MAJOR PUBLISHERS

Just saw his last post. All we can do is hope he means it.

Probably good. If ones goal is a major publisher-- get out of chatrooms and write.

Wow. I don't know what else to say. I guess this isn't a thread about major publishers.

I agree with Alice. Domenic has a way with words. If he uses his time wisely while he's away, he way return to tell us about his signing with a NY publisher. I'll look forward to it.

ann wrote:

Wow. I don't know what else to say. I guess this isn't a thread about major publishers.

No, it's about signing a contract with major publishers. You can tell us how to do it.

So that's why you were being so nice to Dick! Sorry, Dick, another evil thought overcame me. Thought I'd apologise and get it over with.

I don't understand what all the fuss is about. Seriously, I really don't.

Malcolm

I bet you wish you'd never asked.

Like I said before, I don't have enough experience to give advice.

I like Dick a bit ... but don't tell him.

Yes Shelagh, just go ahead and try to keep a secret from Dick!!

Lots of luck!

Carol

Carol is right.
Marie, if we wrote a book together you would probably end up hating me but I couldn't be mean to a sweet young lady so the book would be a flop.
Bill Pronzini and Barry Malzberg did that about 30 years ago. The trouble was, Malzberg lived in Syracuse and Pronzini in San Francisco. Even so they were on the phone with each other about 45 minutes every night and that was before cell phones and cheap long distance rates.
Pronzini and his wife, Marcia Muller, are both popular mystery writers but even they don't work together.
Frederick Dannay and Manfred Lee, cousins, teamed up on the Ellery Queen mysteries. One was the plotter, the other the writer. Are you a plotter or a writer, Marie?

Morgan St. James and her sister write humorous mysteries as a team; and they seem to be working well together...

If you want to be humbled, check out the authors at www.redroom.com . Talent is everywhere, and many of those authors are unknown though published by major houses. Their credits are extensive. I just read a blog by a novelist who has written 12 successful books since 2003 and can finally quit her day job - only because she loves writing.

She has to promote, promote, promote and still faces rejection, rejection, rejection even with agents and advances and royalties. She made a comment that sticks with me: when you read about a famous author starting the second book, it doesn't mean he/she can quit their day job; it just means they have a contract for a second book. One book does not guarantee the next. The competition remains an issue every day of an author's life.

It can also be lonely among friends who are also authors as one talent succeeds and another continues to struggle. Even successful authors have the support of some independent income source: spouses, investments, retirement. Each person's tolerance for rejection and failure differs; and a person needs to know their passion.

The arts are notorious for burning up talent, regardless of whether its acting, music, painting or writing. However, a person driven by their passion is not generally open to rational considerations. Talent is unique. It bubbles up from a special core that dictates the actions the artist takes. Far be it from me to give anyone advice.

It would be so hard for me to co-author with another. Not that I think I am a wonderful author, but I would always see their story line and never think up my own part of the story. I would just elaborate on their's. I would defer. Left to my own story, I do better. I have more fun and can race forward with the tale with no restrictions. If I do not like it, I can go back and change the words the whole story line, the characters and everything. I can start over without remorse or judgements.

Love,
Betty

Alice wrote:

E. Don,

I hate to differ with you, but I will. I would give Domenic higher odds than Brenda.

Why? He has interesting word combinations.

What a comment, Alice. As many words as you and I have exchanged, I've never commented on your writing ability - or lack of it.

I once said that my mother had a similar problem as you, but she was nothing like you. Although she had a terminal health problem, but she was gentle and kind.

:lol!:http://bookpublishing.suite101.com/article.cfm/give_small_publishers_a_chance

Brenda Hill wrote:

Alice wrote:

E. Don,

I hate to differ with you, but I will. I would give Domenic higher odds than Brenda.

Why? He has interesting word combinations.

What a comment, Alice. As many words as you and I have exchanged, I've never commented on your writing ability - or lack of it.

I once said that my mother had a similar problem as you, but she was nothing like you. Although she had a terminal health problem, but she was gentle and kind.

Edited --omit

Forgive me, but I see nothing interesting in this post.

You have to be centerstage--Everything has to boil dwn to you and your chances for a major publisher. I thought it was time to boost someone else for a change.

Maybe you need some competition.

I have told you uncounted times you could and would make it. Now if you would just do it.

Yes, you're right. My sentence should have been edited. I wrote something different, then decided to delete it. I should have reread my sentence before posting it, especially knowing you love to point out my mistakes.

Keep watching because I'll probably make more.

When I was in business and there were problems between employees, I insisted that they have lunch together. They usually returned from lunch laughing, joking and patting each other on the back. I'm of the opinion that most problems result from misunderstandings. That is especially true from responses on impulse. When talking face to face, clarification can be immediate with no time spent on assumptions of what one may have meant or inferred. Getting to know someone by looking them in the eye is far better than words that can be distorted.
I admire both Brenda and Alice but in different ways. I can even visualize them as friends if they were to meet. Of course I am a dreamer "of sorts."

Brenda Hill wrote:

Alice wrote:

E. Don,

I hate to differ with you, but I will. I would give Domenic higher odds than Brenda.

Why? He has interesting word combinations.

What a comment, Alice. As many words as you and I have exchanged, I've never commented on your writing ability - or lack of it.

I once said that my mother had a similar problem as you, but she was nothing like you. Although she had a terminal health problem, but she was gentle and kind.

This is the thing I don't understand about you Brenda. You harp (pun not intended!) on and on about wanting a NY publisher -- as if we need to be reminded constantly! -- but refuse to develop the skills required to become a bestselling author. Top of the list of characteristics shared by top authors is a thick skin. Successful authors are as tough as old boots. You caused me a nightmare in closing down this forum and establishing a new one because a newcomer wasn't kind about the poor quality videos on the network. What was all that about? You, you, you.

Okay, since you are the one who is going to make it, tell everyone the stats for your video. Here are mine on Tangle:

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When David said that my video was the best he'd seen, you were upset. Upset! Get a grip girl! Wake up to reality! It's tough out there ... and, what's more, there are thousands of better writers than you trying to make it. That doesn't mean that you can't make it but if you are writing in a genre where thousands of writers are chasing the same contract, you had better be good. Start living in the real world and stop dreaming. Alice cares. Don cares. I care. We would not waste so much time on you if we didn't. So, follow Alice's advice: toughen up and get on with it.

No one should miss reading DK's post on page 10. If nothing else, remember this line: "The competition remains an issue every day of an author's life."
Here's an example. On short stories submitted to the major mystery magazines the writer got an acceptance or rejection within a month before the coming of computers and the Internet. I once received a contract in nine days. Because of the huge number of submissions today it takes six to nine months. It always was tough. It's worse today.

And will everybody please stop picking on Brenda. That's supposed to be my job.

I wasn't blaming you, Marie. Anyway, you are always innocent.

Brenda,

Alice took down pages of beautifully written materials. Read her comments and reasons for doing so.

You seem to have a problem with Alice. Your remarks have influenced her to take down her writing. You made me feel unworthy to resubmit to Vanilla Press.

Maybe your intentions aren't to make others feel small, but sometimes I feel that way with your comments, and I have a pretty thick skin.

Perhaps this is how you feel around your published friends, as we do with you, that somehow because our goals are to get our words on paper, because we just want to write and there is that passion in our hearts, but we're not being read by thousands, we're worth less as writers.

Alice's writing is beautiful as is so many other's here, and then she deletes it and says she isn't a writer. She is. I think so. She keeps coming back here. Lane thought so also.

I don't want anyone to feel unworthy. I value writing whether it is in boxes in a closet, self-published, by PA or a small press. We are all valuable.

I feel sad Alice's writing is gone. It was fantastic.

Love, Carol