I’m pretty caught up in my book right now. I feel like the Little White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland. “No Time To Say Hello, Goodbye! I’m Late I’m Late I’m Late!” (Except I’m not late yet.)
Justine talks about YA SF here. Aside from Uglies trilogy (and Peeps, too, if you want to be technical), and Feed, which is mentioned in the comments, I don’t think I’ve read a lot of YA SF either. I wonder why that is? Would After be considered SF? What about Lois Lowry’s The Giver books? Those were awesome. And there was this book I saw maybe a year ago, adn I failed to pick it up at the time and now I can’t remember what it was called, but it was set in the future and people were worried about germs or something, and this boy gets a rash and is sent to reform school in Alaska…? Ah… RASH. See I knew I’d remember!
A debut author friend of mine just got her first cover. And it rocks. I have so much cover envy that it’s not even funny. I’d put the elements in her cover in my book just so I could get a cover that cool. Speaking of covers, Colleen Gleason just got her newest, too. Where is the Cover Gods altar, folks, and what sort of sacrifices do they prefer? Animal, vegetable or mineral?
There’s been some interesting talk on one of my lists about whether or not you have to “know someone” to get anywhere in publishing. The answer to that is no. I really don’t understand why this myth is so pervasive, as pervasive as the one that says that you can’t get an agent until you’re published, but you can’t get published until you have an agent (both happen, rather frequently), or that no one publishes debut writers (this last one is particularly shocking to me because it means that the believer somehow missed the myriad articles written about debut authors in every paper in town).
When I started writing, I didn’t know a single, solitary other writer, and the only person I knew in publishing was a friend of a friend who was an assistant copy editor at a non-fiction reprint and translation imprint at Penguin, which, if you’re making a friend for networking’s sake, is kind of like trying to meet the President by buddying up to the man who trims the thorns in the Rose Garden. When I joined RWA, it wasn’t trying to meet people so much as it was trying to figure out how this whole writing industry worked. It’s not quick, and it’s not always intuitive. Luckily, there are a lot of resources to help you out. I’ve even written a few.
But the thing to remember is that no matter how many people you meet, how many connections you have, they are only as good as the work you have to present. By the end of my apprenticeship, I was face-friendly with a bunch of editors. They’d wave, we’d chat, they’d even hug me when they saw me at conferences, and then they’d merrily send me rejection letters for my books. It wasn’t personal. I’m sure they thought I was a fun gal, but that didn’t mean they were going to publish me. A total stranger with drop-everything-and-read material is going to trump the BFF with mediocre stuff every single time. This is a fact. And the person who did buy my book? (In fact, every person who bid on it?) Had no clue who I was. Because, think about it — the readers don’t know you either. They’re only buying because of the material.
August 29th, 2007 at 8:08 am
DAMMIT! I know people! This is so unfair!!! You mean I am going to have to write a GOOD book?
I was just having dinner with my published friends Robin and Barry last night. That’s gotta count for something.
BTW- great book launch for Robin! Everyone should ask her why she kept a gerbil in her dresser drawer when she was growing up. These are things people should know. Do you think Robin shares too much?
August 29th, 2007 at 9:01 am
It’s very true that rejections aren’t personal, but the trick is to remember that through the long stretches of querying.
Hmm…now you’ve got me trying to visualize a RAMPANT cover. Fun!
August 29th, 2007 at 10:08 am
I didn’t know The Giver had sequels! I loved that book! The rest of the trilogy is on my list to buy now.
August 29th, 2007 at 12:23 pm
I think they’re talking about having to know someone because it was a hot topic on agent Nathan Bransford’s blog last week (nathanbransford.blogspot – tues and thurs posts).
Good luck with the deadline!
August 29th, 2007 at 1:09 pm
you’ve read Holly Black’s Tithe/Valient/Ironsides, I’m 99% certain. That’s YA SF/F. So is Twilight/etc by Stephenie Meyers.
I think I find I’ve read more YA SF/F than I realize since they go by rather quickly
and are often SO enjoyable.
August 29th, 2007 at 1:10 pm
Just a quick note to let you know that UTR has *finally* hit the shelves at the Greenwich library (the trolls who work in the basement ordering area are notoriously slow…).
And yes, it’s catalogued as adult fiction, in case anyone was wondering.
*Bill suggests that anyone who has not already done so get down to their local library and make sure it has both of Diana’s books in the collection…and if not, that they be ordered forthwith*
August 29th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
Hey, Leah,
I think Justine is talking about SPECIFICALLY science fiction. So, just the “SF” part of “SF/F.” I’d classify both Black and Meyers as fantasy, though! Absolutely.
Thanks, Bill!
August 29th, 2007 at 1:38 pm
I have Secret Society Girl in my TBR pile. Looking forward to reading it. Don’t even want to know about the gerbil comment Patrick made
August 29th, 2007 at 3:29 pm
It’s so true. I’ve met and become friends with quite a few authors, USA and NY best selling even. I know several editors and a couple of agents. It doesn’t mean a thing, other than I’ve made some friends that really great.
The one thing about editors, agents, and yes, even the authors who are your close friends. They’ll tell you no. Funny thing is I’m not minding it so much. Of course I would like to be, plan on being published. Still, I’m so thankful to the people I know who are honest with both the good and the bad.