On more than one occasion on this rocky road…er, path…er, hiking trail to publishing, I have been guilty of assuring myself of the following:
“All you actually need to do is find that special someone who really, really loves your voice. That’s the key. Someone who reads your stuff and gets that inner KNOWING that they click with you, that the writing is exceptional, just SINGS for them, that this is a mutually beneficial relationship they’d really like to cultivate.”
Er…wrong. :nonono:
I’ve actually been fortunate enough to stumble upon a person or two along the way who actually liked my voice.
It’s not enough.
It’s sort of a package deal. They not only have to like your voice, they have to like the story.
No problem, right?
Er…wrong. :nonono:
They’ll want to like the characters. The tone. The conflict. The pace. The hook. The ending. Etc.
No problem, right?
Er…wrong. :nonono:
They not only have to like the story, they have to think they can sell it. It may strike the truest of chords with them personally, be so great they want to sleep with it under their pillow—but if they don’t think they can sell it, it’s not gonna happen.
It’s not so tough, really. It’s sort of like finding Mr. Right. He can’t just be a guy who only makes you laugh, or only fixes things around the house, or only appeals to you in the sack. You want a package deal. :yesyesyes:
How hard can it be?
Er…have I ever mentioned that I’ve never found Mr. Right? :nonono:
Sometimes I think it’s impossible.
I just hope for someone to see the potential in the bones of the story.
At times, I believe the publishing minions try so hard to guide the market, they lose sight of money potential. It turns into a vicious circle, where the agents think the publisher will only appreciate a particular voice; and the publishers, guilty of guiding their industry into this rut, end up with very few out of the box voices. Notice how I weaved ‘the box’ in, Raine? :)
A writing group I’m a member of has the line writing isn’t for wimps. And it’s so true.
It’s a hard thing to find someone who loves your story, your voice, your characters. I firmly believe that you will get there with your uber talented self.
From my cat: I677777777777777777u No idea what it means but she seemed to think she needed to tell you
It’s definitely a damned hard business that’s for sure. It requires all those things that you mentioned above, along with a good dash of luck and timing. Of course, the more you write and submit, the luckier you become. It turns into the law of averages.
Seems like a lotto draw. Doesn’t it? But people win the lotto all the time. And, as one of the lotteries most popular marketing phrases goes: If you don’t play, you can’t win. Like Jordan says, the more write/submit, the luckier you get.
Raine, I think you about summed up publishing. It’s a hard business not only to break into, but to stay in. It’s all subjective and that’s a scary thought to base a career on.
I think the key is honing your voice, writing a story that you want to read (because first and foremost you are a reader), crossing your fingers, throwing salt over your shoulder, and submitting until the guys at the post office know you by name.
I just hope for someone to see the potential in the bones of the story.
I think I do the same, Bernita.
Still hoping. :neutral:
Notice how I weaved ‘the box’ in, Raine? :)
Smooth, Bernard. Very smooth. :razz:
Good points!
I firmly believe that you will get there with your uber talented self.
That’s just because you’re a very nice person. :yesyesyes:
From my cat: I677777777777777777u No idea what it means but she seemed to think she needed to tell you
Absolutely, Mechele!
It’s obviously a message from your cat to mine.
Please tell her “message received”, and mine will get back to her directly. :waving:
Of course, the more you write and submit, the luckier you become.
Oh well hell—nobody ever told me there was WORK involved.
If you don’t play, you can’t win.
I know. I’ve used the same phrase myself to encourage other people—lmao!
…submitting until the guys at the post office know you by name.
:shock: :nonono:
I’m beginning to think it’s impossible too, and that Friedrich Nietzsche was right.
“Hope is the worst of evils, for it prolongs the torments of man.”
LOL!
“Hope is the worst of evils, for it prolongs the torments of man.â€
Damn, that’s a depressing thought (although I won’t say it hasn’t occurred to me).
God I hope he’s wrong…