Comments on: How to Get a Book Deal While Avoiding the Slush Pile http://writerunboxed.com/2010/01/22/how-to-get-a-book-deal-while-avoiding-the-slush-pile/ about the craft and business of fiction Thu, 24 May 2012 17:33:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Writers’ Roundup: February 5 « Aspiring Author http://writerunboxed.com/2010/01/22/how-to-get-a-book-deal-while-avoiding-the-slush-pile/#comment-131042 Writers’ Roundup: February 5 « Aspiring Author Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:42:36 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=2422#comment-131042 [...] post on Writer Unboxed about How to get a book deal while avoiding the slush pile. “Find a way to create your own success,” Jane Friedman [...] [...] post on Writer Unboxed about How to get a book deal while avoiding the slush pile. “Find a way to create your own success,” Jane Friedman [...]

Like? Thumb up 0

]]> By: Theresa Milstein http://writerunboxed.com/2010/01/22/how-to-get-a-book-deal-while-avoiding-the-slush-pile/#comment-131034 Theresa Milstein Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:02:21 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=2422#comment-131034 It's hard to get my voice heard over the world wide web. My blog is (mostly) about the saga of substitute teaching, which is unique. But I also write MG and YA children's books, so I don't think that my blog will ever help me get those manuscripts published. There are some people who have been successful with epublishing, but I don't feel I can put in the time, commitment, and money needed to make a go of it. If I want an agent, I guess I'll keep doing it the old fashioned way - writing, editing, belonging to a critique group, editing, submitting, and editing again. I'm hoping that someday, someone sees potential in something I've written. .-= Theresa Milstein´s last blog ..<a href="http://theresamilstein.blogspot.com/2010/02/jaws-and-claws-and-junk.html" rel="nofollow">Jaws and Claws and Junk</a> =-. It’s hard to get my voice heard over the world wide web. My blog is (mostly) about the saga of substitute teaching, which is unique. But I also write MG and YA children’s books, so I don’t think that my blog will ever help me get those manuscripts published.

There are some people who have been successful with epublishing, but I don’t feel I can put in the time, commitment, and money needed to make a go of it. If I want an agent, I guess I’ll keep doing it the old fashioned way – writing, editing, belonging to a critique group, editing, submitting, and editing again. I’m hoping that someday, someone sees potential in something I’ve written.
.-= Theresa Milstein´s last blog ..Jaws and Claws and Junk =-.

Like? Thumb up 0

]]> By: Zoe Winters http://writerunboxed.com/2010/01/22/how-to-get-a-book-deal-while-avoiding-the-slush-pile/#comment-130806 Zoe Winters Thu, 28 Jan 2010 05:13:08 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=2422#comment-130806 Thank you Jane, that was very nice of you to say! (You know provided you weren't being sarcastic, LOL!) Thank you Jane, that was very nice of you to say! (You know provided you weren’t being sarcastic, LOL!)

Like? Thumb up 0

]]> By: Sharon Bially http://writerunboxed.com/2010/01/22/how-to-get-a-book-deal-while-avoiding-the-slush-pile/#comment-130719 Sharon Bially Tue, 26 Jan 2010 03:19:01 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=2422#comment-130719 Jane - on those poorly-selling authors with second deals -- I've got plenty of names up my sleeve; would love to run them by you one day. Steve - Wouldn't you agree that blogs and twitter and all those other great social media tools that let us to communicate without ever really being seen are amazing aids for the socially introverted? Jane – on those poorly-selling authors with second deals — I’ve got plenty of names up my sleeve; would love to run them by you one day.

Steve – Wouldn’t you agree that blogs and twitter and all those other great social media tools that let us to communicate without ever really being seen are amazing aids for the socially introverted?

Like? Thumb up 0

]]> By: Christi Craig http://writerunboxed.com/2010/01/22/how-to-get-a-book-deal-while-avoiding-the-slush-pile/#comment-130702 Christi Craig Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:09:15 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=2422#comment-130702 I love this post for the optimism it offers (that I can still get published through a slush pile), and the reinforcement that I have to self-promote. [sigh] I guess being shy is no longer an excuse :) Now I need to get my hands on that Writer's Digest issue! I love this post for the optimism it offers (that I can still get published through a slush pile), and the reinforcement that I have to self-promote. [sigh] I guess being shy is no longer an excuse :) Now I need to get my hands on that Writer’s Digest issue!

Like? Thumb up 0

]]> By: Rebecca http://writerunboxed.com/2010/01/22/how-to-get-a-book-deal-while-avoiding-the-slush-pile/#comment-130689 Rebecca Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:34:43 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=2422#comment-130689 I'm late to this conversation but just wanted to thank you, Jane, for the post. I think the term "slush pile" is ridiculous and I don't really pay any attention to it. instead, I write. And write. And write some more. ;) .-= Rebecca´s last blog ..<a href="http://virginnovelist.blogspot.com/2010/01/maybe-truth-doesnt-have-to-hurt.html" rel="nofollow">Maybe the truth doesn’t have to hurt?</a> =-. I’m late to this conversation but just wanted to thank you, Jane, for the post. I think the term “slush pile” is ridiculous and I don’t really pay any attention to it. instead, I write. And write. And write some more. ;)
.-= Rebecca´s last blog ..Maybe the truth doesn’t have to hurt? =-.

Like? Thumb up 0

]]> By: Clair Devers http://writerunboxed.com/2010/01/22/how-to-get-a-book-deal-while-avoiding-the-slush-pile/#comment-130684 Clair Devers Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:41:06 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=2422#comment-130684 Great article! The slush pile article did depress me, but your theory is what made it easy to push from my mind. I truly believe I am my own manager/agent in anything I do in life. Even if I have an agent, I still have to do all the work I can to promote myself. Waiting around for something to happen rarely pans out. Thanks for writing this. .-= Clair Devers´s last blog ..<a href="http://www.clairdevers.com/2010/01/shes-crafty/" rel="nofollow">She’s Crafty</a> =-. Great article! The slush pile article did depress me, but your theory is what made it easy to push from my mind.

I truly believe I am my own manager/agent in anything I do in life. Even if I have an agent, I still have to do all the work I can to promote myself. Waiting around for something to happen rarely pans out.

Thanks for writing this.
.-= Clair Devers´s last blog ..She’s Crafty =-.

Like? Thumb up 0

]]> By: Jane Friedman http://writerunboxed.com/2010/01/22/how-to-get-a-book-deal-while-avoiding-the-slush-pile/#comment-130666 Jane Friedman Sun, 24 Jan 2010 23:37:39 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=2422#comment-130666 @Zoe - I'm confident readers will very much appreciate your longer explanation of why self-pub can be a superior option. And I pretty much agree with everything you say. The only caveat: Most people aren't as independent, committed, capable, and entrepreneurial as you. :) @Steve - I agree that relationship-building does not come naturally for introverted or shy, and I include myself in that circle! But the doors of success are not closed -- though they may open more slowly, or be harder to locate. I do think each of us has the ability to relationship-build, and we should find ways to strengthen that skill set. The key, I think, is finding the method, platform, or style that fits your strengths. Some shy writers have been able to successfully use Twitter & Facebook (and misc online forums) because of the writing prowess and creativity involved -- and it allows you time to think about exactly what you want to say, and how to interact. Online relationship building counts just as much as offline. In short, look for the positive qualities/traits you possess, and build out from there. .-= Jane Friedman´s last blog ..<a href="http://blog.writersdigest.com/norules/2010/01/24/BestTweetsNoBananasToday.aspx" rel="nofollow">Best Tweets – No Bananas Today</a> =-. @Zoe – I’m confident readers will very much appreciate your longer explanation of why self-pub can be a superior option. And I pretty much agree with everything you say. The only caveat: Most people aren’t as independent, committed, capable, and entrepreneurial as you. :)

@Steve – I agree that relationship-building does not come naturally for introverted or shy, and I include myself in that circle! But the doors of success are not closed — though they may open more slowly, or be harder to locate.

I do think each of us has the ability to relationship-build, and we should find ways to strengthen that skill set. The key, I think, is finding the method, platform, or style that fits your strengths. Some shy writers have been able to successfully use Twitter & Facebook (and misc online forums) because of the writing prowess and creativity involved — and it allows you time to think about exactly what you want to say, and how to interact. Online relationship building counts just as much as offline.

In short, look for the positive qualities/traits you possess, and build out from there.
.-= Jane Friedman´s last blog ..Best Tweets – No Bananas Today =-.

Like? Thumb up 0

]]> By: Steve http://writerunboxed.com/2010/01/22/how-to-get-a-book-deal-while-avoiding-the-slush-pile/#comment-130660 Steve Sun, 24 Jan 2010 07:04:52 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=2422#comment-130660 Jane, Some people, for various reasons, have personality types that are not good at relationship building. These can range from the merely introverted, through the painfully shy/socially awkward, to those who are downright anti-social. Are the doors of writing success closed to such people? -Steve Jane,

Some people, for various reasons, have personality types that are not good at relationship building. These can range from the merely introverted, through the painfully shy/socially awkward, to those who are downright anti-social. Are the doors of writing success closed to such people?

-Steve

Like? Thumb up 0

]]> By: D.A.Quigley http://writerunboxed.com/2010/01/22/how-to-get-a-book-deal-while-avoiding-the-slush-pile/#comment-130653 D.A.Quigley Sat, 23 Jan 2010 19:55:47 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=2422#comment-130653 Great Blog post. Writing is a changing business. Hard to believe the web is 40 years old. Some people are still in the dark ages when it comes to what is necessary to be successful in this field. There are a lot of good authors that need to understand the new ways of doing business. Thanks for pointing out some the keys to success. .-= D.A.Quigley´s last blog ..<a href="http://www.pdqproductions.com/2010/01/moorish-gardens-of-alcazar-sevilla.html" rel="nofollow">The Moorish Gardens of Alcazar---Sevilla, Spain</a> =-. Great Blog post. Writing is a changing business. Hard to believe the web is 40 years old. Some people are still in the dark ages when it comes to what is necessary to be successful in this field. There are a lot of good authors that need to understand the new ways of doing business. Thanks for pointing out some the keys to success.
.-= D.A.Quigley´s last blog ..The Moorish Gardens of Alcazar—Sevilla, Spain =-.

Like? Thumb up 0

]]>