Dear Miss Snark
I just saw your updated submission policy on your blog. Keep us snarklings informed of how many people actually attempt to use the email. It will give the rest of us hope that there's more chance of submission with the morons swimming in the pool.
As the Founder of theNextBigWriter, I was content to sit this one out. That is, until I read the latest posts, which are potentially illegal if not morally offensive. So here's a different perspective on all of this. Thank you Elizabeth Raye btw for one informed opinion.
theNextBigWriter lists its benefits and fees for all to see. There is no gimmick, no surprises (In fact, I ran the idea by Victoria Strauss before the site was even launched and she had no objections). We have many paying members (many of whom have come from free sites) who enjoy the mix of services that the site provides.
In return for $39.95 for a yearly membership or $4.95 for a monthly membership you receive:
Unlimited posting of your poems, short stories, and novels
Guaranteed feedback
A site rank which provides one data point on how your work compares to your peers
Access to several competitions including one that provides short story and poetry writers with an opportunity to be published (we just published our first round of stories last week). The top novel on June 7 also receives $5,000. Now, you can argue with the methodology, but it's consistent for all writers.
The potential of receiving reviews from Star Reviewers, including Pulitzer nominated reviewers, award winning poets, and other successful professionals (Star Reviewers are given to the top writers but we are expanding them to others shortly).
Access to a friendly, helpful community.
Is the site perfect, no. But we're only three months old and getting better every day.In addition, you do retain all rights to your work and our membership policy is the best on the web at ensuring this.
Some of the free forums mentioned above do not even have a policy that spells out how the rights to your work are protected. I checked out the free services, have nothing against them and have used other free sites before, but they just don't offer the same level of benefits and service. In fact, two of the free services posted above are limited to 25 members. So how does that help anyone?
I also wanted to make it clear that we are not a showcase site. If editors or agents want to come and pay a visit, fine. But that is not the goal of the site and nowhere on theNextBigWriter will you see the word agent or editor mentioned in that context. Which is why Jo Bourne's comments were so off-the-mark.
Nevermind that without permission she took it upon herself to lift an excerpt from two novels-in-progress and publicly critique them totally out of context (an argument can be made that her actions were a breach of the fair use doctrine of copyright law). Both stories (in my humble opinion) happen to be excellent work but both are still, as she would have known if she had spent any time on the site, works in progress.
Using feedback from the site, the authors alone will determine when they are ready to be sent out, not Jo Bourne. After all, theNextBigWriter is a tool to help writers achieve their potential. It doesn't promise perfection in the work posted. So Jo, if you truly want to be helpful, why don't you join the site as a free reviewer, actually read the stories, and then provide some real feedback.
Lastly, I want to talk about the oft quoted line that "money should flow towards the writer." This is a true if a writer is giving up the rights to their finished work. It is valid because someone expects to make money off the writer's work But it is perfectly acceptable to offer writers the choice to purchase services that will advance their writing career. MFA programs, writing schools, writing software, Blog subscriptions, writing magazines all charge writers. theNextBigWriter provides another choice for writers. Whether you decide to exercise that choice is totally up to you.
Regards, Sol Nasisi
Founder and Director
theNextBigWriter
Mademoiselle Snark,
Speaking of Hollywood scouts and other altruistic vultures, can you explain to me how some agents operate so damned quickly when it comes to turning late-breaking news stories into book deals?
During the great deluge of Hurricane Katrina, I could see how a high-profile figure like Anderson Cooper would seize his day in the spotlight to secure a million dollar book deal, but what about situations like the West Virgina mining tragedy? How soon do agents wait before contacting the wife of the lone survivor about writing a book on the experience? Or better yet, the wives of the men who died? What's the protocol, or is there any?Do the parents of kidnapped CSM journalist Jill Carroll already have a book deal in place before knowing the final outcome of her immediate situation?Just yesterday I read about Ariel Sharon's memoir being sold. The man's in a ^*%ing coma! I find it astonishing when I read about news-worthy book deals that happen before the story has begun to peak.
I really would enjoy learning more about your perspective on the matter.
Thanks.
If 90 days minimum for a full manuscript to a publisher, what's the minimum of a full manuscript to an agent sent 12-15-05? I'm obsessing over email and mailbox and having difficulty working on wip. I need out of my misery!
Snarkingly yours.
Miss Snark,
this is a bit off the beaten path, but I think somewhere on the blog you work with composers and such, so...I've seen some agents' sites that say they agent musicians as well as writers. What kind of music is this? I have a piece for conert band I'd like to get published, and I was wondering if these were the people to turn to, or if they really only do 'pop' music. There's very little I can find about the symphonic music publishing industry, so any insight would be great.
*trumpets blazing*
The full-time (maybe, if it works) Crap-O-Meter.
Miss Snark, what is it with editors saying they love you, love your writing, want you, would like nothing more than to publish your next book, but don't like your current idea? I thought it would end once I had my first novel published, but it hasn't and I'm getting a bit sick of hearing this. Is it that they have a fixed idea in their heads that you should be writing something in particular, or is it just another one of those 'let her down gently' phrases?
Dear Miss Snark,
How in God's name does the whole book-proposal-to-movie-rights train get going? I've heard of sub agents in LA, and publishers putting manuscripts in the hands of movie types, well before books are ever published. Talk to me like I"m four years old. Suppose yesterday you accepted my engaging non-fiction proposal about an autistic scientist who spies on the Soviets during the cold war while solving an ancient Biblical code. How do I get my money?
I think BookExpo America is a lot of fun. It's targeted to book sellers, but authors can go there to pitch books and do some networking. I brought a book proposal and got 15 names of acquisition editors interested in my book subject, which I then was able to share with a my eventual agent and get my non-fiction published.)If you go bring an extra suitcase. You can get a LOT of free books.
Good morning, Miss Snark,
I read your comments about including a sae. What about International Reply Coupons? (for those of us who have the inconvenience of living abroad). My submissions still seem to end up in the bin (no replies) or 2 replies emailed. One magazine employee stuck the IRC to the outside of the envelope so I had to pay to retrieve it from the post office!
Speaking of putting one's work on the web, this morning an email arrives from a writing friend. Guess what?
Another site where you can pay to have your work read.
The site is very professional looking. Maybe they are legit and maybe they just want to help, but you have to be consistently rated high by the other members and then, if you're lucky, you get chosen for a review. (I checked the Snarkives, didn't find that we'd talked about this one before, but I coulda missed it.)
Hi Miss Snark:
Talk to me about film rights. My agent recently sold my manuscript (hurrah!), and everyone who has read it (and those who bought it) thinks that it's viable for the screen. So what happens now? I know that my agent mentioned that people will contact us after seeing the PM announcement (one already has), but what else happens? My agent has a co-agent who handles film, so does she take it out to all of the studios and production companies? Do we wait until the book comes out? Do we solely send it to those who have expressed interest from the PM posting?
I'm just trying to wrap my brain around the process and figured that you'd have valuable insight! (Oh, and maybe we can convince Clooney to co-star! Drinks for everyone at the premiere!)
In my query letter, should I say that I wrote the book in 3 months to indicate that I believe I can churn future crap out as quickly? Or should I not leave myself open to the inevitable: spend more time on it so it's better crap?
Dear Miss Snark,
If the first novel is finished, money is a slight issue, and I have no idea (besides reading books from the public library and fine websiteslike yours) about the querying process, is pinching my pennies for a conference like this worth it?
On to my question: what do you think of conferences, especially national conferences? Worth the mula for writers or not? Pure torture for editors/agents? Overblown hype?
Some writer friends and I were debating the merits of the national RWA conference vs. the Romantic Times convention. Some said agents/editors prefer the RT convention because it's more relaxed.
Dear Miss Snark,
I believe that I qualify for your coveted Nitwit of the Day award. Here's my situation.
It has been well over 3 months since I submitted to Agent A. Per her original guidelines, it states that response times for full manuscripts is 3 months (which would put the approx reply date at 1/8/06). However, with the holidays, I wanted to give her extra time. (today is the 19th...a big eleven days extra. try not to think of this as a lot ok?)
Well, today, I took the plunge and wrote a polite follow-up email, also offering to send a new SASE, since I'd been unaware of the then-pending postage increase at the time that I sent the material. (See? I send my SASE, darn it!) I clicked send and surfed over to her site to see if she has any news. Low and behold! She's changed the response time for full manuscripts from 3 months to 4 months!
Oy! So, to make a long story just a little longer, is it your professional opinion that I've totally blown my chances at having Agent A represent me and I am now public nitwit number one?
Dear Miss Snark,
My situation is this: My first book is due out next year, and my publisher is now considering my second one. Contractually, the publisher had the right to hang onto the novel exclusively for four months - I've now been waiting more than twice that long for a decision, and I've already done two sets of revisions on the ms. My editor has now come back to me and told me that they want a third re-write.
At this point, my agent and I discussed asking for a development fee, which is what I got at about this stage on the first novel (and without an agent, I might add). However, before we could do anything about it, my agent disappeared off the radar because she's due to have her first baby. She's a lone operator (like yourself) and won't be back at work for at least another four months.
Is it okay for me to muscle in there and negotiate for the development fee myself? I did so on my first novel, before I had any representation. And if I do manage to get the fee, does my agent still get her 15% cut, since she won't have had anything to do with obtaining the money? Finally, if it's okay for me to get the fee myself and keep it all, is it also okay for me to ask the publisher to send the cheque directly to me, to save a four month wait before I recieve it?
the reason I can't talk to my agent about this is that she's *literally* disappeared off the radar. She was due to go into hospital at the end of this month, but she just went silent in the middle of an email discussion, and since there's no response to emails or phonecalls at her address now I think she may have had to go in early, probably with no warning. I don't know what her original plans were for this period - she just said she would still be available on email as much as she could. So now I'm kind of stuck...All Hail the Snark!Clueless Author
Miss Snark, Do you have any suggestions as to what publishers to try for a picture book by a first time author. I would appreciate any information you could offer.
I've sometimes heard that with nonfiction it can help your chances if part of the book first appeared in magazine articles that you wrote.
Miss Snark, recently a nonfiction agent told a member of another board that "most" book contracts are going to royalties of 10% on wholesale price. I was surprised to hear this; I can't imagine either agents or authors going along with it. In your experience, is this the new trend
The 2005 Guide to Literary Agents (Writer's Digest) suggests one page of synopsis for every 25 pages of book. Ack!I've done four verions of my synopsis so far. They range from 1 paragraph to three pages.
About a century ago (back on 10-02-2005), under the heading "When am I really rejected?" you answered questions from a writer whose agent seemed to be suffering from deflating enthusiasm after only seven rejections.
In part, your response ran:
Unless those 7 rejections you‚ve got are the top of the pyramid at each publisher (and my guess is they aren't), you've got a ways to go before you've talked to even half.
Figure you can talk to about half, cause you can‚t really pitch someone else if his/her boss has already said no.
I am facing a similar situation after a similar (though slightly smaller) number of rejections. My question is, how can I tell how close to the top of the pyramid I've been pitched? The titles I see on the rejection letters seem quite impressive (Executive Editor; Senior Editor; Vice President & Executive Editor), and I'm guessing that we've been going in at a high level. (And I might add that all of these people seem to know my agent personally, so she isn't just flinging the manuscript at the highest target she can find.)
On the other hand, every corner bank has at least three Vice Presidents. What do these sorts of titles imply in publishing, and does it tend to be consistent from house to house?
Thanks for snarking,
Just finished my novel and was told about your kickin' site (shameless bootlicking). When is the next round of the crap-o-meter and how do I play?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds to me that magazine publishers are much more concerned with this (first publication rights) than book publishers currently are.
Every site I've seen telling writers that they've given up "first publication rights" by posting on the Net (and that's usually how they word it, Miss Snark) refers back to magazine and literary journal submission guidelines. I don't know if that means book publishers just haven't jumped to the conclusion that "on the web" = "published" yet, or if it's simply a difference between types of publications.
Dear Miss Snark,
A question, or three, from the far reaches of the Learning Curve.
First, do agents call up editors to pitch their manuscript before sending it, or do they just send the manu out? (A)
I received an email from my agent, saying "what do you want to do with this?" He was forwarding an email he received from an editor of a highly regarded publishing house re: my novel. Among the comments: "blisteringly good read", and "if changes are made to my satisfaction I'll go with it." I sent an email to the editor, via my agent, essentially to the effect that I'd love to work with him. I also explained my thinking behind some of the scenes he wanted changed--just to be sure he understood what I was trying to do. (B)
No word for a month. I emailed my agent to see if this was normal, and if not, would it be worth it to check with the editor to be sure he got my email? He said, "I'm not going to push him." (C)
After another month I received an email from the assistant to the editor, via my agent, that the editor was passing on my book.
Several months later, my agent emailed me that he'd decided to end our relationship. He'd sent the novel to five editors. Two had passed, and three had never gotten back to him at all.
I'm glad to be rid of him. But I have some questions.
1. Will other literary agents refuse to have anything to do with my novel because it's been "exposed"?
2. I think I know the answer to this, but...I'm haunted by the thought that maybe I should have emailed th editor myself to find out what happened. Would this have been unforgivably bad form?
Dear Miss Snark,
I watched Oprah yesterday to see what her new book was and heard about her essay contest for high school kids. I went to the Oprah site today to check it out (out of curiosity) and read over the application form. At the bottom, both student and parent are asked to sign a waiver giving Harpo Entertainment 100% copyright to anything submitted to use any way they chose.
I was wondering;would that allow Oprah's company to republish these essays in book form and not have to pay these kids anything? That doesn't seem fair to me, especially if some of the essays are from kids who didn't at least win the trip to Chicago.
Also, what if some of the students want to use their essays to apply for college credit or scholarship programs? Would having Harpo own the copyright hold that up in any way? I've already written about this in my blog and was wondering what you think.
Dear Miss Snark
I recently signed with an agent for my latest novel, which I had not submitted anywhere before she took it on. A publisher is reading a partial manuscript of another novel, however, and is taking a long time to decide whether they want to see more.
I haven't mentioned the other novel to my agent, and I haven't mentioned my agent to the publisher, because they requested the partial before I had an agent. Should I do anything here? Or just wait and see what happens? I have been wondering whether the publisher might be more inclined to read the whole ms if they knew that I have representation.
Any thoughts?
Miss Snark,
In a dream universe, what would be the best font and size for you to get an MS in? Times 12? Arial 12? Courier New 12?
Also, you said 80k is the minimum for a first time novel... what's the maximum?
PS: Be careful sharpening KY's fangs, last thing we need is him to take a bite out of the mailman carrying my query.
Dear Miss Snark,
Okay, here's the deal. Early in December a publisher emailed a request to review my manuscript. So I hopped up and down and sent it off. I decided to wait until the first of February to contact them if I hadn't heard back.
But lo and behold my server company had a melt down. My email as well author site were down for four days (granted, two were weekend days). GOD ALMIGHTY, what if they tried to contact me?
Should I contact them now and say "Just checking in 'cause my server went boom" or do I just wait until the end of the month? I mean the holidays probably slowed 'em down and stuff, so they probably didn't finish it yet, but, Guh. Y
es, I'm a quarter of the way into my next novel so I'm not completely paralyzed by this.
I have a novel that is almost complete and there are three editors who have requested it. One has gone as far as to request it while it's still a WIP. She's read two installments. I know this doesn't mean a sale, far from it, but I'd like to know if it's too soon to query an agent? It's children's lit. Thanks.
Dear Miss Snark,
I recently queried an agent who claimed to like my writing but said my 48, 500 word novel(la) was unsaleable. I believe her, as it’s her job to know these things. So what is the minimum length for a saleable novel these days?
Dear Miss Snark,
Here's a query, one I wrote for fun several years ago....
Cheers,
Miss Snark
Top o' the Line Literary Agency
Avenue of the Universes
New York
Hi there Miss Snark,
How would you like to represent a future Noble prize winner in literature? I am sure you would! Actually, I can't promise I would win that prize because of all the politicing involved, but I can promise you that anyone who represents my novels will make a bundle of money and become quite famous in his own write (get the pun?). And that could be you!!!!!!!!
In all seriousness, I have just completed a novelistic work of fiction that not only is going to shatter all box office records, but is going to be a major semenal work in literature. The title is THE GODS OF THE BRIDGES AND THE WOMEN WHO CROSS THEM I am sorry that I am not able to provide a synopsis, because it is too risky. There are idea thieves out there, maybe even in your office. You see, I have surmounted all the genres and created one of my own that I call "fusion fiction". I am in the process of copyrighting this new genre. However, one hint (are you ready for this?): the novel is written entirely in the future indicative tense!
Now, Miss Snark, I know your are chomping at the bit, and would like to read the novel like IMMEDIATELY, but first, please send me a pre-paid DHL postal packet for delivery of about 5 pounds of manuscript. To help you save on your freight expense, I have printed the manuscript singlespace, and on both sides.
Hey Snark, here's to mutual fame and fortune!
(signed)
P.S. I'd save this letter for the history files.
P.P.S. Don't worry about that blood splotch smear on the other side of this letter, that's just a squashed mosquitoe
The next letter is from a man who included "reference letters" from US Senators (form letters responding to his letter about the book) and the information he wanted $50,000 from Simon and Schuster for them to convert his website into a book. He wanted to leave the website up and convert it into a paid site...but generously offered S&S a cut of the take.
I've done a few drafts of my novel and it is very close to finished. I'm going to let it sit until summer, then rework the first chapter and send query letters. I really want to post the novel on the internet between now and this summer. For fun. For feedback. For it to have a little life while it waits for the querying process.So is there any reason for me NOT to do post it, given that you told this person to query on?
Here's my question: Once I get that proposal package on my agent's desk, do I finish the novel? Or do I move on while she tries to sell that project, and write another proposal for the next novel I want to write? I mean, I've got ideas, no problem. I just don't want to waste my time writing books she can't place. Nor do I want to become a "proposal writer," either.
Dear Miss Snark,
My novel has been described as a "literary thriller" or a "literary page-turner" by writers with more experience than I have.
The first term seems vague, and I can't shake my preconceived notions about what "thriller" means. The second term seems too obvious. (Who's going to buy a book that isn't a page-turner?) I've seen both terms in marketing for books from The Egyptologist and The Rule of Four to Atonement and Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.
Supposing an author's novel is literary and has elements of a thriller (which I gather to mean exciting plot points). Would she describe it as such in a query letter, or would this designator cause agents to roll their eyes and pass?
Miss Snark,
I plan to search for an agent soon to pitch my small series of how-to books that I’ve written. I am also half-way through my first novel which is turning out better than I expected. If an agent decides to handle my how-to series, would I use him/her for the novel as well? Do agents usually handle one or the other or does an agent stick with a writer as long as the writer is producing publishable work? I’m asking so I don’t step on anyone’s toes with these two different projects.
Miss Snark,
What's with so many agents asking for 50 to 100 pages included with a simple query letter?As someone who doesn't have hundreds of dollars to spend on mailing queries, is there any way to sidestep sending whole chapters before an agent has even shown an interest?
(Quoting Miss Snark) Should I skip over the latest Sue Grafton or Robert Parker? (yes) EXCUSE ME? Read Robert Ludlum David Morrell, Stephen Hunter, John Le Carre, David Baldacci James lee Burke Lee Child Tom Clancy Harlan Coben Stephen Coonts Robert Crais Jeffery Deaver James W Hall Nelson DeMille sheesh these gin drinkers:)
So then tell me what's so bad about what James Frey may or may not have done in his memoir? It's his story. Are people just pissed because it's billed as non-fiction? Would he have been wiser to write it as a novel? Is the label that important?
I hope you don't mind if I linked to you on my fledgling blog...everyone needs a little Miss Snark.
Hello Miss Snark,
I'm an editor at a packager. A while back, you had a question from an author about how work done for a packager (or any kind of work-for-hire) looks among writing credits. Earning my eternal gratitude, you said that work-for-hire can only help a writer.
I wanted to take this one step further. My company develops our projects in-house (we specialize in children's fiction series), and once a project is deemed sell-able (or has in fact already been sold) the time comes when we need a good, reliable, talented writer to attach to that series. But trends being what they are, more and more publishers want us to hire authors who have an established body of work--talent they can trust.
Of course, this often leaves me in a bit of a Catch-22. In the past, writers used to gain experience and amp up their writing credits by doing work-for-hire. Authors who already have experience, having published their own work, don't necessarily want to do work-for-hire, no matter how much creative control they might be given. But it's hard for me to "sell" a newer author to a publisher, who wants to see experience, and it's difficult for me to find parties with experience who are at all interested.
Now, Miss Snark, you normally work in one direction: taking an author's work and finding the right editor. Recently I've been trying to do the reverse: contact agents and find authors. Unfortunately, many agents are less than receptive (not all, some have been fabulous!). Of course, I completely understand that original work is more prestigious than work-for-hire. But isn't there a flip side as well? Work is better than no work. And I can't help but feel that hiring an established, talented author is good for everyone: the writer has work, their name out there on more projects, and the publisher is happy. And a happy publishers is a happy everyone else.
So, here's where my question comes in:
What are your thoughts on editors approaching agents this way? And what's a good way to get an agent to be receptive? I'm really curious to hear your snark-filled opinion on this one.
Thanks so much for your time!
~A dedicated snarkling
(wait...can I be a snarkling if I work for the other side? I really hope so.)
A few of us are having a discussion on what makes a suspense story work.
Most have said pacing, a sense of urgency and/or danger with a story that finishes up within a fairly short amount of time with the hero and heroine working together to stay alive or vanquish the threat.
Others claim it can encompass more than one book and be told over a longer period of time.
We're hoping your wisdom can shed some light on this discussion and we can stop kicking the gin pail in frustration.
I interviewed Chris Genoa author of Foop! and one of the Bizarro authors
and he explains it:
Here and also Here
Miss Snark,
I am researching agents and requirements as I prepare to submit my novel. Several times I have come across the following line regarding synopsis "Please submit a short synopsis."
Is a short synopsis 250 words or less, 500 or less, 1000 or less or simply 2 pages instead of 3? Any clarification on this would be appreciated.
Dear Miss Snark,
I'm in-process of auditioning for a book packager for a Young Adult book and think I have a very good chance of landing the contract. If I do, I'd like to find an agent quickly because I know absolutely nothing about contracts and the work for hire might begin immdediately.
I also just completed my first YA ms and am ready to start shopping it around.
How do I approach this? Do I query an agent primarily on the book packager contract and in the second paragraph put in my pitch for my YA book? One well-known agent wrote in her blog that if you have an offer in hand, it is appropriate to CALL agents. While I feel uneasy about this, I would not have a lot of time to shop around for agents after being offered the work for hire. My other option, I guess, is to send out e-mails with "offer in hand, need agent" in the subject line.
Do agents consider book packaging deals as a lesser deal than an offer on a regular novel and are therefore less likely to offer representation? What is the best way to approach this?
Dear Miss Snark,
Last year, I spent some time reading submissions for a publishing house. In Australia, queries aren’t usually the ‘done thing’ – rather, a ‘would you like to read my manuscript’ letter accompanies the partial/full. Thumbing through scores of these letters, I began to notice a theme: many writers believe they are unquestioningly brilliant. The frequency with which I read the words ‘this will be the next Harry Potter’ was alarming.
An editor at this house was disappointed that she once read such a letter, written by someone who actually wrote the words ‘next best thing since sliced bread,’ and promptly threw it away without reading the MS, which became a runaway success. Apparently the author was right.
Posts like ‘Where’s the nearest fallout shelter’ have made me curious... 1. Do you get this inflated-ego thing often, and 2. do such claims turn you right off? 3. In your experience, are these writers ever spot-on when they tell you their novel will be a best seller (or are there 4. simply scores of delusional nitwits out there)?
Dear Miss Snark:
First of all, your generosity is so appreciated. Not many (snarky or not) would take the time you take to share your publishing world knowledge. Thank you.
Here's my predicament:
I've been fortunate to find an agent who wants to represent me in my fledgling writing career. Needless to say, I have been riding high ever since her call in October. While our relationship is young and via the telephone and e-mail worlds only, I feel like we connect well and have similar goals for my writing career -- this we did talk about, in depth. Simply, I like her. But I don't know if she's doing what she needs to be doing, and I don't know if I'm doing what I need to be doing. I don't question her ability to sell -- she's had some measurable success.
I guess I wonder what my expectations should be. She's really only had my final (after some revisions) manuscript since early December. She's told me of a couple of editors she's sent it to, but I feel like we have too much "quiet" between the two of us. I fully admit that part of that quietness is me thinking I need to give her enough time and space. Is my inexperience with an agent making me too docile? How pushy is too pushy? I don't want to be a wimp, but I don't want to be too aggressive, either. What should a healthy agent/writer relationship look like? Should I just relax and let it develop into whatever it's supposed to develop into? Any guidance will be appreciated.
Thanks. For everything.
I've spent many years reading just exactly what I wanted to read. I won't even let friends press their most beloved books on me, because my to-read shelves are sagging with books by Ross Macdonald and Fritz Leiber books. (time to clean house!)
But those dudes are dead, and Miss Snark tells me I need to read *new* books. Books published this year (pretty much).
Fine, I say. I put aside the book I was reading and I started Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell (It's good, too.) MS: uhhhh...
But I have a question about the next one. What sort of new books should I be choosing? Award-winners? Books by first-time novelists? Bestsellers with rotten reviews? Books from the publisher I hope will buy my own book? Should I skip over the latest Sue Grafton or Robert Parker? (yes)
Dear Ms. Snark:
"What about a writer requesting split checks is so offensive? It seems like the easy and bankruptcy proof thing to do, but according to an earlier post, you would drop a client like a hot potato if he or she made such a request."
Is it still considered science fiction when you write about science that is not fiction?
The reason I ask is because I don't want my novel to be considered sci/fi.
Dear Miss Snark,
Would it be a waste of time to query a novel that hasbeen posted on the Internet in rough draft form? MyMS has been through almost three years of revision since I first posted it on the Web, but I have to admit the main arc of the story and my major characters have remained pretty much the same.
When I first started the thing, I was just writing for fun and didn't give it much thought. I guess I also figured posting a rough draft chapter by chapter was not the same as presenting a complete and polished novel to the world. But I've read a lot lately that makes me think I've used up my "first publication rights" on this dinky website - and I feel like an absolute fool.
Have I doomed my novel for all time? Have I just wasted three years of my life (and several hours of my writing groups' time) on something no respectable publisher is going to want to touch? Please weigh in, Miss Snark. If you saw something in a query letter about a work being posted online, would you immediately pass?
(The rough draft has been taken down, by the way. Even on archive.org I can only find its first chapter. But I realize my work has still been "out there" - and under some people's definitions, been published.)
