Archive for April, 2006
Response from agent #1
Form rejection.
I am, however, impressed at their response time.
Wine and chocolate time.
Interesting point-
I forget where I read this, so if someone else recognizes this advice, feel free to remind me where it came from. Miss Snark? Not sure. Anyway, I’ve been pondering it for a while.
Wanna-bes, amateurs, people like us, often have a tendency to look at the successful types and want to know their secrets. They (we) tend to think that the way to get at those secrets is to ask the person for help, either on the advice level or the “read my manuscript/listen to my podcast/view my website and send me comments” level.
Most ever successful author has a FAQ on their site that has the inevitable question, “Will you read my manuscript for me?” They all reply with, “No, sorry, if I did this for everyone who asked I wouldn’t have time to write.”
I met up with this first hand when I did the crit contest a couple of months ago, and I realized how much text I had to read during my simple little contest. If I did that all the time, I’d never get anything done.
So this advice I’m alluding to. How can you get successful people to notice you and help you? Help them first. Look at it from their POV. You’re a stranger coming to them for help. Have you ever been focused on something, really busy, and someone came to you for help on something that would take up a considerable amount of time? You may think you’re only asking something small, but if you see yourself as one of 100 people asking the same thing of someone, listen to a hundred podcasts, look at a hundred sites, read a hundred novels… it gets overwhelming. But if the same person had a relationship with you, you would be more open to helping them because you know that they would do the same for you if you needed something. So if you come to them showing that you’re someone who is willing to give as well as get, then perhaps later they could reciprocate.
Now the question of how to help someone who a) is probably a stranger, b) is probably far away from you, and c) well, there is no C - I just like to list things in threes. Contact them, tell them how much you admire their work. If you read their blog, perhaps they list something that they needed help with, or a problem in their life. Offer to do a fansite. If they’re a podcaster, offer to play their promo before you ask if they will play yours. If you’re lucky and they’re local, see if they need help with the administrative end of whatever they’re doing. Once you present yourself as someone who gives instead of takes, then they may have a more generous view of you.
I’ve been thinking of this because while I don’t ask famous people to read my novel or listen to my podcast, I do ask advice from people who I’ve made contact with. And I’m starting to wonder whether I am approaching them with a giving attitude instead of a taking one.
Gotta change my script again…
Just sold my second story! “I Look Forward To Remembering You” will be on Escape Pod sometime this summer!
ISBW #33 - Don’t Quit Your Day Job
- My status - Heaven Pt. 3 is almost done, I started working on the precious story in my head, and decided what my next novel will be.
- “Don’t quit your day job”: what does it really mean?
- Email. Darn that Audacity!
- Congrats to the winners of our Lulu.com contest!
Write.
(huh. not a lot of links this week. Or, rather, none…)
ISBW #32 - Minister Faust Interview
Yay! I got a Minister Faust interview at last!
- This past week I got agent packages together and planned out my next couple of writing projects.
- Sponsored by Lulu.com
- Interview with Minister Faust, author of Coyote Kings of the Space Age Bachelor Pad and keeper of the Bro-Loisbw_g. He recommends the movie Free Enterprise.
- Lots of voice mail, mention of Infinite Story, a Choose Your Own Adventure site, and another book recommendation: Telling Lies for Fun and Profit.
- Don’t forget to send me an email with the word “CONTEST” in the subject line! Enter to win one of two Lulu prize packs*, including a free copy of your book published on Lulu!
- Thanks to Dr. Kuch and Magnatune.com for our theme music.
Write.
*First prize: Lulu hat, messenger bag, coffee mug
Grand prize: Lulu hat, shirt, and one free copy of your own book published on Lulu.com!
ISBW #31 - Point of View
- The novel is done!
- Geek Fu serialized fiction is coming along well.
- Brought to you by Lulu.com
- This week’s topic: POV
- Books mentioned: Good Omens, The Coyote Kings of the Space Age Bachelor Pad, Characters and Viewpoint, On Writing, Bird by Bird, Writing Down the Bones (and I didn’t mention this, but she has another awesome book on writing called Wild Mind), and Steering the Craft, Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town.
- New Contest! Enter to win one of two Lulu prize packs*, including a free copy of your book published on Lulu! Send me email (mightymur AT gmail DOT com) with your name and the word CONTEST in the subject.
- Thanks to Dr. Kuch and Magnatune.com for our theme music.
Write.
*First prize: Lulu hat, messenger bag, coffee mug
Grand prize: Lulu hat, shirt, and one free copy of your own book published on Lulu.com!
W00T
Done with the second draft of the novel. Now First Readers do their job while I relax for a bit.
Whew.
So many things to report on:
- The obscenity case against Gordon Lee has been dropped… with a new, bull-paddies charge. Read about the case at the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund site - an organization that, indicentally, has given around $50,000 to Mr. Lee’s defense in the past year and a half. Support the fund if you can. The First Amendment is a serious issue.
- Mediabistro.com often has good info, but today Gallycat has outdone her(?)self. Can Sci-Fi Be Assimilated? and What Entails Being A “Woman Writer”?
- The fabulous Jim Kelly wrote about podcasting for the upcoming issue of Asimov’s, and said some very nice things about ISBW. Thank you Jim!
ISBW #30 - Lifespan of a story
- Everyone seems to love the daily podcasts, so you need to send me email and voice mail (206.312.ISBW) to contribute to the podcasts.
- Brought to you by Lulu.com
- Anatomy of a story’s lifespan: brainstorm, POV, Outline, write, rest, edit, first reader, submission, write again.
- One voice mail about lifestyles of a busy writer.
- Thanks to Dr. Kuch and Magnatune for our theme music.
Write.
As the parent of a small child, I need a cut and p…
As the parent of a small child, I need a cut and paste thing.
I am still sick. I will not be doing a podcast - daily or otherwise - until I have a voice that does not make people wince with pity (you should have heard my mom when she called this morning).
I think I’m doing better this morning (hard to tell since I got very little sleep because of sinus issues and major storms) so I’ll hope to podcast later today or tomorrow at the latest.
Very sorry.
