Ana Beatriz
asked
P.C. Cast:
Hi P.C., I've always heard that is good to show your text to other people to have feedback, but isn't good show to a lot of people, so, my question is: How many people do you consider a reasonable quantity to show your texts? Besides, do you think is more important/better show them to friends or family members?
P.C. Cast
Hi Ana,
I'm going to cut and paste my answer to this from my long blog post about advice for aspiring authors (you can find the entire post on my website - just go to the blog and keep scrolling down). I wish you the best of luck! PC
5. Should you ask me (or any other published author) to read your work in progress, idea, summary, essay, poetry, etc.? NO. Okay – here’s the truth: another author can NOT get you published. Agents and editors can. Focus on them. Oh, and regarding allowing tons of people to read your work as you write – my advice is DO NOT. If you need feedback get into a writers’ group, or a creative writing class. Honestly, if you're so insecure about your writing that you have to be told by others whether you're good enough, you probably need to look at another career. Professional authors are tough and tenacious. If you manage to get published you need to have a firm backbone and thick skin because it's like putting your child out there for everyone to take potshots at - and, yes, they will blow holes in your baby. If you don't believe in yourself before you're even published, run screaming from attempting writing as a profession.
I'm going to cut and paste my answer to this from my long blog post about advice for aspiring authors (you can find the entire post on my website - just go to the blog and keep scrolling down). I wish you the best of luck! PC
5. Should you ask me (or any other published author) to read your work in progress, idea, summary, essay, poetry, etc.? NO. Okay – here’s the truth: another author can NOT get you published. Agents and editors can. Focus on them. Oh, and regarding allowing tons of people to read your work as you write – my advice is DO NOT. If you need feedback get into a writers’ group, or a creative writing class. Honestly, if you're so insecure about your writing that you have to be told by others whether you're good enough, you probably need to look at another career. Professional authors are tough and tenacious. If you manage to get published you need to have a firm backbone and thick skin because it's like putting your child out there for everyone to take potshots at - and, yes, they will blow holes in your baby. If you don't believe in yourself before you're even published, run screaming from attempting writing as a profession.
More Answered Questions
Emily Strenski
asked
P.C. Cast:
My favorite thing ever is how you create these worlds. House of Night was so unique and amazing, and it made me(just for a little while)question some people who had tattoos that looked similar to the covers of the books. I would love to see those books transposed into movies or a tv show. Would you ever consider it? I mean, as long as they don't change things too badly and lose the magic.
Nikki
asked
P.C. Cast:
I read all 10 House of Night novels and the first 3 Novelas,(Lenobia is my favorite character,) and there is this question that has been nagging at me lately: What would happen if a trans person were marked? Would that happen? How would the House of Night, a liberal society but one that tends to lean a bit on gender norms in it's own way, respond to a transgender boy or girl and would those responses be different?
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