Peg Herring's Blog - Posts Tagged "aspiring"
Do I Tell 'em What They Don't Know Now?
Writers get requests all the time for "pointers", and I've had three in the last few days. A phone call from a stranger who wanted to know if we could get acquainted so she could learn about publishing. A request after a meeting for me to give a third party some advice she could pass on to an aspiring author in a nearby town. And a woman at church who wants to "let" me read her stuff to see if I like it.
I've learned to be kind but firm. Just like a lot of publishers, I don't read unsolicited material. And there simply aren't any two-minute recaps on how to get published. I recommend research, suggest WRITERS GUIDE, and tell them about my next workshop if one is scheduled anywhere nearby soon.
I hope that doesn't come off as unhelpful, but it's the only way I can deal with those who haven't got a clue where to start. Yes, I was in their shoes once, but I read everything I could find early on, and as a result I did not expect some other writer to a) critique my work, b) tell his/her agent what a gem of a writer I am, and c) have the secret of publishing all tied up in a bow to hand over to me.
I really don't mind people asking intelligent questions, and it's certainly wise to consult someone who has been through a process to learn how things work.
Signals that I won't be able to help a person:
Me: What do you write?
Person: Oh, I'm all over the place.
Me: Do you have something finished?
Person: No, I've started a bunch of things, and I thought I'd send them to an agent and let him decide which one would sell best.
Me: Has your manuscript been edited at all?
Person: My mom (or in the case of teenagers, "my BFFs) read it. She says it's really good.
Here's my advice for newbies: Immerse yourself in research about publishing. Listen to authors whenever you get the chance, but keep quiet about your own stuff until you know a tiny bit about the business. Ask questions like, "How did you get published?" and then take away what you can from that.
But don't offer to "let" them read your stuff. They've got stuff of their own.
I've learned to be kind but firm. Just like a lot of publishers, I don't read unsolicited material. And there simply aren't any two-minute recaps on how to get published. I recommend research, suggest WRITERS GUIDE, and tell them about my next workshop if one is scheduled anywhere nearby soon.
I hope that doesn't come off as unhelpful, but it's the only way I can deal with those who haven't got a clue where to start. Yes, I was in their shoes once, but I read everything I could find early on, and as a result I did not expect some other writer to a) critique my work, b) tell his/her agent what a gem of a writer I am, and c) have the secret of publishing all tied up in a bow to hand over to me.
I really don't mind people asking intelligent questions, and it's certainly wise to consult someone who has been through a process to learn how things work.
Signals that I won't be able to help a person:
Me: What do you write?
Person: Oh, I'm all over the place.
Me: Do you have something finished?
Person: No, I've started a bunch of things, and I thought I'd send them to an agent and let him decide which one would sell best.
Me: Has your manuscript been edited at all?
Person: My mom (or in the case of teenagers, "my BFFs) read it. She says it's really good.
Here's my advice for newbies: Immerse yourself in research about publishing. Listen to authors whenever you get the chance, but keep quiet about your own stuff until you know a tiny bit about the business. Ask questions like, "How did you get published?" and then take away what you can from that.
But don't offer to "let" them read your stuff. They've got stuff of their own.
