Comments on: More on desperation and comparisons http://www.dianapeterfreund.com/more-on-desperation-and-comparisons/ Novelist, Dog-Lover, Bon Vivant Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:08:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Natalie Damschroder http://www.dianapeterfreund.com/more-on-desperation-and-comparisons/comment-page-1/#comment-3352 Natalie Damschroder Wed, 03 May 2006 02:15:00 +0000 http://gator465.hostgator.com/~dianablu/more-on-desperation-and-comparisons/#comment-3352 <i>The pie is unlimited if your filling is good enough.</i><br/><br/>Well, okay, but that brings us back to the whole subjectivity thing and who decides what's "good enough."<br/><br/><i>Natalie, I saw you new release on the front page of Fictionwise today!</i><br/><br/>Really? Woo hoo! Five more sales! LOL The pie is unlimited if your filling is good enough.

Well, okay, but that brings us back to the whole subjectivity thing and who decides what’s “good enough.”

Natalie, I saw you new release on the front page of Fictionwise today!

Really? Woo hoo! Five more sales! LOL

]]> By: Diana Peterfreund http://www.dianapeterfreund.com/more-on-desperation-and-comparisons/comment-page-1/#comment-3329 Diana Peterfreund Mon, 01 May 2006 13:40:00 +0000 http://gator465.hostgator.com/~dianablu/more-on-desperation-and-comparisons/#comment-3329 The pie is unlimited if your filling is good enough. It could be the toughest market in the world, but if they really really want your book, they can find a place for it. <br/><br/>This even works if what you've written is ostensibly category. I know people's who category books were shoved together two in one and released as single titles. <br/><br/>Natalie, I saw you new release on the front page of Fictionwise today! The pie is unlimited if your filling is good enough. It could be the toughest market in the world, but if they really really want your book, they can find a place for it.

This even works if what you’ve written is ostensibly category. I know people’s who category books were shoved together two in one and released as single titles.

Natalie, I saw you new release on the front page of Fictionwise today!

]]> By: Natalie Damschroder http://www.dianapeterfreund.com/more-on-desperation-and-comparisons/comment-page-1/#comment-3328 Natalie Damschroder Mon, 01 May 2006 13:32:00 +0000 http://gator465.hostgator.com/~dianablu/more-on-desperation-and-comparisons/#comment-3328 This is funny to me, because I don't feel worst when people around me who have been at this less time and less hard than I have succeed. I feel worst when people whine about writing for five years and completing three books and not selling yet. 'Cause I've completed 12 books (plus several partials) and have been doing this for 12 years and haven't sold yet.<br/><br/>This part:<br/><i>This in no way translates to the single title market. </i><br/><br/>...is unfortunately not true. I have a friend who sold a book to a major NY publisher. They raved about the book, it's doing well (as far as I can tell from the outside, of course.) But her option book is going nowhere because they have filled all their slots in her subgenre with books by bigger-name authors. Her option period is over so she's shopping it elsewhere.<br/><br/>So no, it isn't a race. But the pie isn't unlimited, either. This is funny to me, because I don’t feel worst when people around me who have been at this less time and less hard than I have succeed. I feel worst when people whine about writing for five years and completing three books and not selling yet. ‘Cause I’ve completed 12 books (plus several partials) and have been doing this for 12 years and haven’t sold yet.

This part:
This in no way translates to the single title market.

…is unfortunately not true. I have a friend who sold a book to a major NY publisher. They raved about the book, it’s doing well (as far as I can tell from the outside, of course.) But her option book is going nowhere because they have filled all their slots in her subgenre with books by bigger-name authors. Her option period is over so she’s shopping it elsewhere.

So no, it isn’t a race. But the pie isn’t unlimited, either.

]]> By: Michelle http://www.dianapeterfreund.com/more-on-desperation-and-comparisons/comment-page-1/#comment-3327 Michelle Mon, 01 May 2006 00:30:00 +0000 http://gator465.hostgator.com/~dianablu/more-on-desperation-and-comparisons/#comment-3327 Mary linked to you--definitely a great post! It's easy to get caught up in the competition. People get their hackles up when they find out they're writing the same genre, as if we're competing for slots.<br/><br/>But on the flip side, we also have to write a book that can compete with all the bestselling authors. We have to be good and we're only as good as the most recent book we've written. Mary linked to you–definitely a great post! It’s easy to get caught up in the competition. People get their hackles up when they find out they’re writing the same genre, as if we’re competing for slots.

But on the flip side, we also have to write a book that can compete with all the bestselling authors. We have to be good and we’re only as good as the most recent book we’ve written.

]]> By: mary beth http://www.dianapeterfreund.com/more-on-desperation-and-comparisons/comment-page-1/#comment-3326 mary beth Mon, 01 May 2006 00:16:00 +0000 http://gator465.hostgator.com/~dianablu/more-on-desperation-and-comparisons/#comment-3326 Great post Diana. One I think I'll print off and out next to my computer.<br/>Thanks! Great post Diana. One I think I’ll print off and out next to my computer.
Thanks!

]]> By: Trish Milburn http://www.dianapeterfreund.com/more-on-desperation-and-comparisons/comment-page-1/#comment-3325 Trish Milburn Sun, 30 Apr 2006 15:34:00 +0000 http://gator465.hostgator.com/~dianablu/more-on-desperation-and-comparisons/#comment-3325 I can totally relate to this post, Diana. I know what you say is true, but on those bad days when the doubt demons are dancing a jig in my head, it's hard to not think this way. Just have to keep plugging along. I can totally relate to this post, Diana. I know what you say is true, but on those bad days when the doubt demons are dancing a jig in my head, it’s hard to not think this way. Just have to keep plugging along.

]]> By: MaryF http://www.dianapeterfreund.com/more-on-desperation-and-comparisons/comment-page-1/#comment-3324 MaryF Sun, 30 Apr 2006 13:58:00 +0000 http://gator465.hostgator.com/~dianablu/more-on-desperation-and-comparisons/#comment-3324 OMG - you've been inside my head with this bit! <br/><br/>-----------------------------------------<br/><br/> Say this hypothetical author has been writing manuscripts, working on her craft, etc. etc. etc., and just hasn't gotten that lucky combo of timing whereby the right manuscript hits the right editor's desk at just the right time. All around her, her friends are selling, and selling, and selling. Their books are coming out, books that she saw in infant stages, back when they were newbies to the publishing game, and she was their highly experienced mentor. Maybe she has an agent, even. Maybe she has dozens of contest wins. Maybe for the past few years, when she's been at author's booksignings, people have written, "You're next!" inside the cover of their books.<br/><br/>Life is hard for this author. When is it going to be her turn? She's been running just as hard as everyone else, and people are actually lapping her around the track!<br/><br/>-----------------------------------<br/><br/>Especially lately when chapter members are selling something like three books a week and I have these three GH finals and an agent and....no contract. <br/><br/>Still waiting on that rocket booster..... OMG – you’ve been inside my head with this bit!

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Say this hypothetical author has been writing manuscripts, working on her craft, etc. etc. etc., and just hasn’t gotten that lucky combo of timing whereby the right manuscript hits the right editor’s desk at just the right time. All around her, her friends are selling, and selling, and selling. Their books are coming out, books that she saw in infant stages, back when they were newbies to the publishing game, and she was their highly experienced mentor. Maybe she has an agent, even. Maybe she has dozens of contest wins. Maybe for the past few years, when she’s been at author’s booksignings, people have written, “You’re next!” inside the cover of their books.

Life is hard for this author. When is it going to be her turn? She’s been running just as hard as everyone else, and people are actually lapping her around the track!

———————————–

Especially lately when chapter members are selling something like three books a week and I have these three GH finals and an agent and….no contract.

Still waiting on that rocket booster…..

]]> By: The Beautiful Schoolmarm http://www.dianapeterfreund.com/more-on-desperation-and-comparisons/comment-page-1/#comment-3323 The Beautiful Schoolmarm Sat, 29 Apr 2006 19:51:00 +0000 http://gator465.hostgator.com/~dianablu/more-on-desperation-and-comparisons/#comment-3323 *raises hand* I'll volunteer for the artist position (Art gallery at http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/art/f/u/fuentes77/fuentes77.html ). I usually do fantasy art, but sometimes modern people and places are fun too.<br/><br/>I'll contain my fangirl squealing for Scott Westerfeld too. *raises hand* I’ll volunteer for the artist position (Art gallery at http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/art/f/u/fuentes77/fuentes77.html ). I usually do fantasy art, but sometimes modern people and places are fun too.

I’ll contain my fangirl squealing for Scott Westerfeld too.

]]> By: Sasha http://www.dianapeterfreund.com/more-on-desperation-and-comparisons/comment-page-1/#comment-3322 Sasha Sat, 29 Apr 2006 19:07:00 +0000 http://gator465.hostgator.com/~dianablu/more-on-desperation-and-comparisons/#comment-3322 Great Post Diana!!<br/><br/>Things I try to remind myself of often!! Great Post Diana!!

Things I try to remind myself of often!!

]]> By: Allison Brennan http://www.dianapeterfreund.com/more-on-desperation-and-comparisons/comment-page-1/#comment-3321 Allison Brennan Sat, 29 Apr 2006 16:05:00 +0000 http://gator465.hostgator.com/~dianablu/more-on-desperation-and-comparisons/#comment-3321 Oh! I just had another thought. Maybe the "competition" is more in the category romances. The H/S lines DO published X number of books a month, so there is the perception that if someone fills a slot, that's one less slot that can be filled (either for an existing author who wants to go from 2 books to 3 a year, or for a new author)<br/><br/>This is partly true in that there is only, say, 72 Blaze books published a year so a Blaze author averages 2 books a year, there are only 36 "slots" (I know it doesn't quite work that way, but it's a perception that's partly based in reality.)<br/><br/>This in no way translates to the single title market. Major NY houses can publish as few or many books as they want, so they might have one release one month, then five the next. They'll buy what they love that they think they can sell. Oh! I just had another thought. Maybe the “competition” is more in the category romances. The H/S lines DO published X number of books a month, so there is the perception that if someone fills a slot, that’s one less slot that can be filled (either for an existing author who wants to go from 2 books to 3 a year, or for a new author)

This is partly true in that there is only, say, 72 Blaze books published a year so a Blaze author averages 2 books a year, there are only 36 “slots” (I know it doesn’t quite work that way, but it’s a perception that’s partly based in reality.)

This in no way translates to the single title market. Major NY houses can publish as few or many books as they want, so they might have one release one month, then five the next. They’ll buy what they love that they think they can sell.

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