be unpublished and not under contract. I need your professional opinion on what is acceptable. Thank you for your help.
ANSWER:
One can't be sure that any general statement applies to every agent and every publisher, but here goes: Generally speaking, an agent (and any publisher your client might contact) should be thrilled to have an author whose book has already won an award and who is a savvy enough promoter to have already garnered attention.
If I were consulting with her, I'd even advise her to put the Dagger win (once it becomes a win!) in her query letter. In other words, highlight it. Shout it out! If one publisher or one agent doesn't like that, perhaps he or she wouldn't be the right agent/publisher for this author in any case.
One question for an author to ask in a situation like this is:
Is the award given by an individual publishing company that includes publication of the winning submission?
If so--from an agent's point of view--it would only mean that it had been submitted to a publisher before they took it on. Ethically your client should be willing to let the agent with whom they sign a contract represent them for the book published by this publisher, should both publisher (the one who ran the contest) and author agree to a publishing contract. The agent may choose to advise the author during the negotiations, but even if they don't, the offer should be made. After all, the agent would have already invested time and effort into that author.
Sometimes we authors look to legalities, but it's lots better if we put ethics first. That means putting ourselves into the shoes of an agent and treating them with as much consideration as we would want to be treated.
-----
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and how to books for writers including, The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't; The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success; and Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers . She is also the author of the Amazon Short, "The Great First Impression Book Proposal". She has three FRUGAL books for retailers including A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques. Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor . If your followers at Twitter would benefit from this blog post, please use the little Green widget to let them know about this blog:
Showing posts with label literary agents. Show all posts
Showing posts with label literary agents. Show all posts
Saturday, July 03, 2010
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Tee C. Royal Riffs on Dealing with Rejection
Today's guest blog is an example of what using social networks can do for you. Tee C. Royal is a fellow tweeter on Twitter.com. Find her at www.twitter.com/rawsistaz) She is also a great example of what dedicated people can do for one another. I hope her piece on rejections helps you deal with it better.
Five Tips for Dealing with Rejection
By Tee C. Royal
It’s a fact. Most people do not like to be rejected and this does not change for those in the literary arena.
I’m going to take a step back from RAWSISTAZ/being a book club founder & moderator and throw on my other hats. While it’s not something I actively promote, I have been a freelance editor and reader for around seven years. I started both shortly after starting RAWSISTAZ, working directly for authors and also for a few publishing companies, but it’s never been the main focus of what I do, simply because RAWSISTAZ had the #1 slot. But during this time, I’ve seen hundreds of manuscripts, quite a few of which needed work and unfortunately I couldn’t recommend for publication.
Now, I’m an agent and focusing more on getting my agency running and taking what I’ve already done in the industry a step further and actually helping authors get their work published. Granted, there were a few deals I helped authors achieve prior to becoming an agent, but now I’m doing it for real and enjoying the experience. Unfortunately, one of the hardest parts is rejection. For the author and for me.
It’s hard rejecting potential clients, especially if I’ve enjoyed some of their previous work. It’s also hard having a client receive a rejection letter from a publisher. With the very first rejection I received, I was at a loss for words, couldn’t figure out why or what the editor must’ve been missing to pass on such a wonderful book. LOL. (I’m now sure this is what all authors think when they get rejections.)
The author took it better than I did, and I eventually put my feelings to the side and moved on. But it’s hard. Man is it hard. I also remember the first rejection I gave as an agent. I was overly concerned about hurting the writer’s feelings, so I took several weeks before I actually sent the email. Again, it is hard!
I said all that to say that I can now somewhat imagine being the author and dealing with rejection, but I do have 5 quick tips on the subject. Hopefully they will help those who may need that extra push to keep going.
1) BE PREPARED - Please don’t submit your work before it is completed. This not only means have the book finished, but ensure it’s been edited. I don’t know how many times I’ve received a query, requested more than the standard 3 chapters, but then I don’t hear from the author for several months. Why? Because they’re finishing the book.
2) ACCEPT CRITICISM - Again, no one likes being rejected, but you’ll find some agents/editors offer feedback on why the book didn’t work for them, suggestions on what needs improving, and things of this nature. Don’t be so quick to throw out these tidbits of information along with the rejection. Good can come from being rejected. Also keep in mind that it can be a good story, well-written, and all that, but it’s not right for that agent/editor, for that cycle, or various other reasons. It’s simply one person’s yes or no. Move on to the next person.
3) BE REALISTIC - There are thousands of authors out there, so you’re not the only one submitting your work to a particular agent or agency. Don’t assume that we’re sitting around fiddling our thumbs. We aren’t. Also, our existing clients are our primary focus, so while we would love to respond in 3-4 weeks or sooner, it simply doesn’t work out that way sometimes. Be patient and realistic while waiting for a follow-up. Inquiring every 2.3 weeks isn’t helping your case any. It actually hurts it. And, once you get the follow-up, don’t be arrogant, rude, obnoxious or all-knowing about it. It’s a turn off and could possibly turn what would’ve been an “I’m interested” into an “I’ll pass.” I loved an author’s work recently and could see the book doing well, but his reply to my request for the remaining chapters and a contact number totally changed my desire to work with him. Granted, it took quite a while to get to his submission and reply, but starting off his response with “It’s good to hear from you after 5 months,” wasn’t really too bright. Then, he didn’t send what I requested, but another “taste” of the book. What? LOL. Sorry, he had to go. Not following directions is one of my pet peeves.
4) KEEP ON MOVING - Don’t find yourself in the waiting mode; continue to write, query others, write more, and study the craft. Oftentimes, we find ourselves stuck in the “I’ma wait until” frame of mind, expecting someone to do something or for something to happen. While it’s good to be hopeful, it’s not good to be so expectant. Basically what I’m saying is don’t put anything on hold waiting on the “yes” because in some cases, you will be disappointed. Instead, live in the present, and again, continue to write, query, study and do research. Be confident in knowing that it’ll happen when and as it should.
5) CHANGE YOUR VIEWPOINT - Change your viewpoint about the rejection. Don’t take it personal, as an outright slight against you. The work was rejected, not you per se. Look at the rejection as one step further in recognizing your dream of being a published author (or of getting that agent, deal, etc.). Everyone started off with that first book. Many authors who were rejected numerous times over are now best-selling authors. So, continue to work hard, keep the faith, utlize the aforementioned tips and continue to perfect your manuscript. Then, submit again and again and again. It’ll happen.
Continued blessings to each and every one of you on the path to publication. May your rejections inspire you to work harder and one day secure your spot as a best-selling author.
**Originally posted on my column for Blogging In Black, March 12, 2008*
Technorati Tags:
tee c. royal, agents, rejection, rejection letters. writing, authors,
-----
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. She is also the author of the Amazon Short, "The Great First Impression Book Proposal". Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog.
Five Tips for Dealing with Rejection
By Tee C. Royal
It’s a fact. Most people do not like to be rejected and this does not change for those in the literary arena.
I’m going to take a step back from RAWSISTAZ/being a book club founder & moderator and throw on my other hats. While it’s not something I actively promote, I have been a freelance editor and reader for around seven years. I started both shortly after starting RAWSISTAZ, working directly for authors and also for a few publishing companies, but it’s never been the main focus of what I do, simply because RAWSISTAZ had the #1 slot. But during this time, I’ve seen hundreds of manuscripts, quite a few of which needed work and unfortunately I couldn’t recommend for publication.
Now, I’m an agent and focusing more on getting my agency running and taking what I’ve already done in the industry a step further and actually helping authors get their work published. Granted, there were a few deals I helped authors achieve prior to becoming an agent, but now I’m doing it for real and enjoying the experience. Unfortunately, one of the hardest parts is rejection. For the author and for me.
It’s hard rejecting potential clients, especially if I’ve enjoyed some of their previous work. It’s also hard having a client receive a rejection letter from a publisher. With the very first rejection I received, I was at a loss for words, couldn’t figure out why or what the editor must’ve been missing to pass on such a wonderful book. LOL. (I’m now sure this is what all authors think when they get rejections.)
The author took it better than I did, and I eventually put my feelings to the side and moved on. But it’s hard. Man is it hard. I also remember the first rejection I gave as an agent. I was overly concerned about hurting the writer’s feelings, so I took several weeks before I actually sent the email. Again, it is hard!
I said all that to say that I can now somewhat imagine being the author and dealing with rejection, but I do have 5 quick tips on the subject. Hopefully they will help those who may need that extra push to keep going.
1) BE PREPARED - Please don’t submit your work before it is completed. This not only means have the book finished, but ensure it’s been edited. I don’t know how many times I’ve received a query, requested more than the standard 3 chapters, but then I don’t hear from the author for several months. Why? Because they’re finishing the book.
2) ACCEPT CRITICISM - Again, no one likes being rejected, but you’ll find some agents/editors offer feedback on why the book didn’t work for them, suggestions on what needs improving, and things of this nature. Don’t be so quick to throw out these tidbits of information along with the rejection. Good can come from being rejected. Also keep in mind that it can be a good story, well-written, and all that, but it’s not right for that agent/editor, for that cycle, or various other reasons. It’s simply one person’s yes or no. Move on to the next person.
3) BE REALISTIC - There are thousands of authors out there, so you’re not the only one submitting your work to a particular agent or agency. Don’t assume that we’re sitting around fiddling our thumbs. We aren’t. Also, our existing clients are our primary focus, so while we would love to respond in 3-4 weeks or sooner, it simply doesn’t work out that way sometimes. Be patient and realistic while waiting for a follow-up. Inquiring every 2.3 weeks isn’t helping your case any. It actually hurts it. And, once you get the follow-up, don’t be arrogant, rude, obnoxious or all-knowing about it. It’s a turn off and could possibly turn what would’ve been an “I’m interested” into an “I’ll pass.” I loved an author’s work recently and could see the book doing well, but his reply to my request for the remaining chapters and a contact number totally changed my desire to work with him. Granted, it took quite a while to get to his submission and reply, but starting off his response with “It’s good to hear from you after 5 months,” wasn’t really too bright. Then, he didn’t send what I requested, but another “taste” of the book. What? LOL. Sorry, he had to go. Not following directions is one of my pet peeves.
4) KEEP ON MOVING - Don’t find yourself in the waiting mode; continue to write, query others, write more, and study the craft. Oftentimes, we find ourselves stuck in the “I’ma wait until” frame of mind, expecting someone to do something or for something to happen. While it’s good to be hopeful, it’s not good to be so expectant. Basically what I’m saying is don’t put anything on hold waiting on the “yes” because in some cases, you will be disappointed. Instead, live in the present, and again, continue to write, query, study and do research. Be confident in knowing that it’ll happen when and as it should.
5) CHANGE YOUR VIEWPOINT - Change your viewpoint about the rejection. Don’t take it personal, as an outright slight against you. The work was rejected, not you per se. Look at the rejection as one step further in recognizing your dream of being a published author (or of getting that agent, deal, etc.). Everyone started off with that first book. Many authors who were rejected numerous times over are now best-selling authors. So, continue to work hard, keep the faith, utlize the aforementioned tips and continue to perfect your manuscript. Then, submit again and again and again. It’ll happen.
Continued blessings to each and every one of you on the path to publication. May your rejections inspire you to work harder and one day secure your spot as a best-selling author.
**Originally posted on my column for Blogging In Black, March 12, 2008*
Technorati Tags:
tee c. royal, agents, rejection, rejection letters. writing, authors,
-----
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. She is also the author of the Amazon Short, "The Great First Impression Book Proposal". Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Q&A a la Ann Landers: This Is a Multiple Part Question on the Great American Publishing Dream
Note: This letter from Cindy Cadelo is printed in segments with dashes between them so that you can read my comments to in context:
Question: Dear Carolyn, Literally in the dark at the time, I signed on with a print-on-demand publisher for my debut novel and have lived to regret it ever since. I suppose the worst part was having a paperback priced at $29.99.
------
Answer: Yes, the price of your book was out of whack. I'm guessing that no one bothered to give you advice on the size of the book. It sounds as if -- putting Michener aside (and he isn't writing in today's publishing world) -- that you should have figured a way to shorten your work. Many subsidy publishers just don't know so can't advise their clients. Others do know but don't rock the boat for fear they will lose their clients to another subsidy publisher who will publish just as the author wants -- regardless of the outcome.
-----
Question: A "no returns" book store policy on POD books meant I had to buy my own books for promotions and sales which I couldn't afford because of the price, neither would the publisher pay royalties on author-purchased books.
------
Answer: Subsidy publishers that arrange to take books back do exist. Generally the author must pay for the returns, of course. Having said that, in the Frugal Book Promoter, I talk about how bookstores aren't the best place to sell books anyway. So, there's hope. It's not too late for you. You could change publishers or arrange to guarantee sales on your own or concentrate on a different way of selling books.
-------
Question: How, I wondered, did books find their way to reviews by the NY Times? How did it work that new authors were recognized with awards and mentions in literary circles? How did one's book get into the libraries all over the country? Book clubs?
-----
Answer: Your experience resonates. Those are the things I hear from authors all the time. Those are the things I learned with my first novel, This Is the Place. In fact that's why I wrote the Frugal Book Promoter and now the Frugal Editor. To share what I learned. To answer these questions and others and to help authors get these very things done to get their book read! Both books were a labor of love. I like writing them, but I'd rather be writing my second novel or book of short stories or book of poetry. (-:
-----
Question: My lovely book was invisible; unnecessarily sacrificed. On the verge of completing a second manuscript, will the stigma of the first book reflect on the next one as for my chances of finding a reputable agent?
---
Answer: It might. It depends on lots of things but also on the way you handle it. Don't try to hide that first book. Own up. Basically you say something like, "I didn't know the ropes so missed out on these things. I think my experience will make me a better promoter of my own work and partner for a publisher." Something like that. You can't hide it. Not in this electronic age.
-----------
Question: Is it ever possible to resurrect an invisible first novel, and what are the chances it could work as made-for-TV movie or a screenplay? I still get wonderful letters from those who bought the book used, or found copies at yard or library sales where I donated the copies. I'm sure I'm not the only writer who has such grisly first-time novel woes, so we writers can all learn from such experiences as well as from your valued professional opinion on how a writer proceeds from this point forward.
------
Answer: Yes, absolutely. All is not lost. But it will take lots of work and maybe discarding the idea that you will make lots of money on it. The idea will be to get your work into the hands of people who might make a difference for you. You could republish it POD. On your own. (See the Frugal Editor before you do this, PLEASE!) Or you could serialize it. Perhaps on a blog or on your website. There are other possibilities, of course. But again, this TV/Movie Miracle Dream doesn't just happen. We think they do because others look like overnight successes but usually they worked years at their craft and at networking. And, yes, a very, very few just get lucky. (-:
-----
From Cindy: Thanks for your advice and patience!
-----
Comment: Your story breaks my heart. It is so common. I encourage you not to give up. Take classes (that's networking, too!) Enlist a great editor. Republish. Keep writing. Do keep promoting.
Sincerely,
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Temporary website: http://www.Authorsden.com/carolynhowardjohnson
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com and AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.
Question: Dear Carolyn, Literally in the dark at the time, I signed on with a print-on-demand publisher for my debut novel and have lived to regret it ever since. I suppose the worst part was having a paperback priced at $29.99.
------
Answer: Yes, the price of your book was out of whack. I'm guessing that no one bothered to give you advice on the size of the book. It sounds as if -- putting Michener aside (and he isn't writing in today's publishing world) -- that you should have figured a way to shorten your work. Many subsidy publishers just don't know so can't advise their clients. Others do know but don't rock the boat for fear they will lose their clients to another subsidy publisher who will publish just as the author wants -- regardless of the outcome.
-----
Question: A "no returns" book store policy on POD books meant I had to buy my own books for promotions and sales which I couldn't afford because of the price, neither would the publisher pay royalties on author-purchased books.
------
Answer: Subsidy publishers that arrange to take books back do exist. Generally the author must pay for the returns, of course. Having said that, in the Frugal Book Promoter, I talk about how bookstores aren't the best place to sell books anyway. So, there's hope. It's not too late for you. You could change publishers or arrange to guarantee sales on your own or concentrate on a different way of selling books.
-------
Question: How, I wondered, did books find their way to reviews by the NY Times? How did it work that new authors were recognized with awards and mentions in literary circles? How did one's book get into the libraries all over the country? Book clubs?
-----
Answer: Your experience resonates. Those are the things I hear from authors all the time. Those are the things I learned with my first novel, This Is the Place. In fact that's why I wrote the Frugal Book Promoter and now the Frugal Editor. To share what I learned. To answer these questions and others and to help authors get these very things done to get their book read! Both books were a labor of love. I like writing them, but I'd rather be writing my second novel or book of short stories or book of poetry. (-:
-----
Question: My lovely book was invisible; unnecessarily sacrificed. On the verge of completing a second manuscript, will the stigma of the first book reflect on the next one as for my chances of finding a reputable agent?
---
Answer: It might. It depends on lots of things but also on the way you handle it. Don't try to hide that first book. Own up. Basically you say something like, "I didn't know the ropes so missed out on these things. I think my experience will make me a better promoter of my own work and partner for a publisher." Something like that. You can't hide it. Not in this electronic age.
-----------
Question: Is it ever possible to resurrect an invisible first novel, and what are the chances it could work as made-for-TV movie or a screenplay? I still get wonderful letters from those who bought the book used, or found copies at yard or library sales where I donated the copies. I'm sure I'm not the only writer who has such grisly first-time novel woes, so we writers can all learn from such experiences as well as from your valued professional opinion on how a writer proceeds from this point forward.
------
Answer: Yes, absolutely. All is not lost. But it will take lots of work and maybe discarding the idea that you will make lots of money on it. The idea will be to get your work into the hands of people who might make a difference for you. You could republish it POD. On your own. (See the Frugal Editor before you do this, PLEASE!) Or you could serialize it. Perhaps on a blog or on your website. There are other possibilities, of course. But again, this TV/Movie Miracle Dream doesn't just happen. We think they do because others look like overnight successes but usually they worked years at their craft and at networking. And, yes, a very, very few just get lucky. (-:
-----
From Cindy: Thanks for your advice and patience!
-----
Comment: Your story breaks my heart. It is so common. I encourage you not to give up. Take classes (that's networking, too!) Enlist a great editor. Republish. Keep writing. Do keep promoting.
Sincerely,
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Temporary website: http://www.Authorsden.com/carolynhowardjohnson
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com and AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
A Rant: Let's Cheer for the Loss of Hyphens
An Answer to My Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies Pal
In today's issue (Oct. 3) of the Glendale News-Press, June Casagrande, "A Word, Please" columnist, noted the sad (or not-so sad) loss of the hyphen due to the influence of the Web. Technology has thrust all manner of bad grammar habits onto those who love correct English. Many of these habits are enumerated in The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. Some are worried that the hyphen may go extinct! Well, I for one will cheer.
As June--who is also the author of Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies --notes, the Brits don't agree with Americans on some points of hyphen-using anyway. Worse the style guides can't agree and the dictionaries don't either.
But the Net is promulgating worse than just this distressing disappearing-hyphen syndrome. It has encouraged us to push all kinds of words together. That comes from what I call the "domain name influence." Or domainnameinfluence, if you will. Book or bookcover? Bookfair or book fair. Backmatter or back matter? Hard copy or hardcopy? You get the idea.
Even with the zero-tolerance approach to grammar I use to keep authors out of hot water with agents and publishers (and therefore make it more likely they'll get published), I am making combined-word style choices everywhere else but in query letters.
Simply put, I love to stick words together. Word-bonding is a time-honored tradition in English. As an example, the word therefore. So word-gluing is sort of back to the Germanic roots we came from! (The Germans use Fingerhut for finger hat--or, in translation, thimble).
Poets have pushed words together for ages, too. So, do I care? Not a whit. In my deepest recesses, I think grammar snobs are great big meanies, too. It's just that I don't want any of my readers to get caught in a net spread by those meanies--and they are everywhere waiting to put a kink in your career.
Back to the zero-tolerance thing. If you want to impress a literary agent or prospective boss, please don't put hyphens in words they are convinced are correct only one way. They believe it's nonfiction, not non-fiction. Though I don't get a red squiggle with either version of the word on my Amazon wordspeller 'cause it isn't as fussy as your run-of-the-mill agent or future employer will be.
-----
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how-to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include TheNewBookReview and Authors Coalition, a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.
In today's issue (Oct. 3) of the Glendale News-Press, June Casagrande, "A Word, Please" columnist, noted the sad (or not-so sad) loss of the hyphen due to the influence of the Web. Technology has thrust all manner of bad grammar habits onto those who love correct English. Many of these habits are enumerated in The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. Some are worried that the hyphen may go extinct! Well, I for one will cheer.
As June--who is also the author of Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies --notes, the Brits don't agree with Americans on some points of hyphen-using anyway. Worse the style guides can't agree and the dictionaries don't either.
But the Net is promulgating worse than just this distressing disappearing-hyphen syndrome. It has encouraged us to push all kinds of words together. That comes from what I call the "domain name influence." Or domainnameinfluence, if you will. Book or bookcover? Bookfair or book fair. Backmatter or back matter? Hard copy or hardcopy? You get the idea.
Even with the zero-tolerance approach to grammar I use to keep authors out of hot water with agents and publishers (and therefore make it more likely they'll get published), I am making combined-word style choices everywhere else but in query letters.
Simply put, I love to stick words together. Word-bonding is a time-honored tradition in English. As an example, the word therefore. So word-gluing is sort of back to the Germanic roots we came from! (The Germans use Fingerhut for finger hat--or, in translation, thimble).
Poets have pushed words together for ages, too. So, do I care? Not a whit. In my deepest recesses, I think grammar snobs are great big meanies, too. It's just that I don't want any of my readers to get caught in a net spread by those meanies--and they are everywhere waiting to put a kink in your career.
Back to the zero-tolerance thing. If you want to impress a literary agent or prospective boss, please don't put hyphens in words they are convinced are correct only one way. They believe it's nonfiction, not non-fiction. Though I don't get a red squiggle with either version of the word on my Amazon wordspeller 'cause it isn't as fussy as your run-of-the-mill agent or future employer will be.
-----
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how-to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include TheNewBookReview and Authors Coalition, a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
The Good and Bad of Literary Agents
The essay below is a reprint of comments I contributed after a member of a list-serve came to the defense of agents and admitted that some of her agent-friends critiqued her work but "couldn't/wouldn't" sell it.)
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Ms. X, I'd like to add something to your comments, even though you did a great job on your defense of agents and, admirably, admitted that some manuscripts deserve to be put in a drawer or at least rewritten. That takes courage when it is your own manuscript (-: ; it not only takes courage but shows that writers do grow and get to be better writers if they work it. When that happens they can see the flaws in their own writing. That's not an indictment. It's the way we improve.
Now, back to agents.
I had the privilege of working with several dozen of the nation's top agents for my new release The Frugal Editor. They helped me help other writers by sharing with me what they find in query letters that mark writers as amateurs. They did it with humor and some with a certain sweetness of soul. They did it because it helps them if writers submit professional, helpful query letters but also because the more we all know about good editing and publishing in general, the better off the industry is. Some agents asked I not use their names but more than 20 let me quote them, and they were supremely quotable. They gave me a gift (a great chapter on writing and editing queries!). Through me, they gave writers in general a gift.
Having said that, these were all reputable agents, not the fly-by-nighters who charge for reading manuscripts, have editing businesses on the side that they try to pawn off on writers for an additional charge as well as a subsidy-publishing business that they hawk (at a hefty fee!) after they've roped writers in under the guise of being an agent.
There are scoundrels everywhere. And there are ways to avoid the ones who call themselves agents, something else I address in The Frugal Editor. The number one way on my list in TFE is -- surprisingly -- not to check complaint sites like Preditors and Editors. Too many naïve authors who know nothing about the publishing industry and didn't do their homework choose to go there and berate their agents who have really committed no other sin than taking their books on and working their bottoms off trying to sell their books so they can both make some money.
Nope, the number one best way to avoid them is to get references from someone experienced, like writing department instructors at universities, or some of the people on my favorite (self-publishing-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ) who give lots of their time to help other writers.
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, is the award-winning author of the HowToDoItFrugally Series of Books for authors. She is introducing The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success, now available for pre-orders at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0978515870/ .
Please sign up for my "Sharing with Writers" newsletter: Put "Subscribe" in an e-mail to HoJoNews@aol.com. Learn more at http://www.HowToDoItFrugally.com . The next AllTips Edition will be issued in September.
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Ms. X, I'd like to add something to your comments, even though you did a great job on your defense of agents and, admirably, admitted that some manuscripts deserve to be put in a drawer or at least rewritten. That takes courage when it is your own manuscript (-: ; it not only takes courage but shows that writers do grow and get to be better writers if they work it. When that happens they can see the flaws in their own writing. That's not an indictment. It's the way we improve.
Now, back to agents.
I had the privilege of working with several dozen of the nation's top agents for my new release The Frugal Editor. They helped me help other writers by sharing with me what they find in query letters that mark writers as amateurs. They did it with humor and some with a certain sweetness of soul. They did it because it helps them if writers submit professional, helpful query letters but also because the more we all know about good editing and publishing in general, the better off the industry is. Some agents asked I not use their names but more than 20 let me quote them, and they were supremely quotable. They gave me a gift (a great chapter on writing and editing queries!). Through me, they gave writers in general a gift.
Having said that, these were all reputable agents, not the fly-by-nighters who charge for reading manuscripts, have editing businesses on the side that they try to pawn off on writers for an additional charge as well as a subsidy-publishing business that they hawk (at a hefty fee!) after they've roped writers in under the guise of being an agent.
There are scoundrels everywhere. And there are ways to avoid the ones who call themselves agents, something else I address in The Frugal Editor. The number one way on my list in TFE is -- surprisingly -- not to check complaint sites like Preditors and Editors. Too many naïve authors who know nothing about the publishing industry and didn't do their homework choose to go there and berate their agents who have really committed no other sin than taking their books on and working their bottoms off trying to sell their books so they can both make some money.
Nope, the number one best way to avoid them is to get references from someone experienced, like writing department instructors at universities, or some of the people on my favorite (self-publishing-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ) who give lots of their time to help other writers.
-----
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, is the award-winning author of the HowToDoItFrugally Series of Books for authors. She is introducing The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success, now available for pre-orders at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0978515870/ .
Please sign up for my "Sharing with Writers" newsletter: Put "Subscribe" in an e-mail to HoJoNews@aol.com. Learn more at http://www.HowToDoItFrugally.com . The next AllTips Edition will be issued in September.
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