ISBW #148 Feedback / Good Cop, Bad Cop
Yes. Another unannounced break. I was editing a book. This was recorded before I took the time to edit. Lots of feedback, and Matt joins us again for a long Good Cop Bad Cop.
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- 00:00:06 ISBW #148
- 00:01:14 State of the Mur: recent technical difficulties, editing the novel.
- A thought: it does not matter how many times your story or topic has been done, it only matter who your characters are and how you execute the story.
- CKHB agrees: go check out my “That was my idea!” blog post, with video.
- Recommended reading: 45 Master Characters by Victoria Schmidt
- 00:09:10 GoTo Meeting Message
00:09:46 FEEDBACK: getting/picking a mentor; listener TIM completed his novel (yay, Tim!); donating to ISBW; writing longhand vs. typing; scenes from the POV of the villain; narrating audiobooks; basing characters on oneself; Realms of Fantasy needs subscribers; age of protagonists in YA vs. adult lit; Writers’ Confessions on Bravo Canada; a listener blogged 100 Hacks to Help You Become A Better Writer; turning off the technology; Anomaly Podcast designed a “level up” badge for ISBW; fictional vs. real cities as setting; using placeholder to return to unfinished scenes; publicly posting about rejection and the Don’t Be An Ass rule; too old to publish?; giving away nonfiction work.- 00:38:25 Promo: Can’t Stop the Serenity
- 00:39:25 GOOD COP/BAD COP: author Peter V. Brett asks what he should do with all his early “crappy” novels; losing energy because books similar to the one I want to write have already been published; how to handle a wanna-be writer leech; choosing between publishers.
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Fiammetta | Jul 15, 2010 | Reply
In response to the cookbook question… would starting a blog, posting some of the recipes there, then doing the book with the recipes + some good photos, extras, etc. (and more recipes that weren’t posted on the blog)… would that be a good idea?
Just wondering, because that’s what I’d do…
The Wispy, Silken Gester Ghost | Jul 15, 2010 | Reply
Oh, god.
I’m starting to feeling like Matt Wallace should be walking around with a pimp ring and a purple jumpsuit.
I can’t get enough Good Cop/Bad Cop.
Nobilis Reed | Jul 15, 2010 | Reply
I found it hilarious that you mentioned cover art…
Because that *IS* the thing about the second publisher that makes me like them more than the first.
They have better cover art.
Kate Jonez | Jul 16, 2010 | Reply
I’m always happy to get a new episode of your podcast. Thanks for doing this.
I wanted to respond to the listener who asked if 57 was too old to begin a writing career. My answer (I’m 51) is that possibly but not necessarily. If you want to start a career as an architect at 57 you would have to overcome some obstacles. You would have to obtain the appropriate education, you would have to make connections and you would have to deal with the perception that you are too old to do the job.
The same is true for writing. Writers over 50, to be honest writers over 40, have to work much harder at appearing relevant to their audience. If your fiction is good you have climbed the first rung of the ladder.
Promotion is a huge part of the writing process and an older writer has to ask him or herself: Do I know how or am I willing to learn how to engage with my readers on a daily basis via social media? Can I build a website, make a skype call, attend an online meeting etc. As a speaker, podcaster, or blogger do I say things my audience wants to hear?
In other words, don’t be a technophobe, don’t make references to lame old TV shows, and most of all, don’t be a boring old fart.
Clay | Jul 20, 2010 | Reply
Personaly I feel that Matt Wallace should be in a full body strate jacket and muzzle.
Mind you that dosn’t mean it can’t be purple
Mustache Villain | Jul 21, 2010 | Reply
I absolutely love this show and really enjoy the Good Cop/Bad Cop segments, but Matt’s joke about “Mexicans” and “throwing pesos” really brought this whole episode down.
I realize he’s supposed to be the “bad cop,” but was the racist remark really necessary? Isn’t enough to just blast the cookbook idea and tell the cookbook writer that their project is essentially pointless? I guess it was supposed to be funny, but it just came off as ignorant. I think this show deserves better.
Mur | Jul 21, 2010 | Reply
Mustache Villain, you’re right and I apologize. I take part responsibility for it since I’m in charge of editing. Please accept my apologies.
Mustache Villain | Jul 21, 2010 | Reply
Oh, Mur. This is why I love you.
To be fair, you did say that the remark was “mean”–which I agree with, obviously. But I guess I was just worried that it wouldn’t be addressed at some point, so I stepped out of the lurky shadows to actually comment for once.
Anyway, apology accepted and much appreciated.
Dan | Jul 23, 2010 | Reply
On the typing vs. longhand thing, I always write out first drafts in longhand, and then move to the computer for the subsequent drafts. It’s not because I prefer writing longhand, or because of something magical in the way my brain processes the story. It’s so that when I come back to the story at a later point I don’t waste my whole writing session futzing with what I wrote the day before. It’s just too easy for me to get caught up dragging words and sentences around as I’m reading over what I did yesterday. Writing the first draft out longhand, I just physically can’t do that. It’s a big help for getting that first draft finished.
Crystalee | Jul 24, 2010 | Reply
I was very surprised to learn, upon going to the Rejection Queen blog, that Rejection Queen has decided to give up on writing. I guess it’s just as well, because she obviously doesn’t have the thick skin, drive or motivation to publish a book anyway. The blog made incredibly boring reading . . . and I wonder how many of those literary agents rejected her simply for her reputation for post literary agents’ names on her blog? Talk about dumb. Writers should NEVER make enemies like that.
Cricket | Jul 28, 2010 | Reply
The published author looking at his older, less-good work should consider how they’ll affect his average (visible) quality.
If he sends two good manuscripts and several horrid ones, then it will look like he wrote two good ones by luck rather than skill and learning and can’t tell the difference between good and bad writing.
If he sends two good manuscripts, followed a reasonable time later by another good (or even better) one, this is an author to invest in.
If the early ones are as good as the ones that did sell, then yes, send them in. Maybe the extra points from the status “published author” will make the difference. Or, maybe the timing is still bad.
Having been published once, his odds of eventually selling any story are higher, so it’s worth holding on to them rather than self-publishing.