Happy Halloween, everyone!
Busy busy today, so just a few short notes:
1. Is it me or does Harlequin Presents UnCut sound like some sort of chippendale show starring, um, men who aren’t circumcised? I’m just sayin’.
2. Miss Snark fields the old “synopsis suck” saw, and again with the whiners. Hurray for commenter Cyn Mobley, who tells them to suck it up, it’s part of the business. My favorite comment is from an erstwhile writer who claims he “cannot write anything intelligent that is more than a couple of paragraphs.” My advice? Get out of the novel writing business, bub.
3. For those of you participating in NaNoWriMo or just looking to do some quick plot creation, here’s an excellent article by Holly Lisle. Thanks to Elly for pointing it out.
4. Trish Millburn has an excellent post on making the reader care about your characters. Every time i think i’m doing well on my craft, I read something that makes me see things in a whole new light.
5. Once again, Justine Larbalestier cracks me up. I’m so with her, though. I’m already sick of winter and it’s not even here yet.
6. Seriously considering unsubscribing to all email lists. I feel like every time I offer advice, I’m adding to the problem rather than resolving it. The rumor mill and urban legend situation is completely out of control, and I’m beginning to believe that a large percentage of writers conduct their affairs according tot eh mandates of a Yahoo Group rather than what their agent or publishing house has worked out with them. Someone tell me, are there email lists out there where dental hygenists ask other dental hygenists how they should behave with their individual bosses? Where building superintendents stress out over contacting their plumber, and rather than discussing with the plumber how best to fix the clog, asking other superintendents? Or do writers have the monopoly on this brand of neuroses?
Stay cool, folks.
October 31st, 2005 at 10:22 am
#6- haha- I read that question and your comment on that loop- and laughed when I saw someone saying “I agree with Diana…” and then completely go off on something that you didn’t even imply.
I don’t think most people can understand basic common sense. The loops give me headaches. But I really appreciate your attempts at clearing up the mud.
CAS
October 31st, 2005 at 10:59 am
CAS, I hope I didn’t sound too snarky on that reply. I wouldn’t even have responded but it was the third or fourth time I’d seen something like that on a loop in as many days. I love my loops. I get a lot of insider info from them. And I understand asking for outside advice when an agent is doing something you deem suspect and you want a second opinion (“is it normal for my agent to not tell me where he’s submitted my manuscript when I ask?”), or in situations where you aren’t dealing directly with the professional and a loop is your best source of advice (“should i send a thank you note for rejection letter?”)
This kind of stuff reminds me of middle school style relationships. Instead of talking to the boyfriend, you talk to your friends about how the boyfriend and you should act.
October 31st, 2005 at 11:28 am
Diana – I totally agree with you on #6 – something I have to remind myself from time to time. I think I now mostly read/post on blogs rather than on email lists. I actually find them more useful.
October 31st, 2005 at 6:02 pm
It’s typical for writers. Any kind of creative occupation. The kind of life which is a sort of a forced symbiosis with the business people (editors, producers, publishers, owners of record companies) drives us/them neurotic because of the dependency. They can’t fully understand us, yet it’s us who have to work to gain understanding. Because, no matter how overworked an agent, an editor, a manager is, for the artist, more of crucial stuff hangs on every issue. We create the art, but like a friend of mine said, the world belongs to accountants. It is a co-dependency, but we need them more they need us, because outside, there are hundreds of other artists knocking at the gates, some of them better than you and me. It’s so easy to get kicked out, fall off the train, end up under the bridge, forlorn and forgotten. While your agent will find another writer, your editor will calmly receive her monthly salary, your publisher will go play golf with a movie producer… So, hello hysteria, nervous streets, uncertainty, insecurity, and irrational behaviour.
Anon, because I don’t want some people to know what I think of them
October 31st, 2005 at 6:03 pm
nervous *stress*! I meant.
seems I’ve already got some
October 31st, 2005 at 7:03 pm
Ooh – you hit a nerve! I had to comment on this one.
You’re totally right, D. Sometimes you do want to compare notes on a loop. That can be a good thing.
But, some people look to the loops for rules they can follow, almost as if they’ll discover the “secret” thing they’re doing (or not doing) that will explain why they haven’t sold, or found an agent, or finished a MS, or whatever.
No matter how many times kind-hearted people point this out to those seekers, they don’t seem to get it — there are no secrets. And even if there were, just because something worked for one writer, that doesn’t mean it will work for someone else.
Here’s the secret I know: In this industry you have to know who you are and you have to believe in yourself. It’s damn hard at times, but that’s part of the business. We all have to suck it up. Even nice girls.
And, yikes to the person who was afraid to confront the agent about where he was sending the MS. Call him on it!
November 1st, 2005 at 7:07 am
If the world belongs to accountants and I’m an accountant and also a writer, can I be MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE?! My boss would love that one – and my husband.
I never misunderstand you on loops, Diana, but I see that others do. You just can’t expect everyone to think clearly or rationally or professionally. I learned that a long time ago in corporate America.
But don’t stop posting your answers. For every one person that takes it wrong, there are twenty lurkers who learned something but were afraid to ask.
And neurosis – that’s definitely a writer thing. I have complete confidence in my day-job and I made it to top of the corporate food chain by 34. This writing thing though, even after selling I still think every word I write stinks. I figure I’ll learn to live with it eventually, cause God knows it’s apparently not going away.
Loves ya and it’s your fault I signed up for NaNo. I have no story or plot or anything, but guess I’m going to write 50k words of nothing.
Jana
November 1st, 2005 at 8:26 am
Oh, please, Jana. Break the damn rules. Finish your chick lit (6000 words to go, right?) then start something else.