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mary rosenblum
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Hello all.
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mary rosenblum
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I hope you've had a good week!
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mary rosenblum
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We had so much interest in
what my guest last night, NY published author, Marianne Stillings, had to
say about publishing, that I decided...
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mary rosenblum
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to continue the conversation
today.
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mary rosenblum
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This is a good night to bring
up any question you have about that entire, sometimes complicated and
confusing process...
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mary rosenblum
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of getting your words onto a
public stage and getting paid (or not) in the process.
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mary rosenblum
|
This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor We're talking about publishing
tonight…everything about publishing. I've published seven novels (number
eight will be out in November) , more than 60 short stories, and will do my
best to answer any questions you have. If you're new here, remember that
you need to click on the 'Ask a Question' button or the 'word bubble' next
to the red question mark at the top of the screen in order to ask a
question. Your regular 'send' bar won't reach me! Or you can use /ask and
type your question into the regular send bar if that works better for you
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mary rosenblum
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This is your night to ask
questions. :-)
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t green
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okay Mary... my book is finally
off to the publisher... should be out in april... what do i do next?
(besides write more... )
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mary rosenblum
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Write more is good. But I
would give some thought to publicity.
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mary rosenblum
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If it may appeal to a niche
market or group, think about ways to bring it to their attention.
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mary rosenblum
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Perhaps send review copies to
newsletters, magazines, or the like that do reviews and might be read by
that niche group.
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mary rosenblum
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Do, please, use your private
message feature to chat during the forums. It gets hard to read for those
people with slow servers, if there is a lot of chat.
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mary rosenblum
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And congrats on the book
coming out!
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mary rosenblum
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What type of book?
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t green
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it's a non-fiction work... a
30-day devotional book for moms... and i'm not sure how to get reviews or
what have you before the books actually out
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mary rosenblum
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Your publisher should send it
out to reviewers. That's their job, usually. Ask them.
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mary rosenblum
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See which Christian
publications review books like this.
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mary rosenblum
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Go get a copy of Christian
Writers Market and see if they have a section on publicity.
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mary rosenblum
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Google Christian websites and
bulletin boards and cold bloodedly post good reviews of it. :-)
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t green
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I know that I'm supposed to do
the lion's share of the marketing... and set up speaking engagements...
it's all just a little overwhelming. any hints on how to get orgainzed for
that sort of stuff?
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mary rosenblum
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You can find books on how to
do that, t.
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mary rosenblum
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Just be realistic about money.
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mary rosenblum
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If you spend 6000 publicizing
your book and make 2000 where does that get you?
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mary rosenblum
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Do you have a website?
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mary rosenblum
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Start a blog and go visit
blogs with religious themes and ask to link to yours. Same with website.
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t green
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Actually, my publisher/editor
urges us to purchase our own books by the case for engagements... we get
50% of the sales that way... i'll get a site on my publisher's site when
the book's published... working on my own now
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mary rosenblum
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That's the best way to do it.
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geezer
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So, if you and another writer
have equal books, the one that can do the best publicity wins?
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mary rosenblum
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Marketing always matters,
geeze.
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mary rosenblum
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If editors feel that one book
will be more easily marketable than the other, they'll take that book.
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mary rosenblum
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They are in the biz to make
money. That's a reality.
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sundale
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do you really need an Agent for
any step of the process (including negotiations), or does it just help?
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mary rosenblum
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If you are publishing with a
big NY publisher you MUST get an agent to negotiate the contract.
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mary rosenblum
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Way too much money is
involved, the contracts are simply not intelligible even to a lawyer who is
not familiar with publishing practices...
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mary rosenblum
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and they include things like
how your sales are accounted and how your returns are counted, how your
royalties are figured...
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mary rosenblum
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and the 'boilerplate' contract
is NOT written in your favor.
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mary rosenblum
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You must have an agent to
submit to publishers who say 'no unsolicited submissions'.
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mary rosenblum
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That does not include agents.
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mary rosenblum
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Other than that, no you don't
need one. :-)
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mary rosenblum
|
This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor We're talking about publishing
tonight…everything about publishing. I've published seven novels (number
eight will be out in November) , more than 60 short stories, and will do my
best to answer any questions you have. If you're new here, remember that
you need to click on the 'Ask a Question' button or the 'word bubble' next
to the red question mark at the top of the screen in order to ask a
question. Your regular 'send' bar won't reach me! Or you can use /ask and
type your question into the regular send bar if that works better for you..
|
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mummsy
|
what's the best way to check if
a publisher or agent is legitimate?
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mary rosenblum
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Google the name, mummsy.
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mary rosenblum
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Usually information will pop
right up and if it's a scam you'll find the reports on the first google
page.
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mary rosenblum
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A website called Preditors and
Editors is a good place to go, too.
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mary rosenblum
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They rate publishers and
include a few details and/or cautions.
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mary rosenblum
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Preditors and Editors
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sundale
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the hardest part for me is
finding publishers that take what I write. Their websites are often rather
unclear.
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mary rosenblum
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They are, sun.
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mary rosenblum
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You can go to the bookstore
and look for books published by that house.
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mary rosenblum
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I would write to the publisher
and ask for their guidelines. Enclose a business sized SASE.
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mary rosenblum
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Often you'll get much more
specific and up to date information that way.
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mummsy
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simple as that?
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mary rosenblum
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Yes, it is, mumms
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mary rosenblum
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One of the benefits of the
internet is that it's a great public bulletin board and people who get
'burned' write about it...
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mary rosenblum
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in blogs and bulletin board
posts.
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info
|
Marianne indicated last night
that NY publishers didn't care for books that's been self-published because
of the first rights and stuff. What if you used self publishing for one
book and then send the next ms to a NY publisher? Would it matter to then
if you went with the self publishing place on a completely different book?
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mary rosenblum
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Yes and no, info.
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mary rosenblum
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If you sell that next book,
you will undoubtedly have a 'right of refusal' clause in your contrat.
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mary rosenblum
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That means you have to send
the next book to them first. Before you self publish even.
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mary rosenblum
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BUT you and ask more money
than they want to pay, should you prefer to self publish. (Why you would,
I'm not sure). :-)
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mary rosenblum
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But they only care about the
books they want to publish.
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mary rosenblum
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If one NY house turns you
down, you can publish anywhere else you want.
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rhondawren
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would magazines really want
articles from unpublished writers?
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mary rosenblum
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Absolutely, rhonda. My
students are all unpublished writers and a lot of them publish before they
complete the course.
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mary rosenblum
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The only requirement is that
you send the editor something that will help sell issues of the magazine...
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mary rosenblum
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something that fits the 'zine,
hasn't been published recently, and interests the readers.
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mary rosenblum
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They'll buy from anyone who
can do that, no matter what your 'track record' is.
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mary rosenblum
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Guess what? Every one of us
was unpublished once. Nobody gets born published.
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sundale
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though that first yes is VERY
hard to get isn't it?
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mary rosenblum
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That depends on YOU sun
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mary rosenblum
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It can be.
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mary rosenblum
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If you're sending work off and
your level of craft isn't quite there yet, if you aren't really clear about
what editors are looking for...
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mary rosenblum
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then it can take you a long
time to break in.
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mary rosenblum
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Or you can send something out
and sell on the first try...
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mary rosenblum
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and then maybe not sell the
next four pieces...
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mary rosenblum
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or start selling regularly
right away.
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor We're talking about publishing
tonight…everything about publishing. I've published seven novels (number
eight will be out in November) , more than 60 short stories, and will do my
best to answer any questions you have. If you're new here, remember that
you need to click on the 'Ask a Question' button or the 'word bubble' next
to the red question mark at the top of the screen in order to ask a
question. Your regular 'send' bar won't reach me! Or you can use /ask and
type your question into the regular send bar if that works better for you..
|
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t green
|
my first publication sort of
fell into my lap... but then again, I tailored the piece exactly the way
the magazine did all their pieces... so the wasn't that hard... it was the
ones after that! :-D
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mary rosenblum
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That happens. :-) Good
example, T.
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rhondawren
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how long did it take you before
you got one?
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mary rosenblum
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Let's see...I got YELLED at by
Stan Schimdt at Analog for the first story I ever sent off...then I wrote a
bunch at the Clarion Wrtiers Workshop, sold one to Asimovs, wrote a lot
over the next few years that didn't sell...
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mary rosenblum
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but sold more and more often
during that time.
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mary rosenblum
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I haven't sold every novel
I've written...
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mary rosenblum
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never sold the first one, sold
the second, have...lets see...eight published with NY houses, four that are
not published.
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mummsy
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i just finished assnmt 12 and
i've had 8 non-fiction articles published so far, but making the leap to
novel length is intimidating. any tips?
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mary rosenblum
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Just do it. That's how you
learn.
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geezer
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Why did he yell?
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mary rosenblum
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Stan? Oh, because he read all
the way to the end and the end was AWFUL. I guess he thought he could buy
it and reamed me for my lousy end.
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mary rosenblum
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If I ever figure out how to
fix that lousy end, I'll send him the story again. LOL.
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mary rosenblum
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(That was in 1988. Still have
no end)
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mary rosenblum
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By the way, that was a HUGE
compliment. Editors don't do that. But I was so wet-behind-the-ears I
didn't know. I was shocked. :-)
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info
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But what if you self publish
first and then went to the NY publishers?
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mary rosenblum
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There is nothing wrong with
that, info.
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mary rosenblum
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NY doesn't care who self
publishes what...unless it sells.
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mary rosenblum
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If you sell 2000 or 3000
copies of your self published book in one year, tell NY about it.
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mary rosenblum
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Those are very good numbers
for a self published book. They will pay attention.
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mary rosenblum
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If you sell 10 copies, don't
bother to even mention it.
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rhondawren
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how do you contact 'zines about
possibly taking you story?
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mary rosenblum
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Rhonda, you spend a lot of
time with one of the writers market lists. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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Learning what they want. Each
one offers submission guidelines that tell you what to send to whom and
how.
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writermom
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just a very fickle market
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mary rosenblum
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well in fiction, yes.
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mary rosenblum
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You never know what's going to
catch editor attention, but start with a good, well written book. That's
absolutely necessary.
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mary rosenblum
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And as Marianne was saying
last night, if you don't sell your first novel or three, so what?
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mary rosenblum
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You keep writing and sending
them out.
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builder guy
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Do publishers go to the
mattress's for good writer's
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mary rosenblum
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No, but editors do, builder.
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mary rosenblum
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An editor who believes your
book is great fights tooth and nail for a high rank on the sales list, for
publicity for you, for a good cover. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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Love your editor.
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mummsy
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what's the best length for a
bread and butter novel
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mary rosenblum
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The length that works for the
story. Sorry, mumms but that's it.
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mary rosenblum
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Some lines want longer books,
some shorter...
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mary rosenblum
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but if you drag it out beyond
it's natural length it's boring...
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mary rosenblum
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and if you chop it off to fit
a shorter line, it's going to feel 'chopped'.
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silkybutterfly12
|
Sorry mary but could you tell me
what the subject is tonight?
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mary rosenblum
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It's a Q &A about all
things publishing, silky.
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snooky
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what is a bread and butter book?
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mary rosenblum
|
I"m assuming mumms meant
something like a category romance or mass market paperback...a well
established genre book.
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor We're talking about publishing
tonight…everything about publishing. I've published seven novels (number
eight will be out in November) , more than 60 short stories, and will do my
best to answer any questions you have. If you're new here, remember that
you need to click on the 'Ask a Question' button or the 'word bubble' next
to the red question mark at the top of the screen in order to ask a
question. Your regular 'send' bar won't reach me! Or you can use /ask and
type your question into the regular send bar if that works better for you..
|
|
mummsy
|
yup
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mary rosenblum
|
some of the category romance
lines have very specific lengths.
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mary rosenblum
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But each publisher lists their
length requirements. Usually they cover a range.
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sundale
|
I have book 1 in a trilogy ready
for submition. Somehow I feel they should know that it's going to be a
trilogy, so I tell them in the cover or query letter. Is this a bad idea?
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mary rosenblum
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Not at all, but make it very
clear that a: this book stands alone and b: you are not requiering them to
buy the trilogy or nothing.
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builder guy
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So I guess the editor is the
buffer (life line to get pubbed
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mary rosenblum
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Yeah.
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mary rosenblum
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Let me tell you how it works
in publishing.
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mary rosenblum
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You submit your work to an
editor, one of several or many (except in the VERY small presses) who works
for a publisher.
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mary rosenblum
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The publisher doesn't edit.
The publisher publishes books.
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mary rosenblum
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That editor decides your book
is great and wants to buy it.
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mary rosenblum
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He/she takes it to one of the
regular meetings wiht marketing and the publisher.
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mary rosenblum
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Editor pitches the book...why
it will sell well, why it suits their line, why they should buy it.
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mary rosenblum
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If marketing and publisher
agree, editor buys it.
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mary rosenblum
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Now editor's reputation is on
the line.
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mary rosenblum
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Too many flops and editor is
looking for a new job.
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mary rosenblum
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So Editor wants your book to
sell as much as you do, believe me!
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mary rosenblum
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Editor wrangles with publisher
and marketing to get you the best position in the 'catalog' as he/she can.
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mary rosenblum
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You get a better deal if you
have a senior editor rather than a junior, by the way.
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sundale
|
I actually never sold my first 4
books. Instead they became the back story of my current trilogy.
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mary rosenblum
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That's one way to get really
thorough backstory, sundale.
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mary rosenblum
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and should your books really
take off, those first four could be published.
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sundale
|
hmmm, I may have a problem. My
trilogy is more like the Star War trilogy as far as each part standing
alone. It ends, but the war is still going on.
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mary rosenblum
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This is going to cost you,
sun.
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mary rosenblum
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If a publisher takes a chance
on a new writer, they often lose money. If they take a chance on a trilogy,
they stand to lose three times that money.
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mary rosenblum
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It's going to be harder to
sell, do doubt about it.
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mary rosenblum
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And readers tend to not like
'slice of sausage' series, so that's another problem.
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mary rosenblum
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Doesn't mean you won't sell
it, but it does mean you may have to try harder and longer.
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rhondawren
|
catalog?
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mary rosenblum
|
That's the list of all the
books the publisher will bring out in a calendar year.
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mary rosenblum
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For the big NY houses that is
a BIG list.
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mary rosenblum
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Small for small houses.
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xana
|
How many publishing houses send
manuscripts off to poorly paid and minimally qualified readers before an
editor ever sees it?
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mary rosenblum
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I don't know anyone who uses
out of house readers, xana.
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mary rosenblum
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They usually use assistant
editors who are working their way up. :-)
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tory
|
How do we, as authors, know if
an editor is junion or senior?
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builder guy
|
If you find an agent, will
he/she help with the editor
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mary rosenblum
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An agent knows because they
know everybody in publishing in their area of expertise.
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mary rosenblum
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You can attend conferences,
chat with writers and editors, and find out who is who in the publishing
world.
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mary rosenblum
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If you write SF, subscribe to
Locus Magazine which is the inside journal of who's who and what's what in
SF publishing.
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mary rosenblum
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Read all the boring publishing
news and you'll get a picture of the power structure.
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xana
|
i thought assistant editors were
the coffee fetchers
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mary rosenblum
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They're the first readers,
xana. And the coffee fetchers.
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silkybutterfly12
|
Is this also the way it works
for short stories in mags?
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mary rosenblum
|
You mean how is the piece
purchased? No, silky. There, the editor generally makes the decision and
puts the issue together and is often the publisher, anyway. :-)
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mary rosenblum
|
Magazines are much smaller
organizations.
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xana
|
Does this mean a novel has a
better chance if it appeals to just-out-of-college English majors from
prestigious colleges?
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mary rosenblum
|
Oh, goodness no. You have NO
CLUE what is going to appeal to which editor and it is very different.
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mary rosenblum
|
One editor will sniff and the
next will snatch it up as a gem.
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mary rosenblum
|
this is SUCH a subjective biz
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rhondawren
|
is this the way it works in
articles addressing abuse and helping women thru it?
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mary rosenblum
|
Is what, rhonda? The way piece
are purchased?
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tkm
|
Is it ok to start with a small
publisher first then work up?
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mary rosenblum
|
Well, it's up to you. Why
start at the bottom? If you feel that it's a good piece then by all means
start at the top and work down.
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rhondawren
|
yes mary
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mary rosenblum
|
They get purchased the way any
article does.
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mary rosenblum
|
Does it work for the magazines
readers, has the magazine published something like it lately, is it well
written, to the point...
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mary rosenblum
|
does it suit that magazine's
style.
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mary rosenblum
|
If all of the above are 'yes'
the editor will probably buy it.
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mary rosenblum
|
The key, rhonda, is DOES IT
SUIT THIS MAGAZINE>
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mary rosenblum
|
Magazines are VERY narrow in
what they offer.
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|
mary rosenblum
|
YOu can find magazines that
offer that topic in writers markets lists, rhonda.
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor We're talking about publishing
tonight…everything about publishing. I've published seven novels (number
eight will be out in November) , more than 60 short stories, and will do my
best to answer any questions you have. If you're new here, remember that
you need to click on the 'Ask a Question' button or the 'word bubble' next
to the red question mark at the top of the screen in order to ask a
question. Your regular 'send' bar won't reach me! Or you can use /ask and
type your question into the regular send bar if that works better for you..
|
|
mummsy
|
after acceptance, how long does
it usually take for publication...and payment?
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
For NY, it's about two years
to publication, mumms, unless you have a 'hot topic' that's news dependent.
|
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mary rosenblum
|
For small press, within a year
usually.
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mary rosenblum
|
Sometimes less.
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
for a publisher who pays an
advance, you'll typically get half when the book is purchased...
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mary rosenblum
|
and the other half of the
advance when the book is 'turned in'. That is, it's is edited and the
editor is satisfied with your changes. It's ready to go into production.
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mary rosenblum
|
That is generally about 6 - 9
months after you sell it, depending on how fast you are with revisions. :-)
|
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mary rosenblum
|
Small press rarely offer and
advance, so you'll get royalty statements after your book is published.
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mary rosenblum
|
You get those, too, with NY
houses, usually twice a year.
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mary rosenblum
|
Once you've 'earned out' your
advance, they send the checks to your agent.
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|
geezer
|
What kind of qualifications must
an editor and Jr, Ed have?
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
They have to be able to make
writing better, geeze. :-) Often an English degree. They have to know
language and grammar and have a strong sense of what the house publishes.
|
|
xana
|
So how much power does an
assistant editor have with an unknown author's book being read by an
editor?
|
|
builder guy
|
Do asstnt. editors rnd file anything
that dosen't hook?
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
Well, assistant editors get
very passionate about their finds, and they'll wave it under the editor's
nose, Xana. :-)
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
If it turns out to be a big
seller, it helps their career, too. :-)
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
And builder, they return
anything that is poorly written or boring yes.
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mary rosenblum
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Believe me, most slush you can
decide on in about two paragraphs.
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mary rosenblum
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It's awful.
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mary rosenblum
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That's why most big publishers
have gone to agent only.
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mary rosenblum
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The agents weed out the awful
stuff for them.
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mary rosenblum
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The agented stuff...from
LEGITIMATE agents...gets read.
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rhondawren
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earned out?
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mary rosenblum
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Earned out means that you have
earned enough royalties to equal the advance you got. That advaince is an
'advance against royalties'..
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mary rosenblum
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and was intended to keep the
author fed and alive until the book was actually published. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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It is what the publisher
assumes you'll earn in the first year.
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mary rosenblum
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If they are wrong and your
book does not 'earn out' you do NOT have to return any money...
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mary rosenblum
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but they'll be likely to
either reduce your advance and print run next time or simply not publish
your next book.
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lore alley
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just curious... what happens if
you get the first half of your advance and the book ends up not being
publshed after all? and what if you don't earn enough royalties to pay for
your advance?
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mary rosenblum
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Your contract should have a
'kill fee' specified, lore.
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mary rosenblum
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You'll get more money, but
probably less than the other half of your advance.
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mary rosenblum
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Now if it's YOUR fault, that's
another kettle of fish. Can you say breach of contract?
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xana
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Why would an agent read more
than two paragraphs of most books?
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mary rosenblum
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Come again?
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mary rosenblum
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An agent is going to read the
whole book.
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mary rosenblum
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His/ her reputation (again..a
legitimate agent) depends on giving editors good books.
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mary rosenblum
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They don't make a dime on a
rejected mss.
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rhondawren
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how much of a cut does an agent
get?
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mary rosenblum
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Fifteen percent of your pay,
rhonda.
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mummsy
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how much is an agent's fee?
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mary rosenblum
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Fifteen percent of your pay.
Legitimate agents ONLY get paid when you do.
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builder guy
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Do you think a good editor will
see your flare/passion?
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mary rosenblum
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Only if you put it on the
page, builder. They are not telepaths. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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If you write it into that
novel, they'll see it.
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mary rosenblum
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You have to understand,
editors edit because they LOVE good books.
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mary rosenblum
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The pay is lousy for the work
they do.
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mary rosenblum
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They WANT your book to be a
winner, it's their reputation, too.
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info
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Regarding agents, if one decides
to take you or your ms on, they only get paid if they can sell your ms to
the editor, right?
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mary rosenblum
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Right.
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mary rosenblum
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That is why it is so hard to
get an agent.
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mary rosenblum
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They won't work for you unless
they think you're going to sell.
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xana
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You send an agent your book; she
doesn't like the first page and returns it - in a large percent of cases?
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mary rosenblum
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Only if your book is so badly
written that she can decide that quickly. And that's why agents ask for
queries and synopses...
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mary rosenblum
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they weed out the really
dreadful writers really quickly!
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xana
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Why would an agent waste her
time on a book she fweels she can't sell?
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mary rosenblum
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They won't, xana.
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mary rosenblum
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THat's the point.
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mary rosenblum
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If an agent takes on your book
he/she is very sure it'll sell.
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geezer
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do EDs get a commision on books
or just straight salary?
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mary rosenblum
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Salary only, geeze.
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gwanny
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I guess then my abilities or
lack of them will be made clear to me if I can't get an agent?
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mary rosenblum
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Well, not necessarily.
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mary rosenblum
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If you have a book that may be
difficult to market even though it's well written...and you're a novice
writer, maybe you won't ever write another book...
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mary rosenblum
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and that agent is not
'hungry', she has a full stable, she may pass on it. Too much work.
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mary rosenblum
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A newer agent, a young one who
has just started her own agency after working for a big one, may snap it
up.
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mary rosenblum
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she needs clients and she has
the time and energy to do the legwork.
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mary rosenblum
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YOu cannot take a no thank as
a judgement on the quality of your writing.
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mary rosenblum
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Way too many factors are
involved in what sells and what does not.
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mary rosenblum
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What does not sell today may
sell in five years.
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mary rosenblum
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What this agent thinks will
sell is not what that agent thinks will sell.
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mary rosenblum
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Believe me, there is NO
meeting of minds, or standard, in the publishing world.
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tory
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Mary, if an ed or agent requests
the proposal, synopsis and first 2 chapters--Will they look at chaps. if
synopsis doesn't sparkle or grab them? I (an my entire crituqe grp) find
synopsis VERY tough.
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mary rosenblum
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Tory I would WORK on that
synopsis skill, dear. Yes, if someone asks for chapters and your synopsis
displays...
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mary rosenblum
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a sound plot structure and
dramatic arc, they'll probably read the chapters to see if you write better
story than synopsis.
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mary rosenblum
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But these days, the trend is
to a very brief synopsis or even a query. You NEED that skill.
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mary rosenblum
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Just work on it.
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mary rosenblum
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Write three book blurbs a day
until you can do great ones in your sleep. :-)
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xana
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Where can we find examples of
successful synopses to study?
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mary rosenblum
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Start with book jacket blurbs,
but realize that while a query does not require you to reveal the end, a
synopsis DOES require you to reveal the end.
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tory
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Even blurbs are easier than the
synopsis! It's that tell, don't show. counter all our practice. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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A synopsis is just a longer
book jacket blurb, tory.
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mary rosenblum
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They're not different.
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mary rosenblum
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Believe me, if you can write a
good book jacket blurb, you will have NO problem doing a synopsis!
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mary rosenblum
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Writing queries and synopses
is a major part of the LR novel course.
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geezer
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So, the synopsis is written
before the book is written? That's scary.
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mary rosenblum
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No it isn't,geeze.
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mary rosenblum
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The synopsis is written after
the book is finished.
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mary rosenblum
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Nobody is going to buy an
unfinished novel from an unpublished writer!
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mary rosenblum
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You have to prove you can
finish a novel before you can sell on proposal!
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silkybutterfly12
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Are synopsis simular to
summeries?
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mary rosenblum
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It's the same idea.
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mary rosenblum
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You summarize the main plot
arc, through the perspective of ONE character and you do it in present
tense and third person.
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mary rosenblum
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The guidelines for the
publisher or agent will tell you how long.
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mary rosenblum
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Many want a query first.
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mary rosenblum
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That means about a one
paragraph blurb!
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mary rosenblum
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That tells the editor or agent
two things:
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mary rosenblum
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a: is this something that is
marketable at all.
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mary rosenblum
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b: can this person write
professionally?
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mary rosenblum
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If the answer to both is yes,
you'll get asked for either synopsis and chapters or the entire mss.
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tory
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Re: Synopsis--Do you leave out
sub plot lines and characters, or include through the one character
persepctive?
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mary rosenblum
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You want to stick to the main
plot, tory, but you can mention major subplots... meanwhile, Karn's sister
is learning the hard way that running a pirate fleet is no picnic. When
they finally meet up at...
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mary rosenblum
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That sort of thing. That
Karn's sister thing is probably a big chunk of the book as a major subplot.
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mary rosenblum
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But the main plot is Karn and
his adventures.
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mary rosenblum
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One of the things that I was
most happy about, last night, was Marianne's willingness to be honest.
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mary rosenblum
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Her first novel published is
her fourth novel written.
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mary rosenblum
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My first novel published was
only my second novel written, but I have four other's I've written and not
yet sold.
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mary rosenblum
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YOu are not necessarily going
to sell every book you write. Or every story.
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mary rosenblum
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Nobody I know...and I know a
LOT of very well published professional writers...has sold everything
he/she has...
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mary rosenblum
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written.
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mary rosenblum
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Some are less than forthcoming
about that in public. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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You DO have to have some ego
to be a writer, heheh.
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mary rosenblum
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But writing novel or story and
then spending the next three years trying to get it published and fretting
about why it's not selling...
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mary rosenblum
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is not going to help you.
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mary rosenblum
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Finish a project and start the
next one.
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xana
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And some 'previously
unpublished' stories of famous writers that show up in the writer's
Complete Works should have remained unpublished
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mary rosenblum
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Sadly that's true.
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mary rosenblum
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But it's hard to turn down a
big check whe |