Comments on: The Golden Rule of Professionals: Be Specific & Ask Good Questions

By: Kathere

Kathere — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 04:30:33 +0000

Great advice for professionals! Must follow the golden rule or else!
Kathere´s last blog post ..Proofreading Services

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By: Melanie Mulhall

Melanie Mulhall — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:31:53 +0000

Jane,

I found myself uttering, “Thank you!” as I read this post. This advice is applicable in many ways for writers. For instance, as a member of Boulder Media Women, I find that I rarely reply to colleagues who send emails to the list asking for everything we know about independent publishing, marketing, querie letters, or anything else. Too much real estate to cover and not enough time to reply. But there is an underlying annoyance factor for me, too, and you’ve nailed it. Such general inquiries suggest that the person has not done their homework and/or are clueless about how much of your time they are asking for. Additionally, for those of us who work as freelance editors and writing coaches, there is an implied request for hours of help for free (or in trade) when those being asked for the help are trying to make a living by providing such help.

I offer a great deal of help, support, and encouragement and support to my BMW colleagues . . . and the more specific the request, the easier to give that help.

As a freelance editor, I am also surprised by queries from writers who want to know how much it will cost to edit their 250 page book–no electronic file of the manuscript for me to look at, no specificity on the kind of editing they think they need, no apparent sense that the cost is intimately connected with the quality of their work.

Okay, I believe this has been a rant. Ahhhhhh. Thanks for that. And thanks for this post!

Walk in Beauty
Melanie Mulhall

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By: Perry

Perry — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 04:53:53 +0000

great advice.
It’s much the same skill as getting a job.

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By: Carol J. Alexander

Carol J. Alexander — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 20:56:58 +0000

Jane,
I’ve often thought that some of my questions get unanswered because they didn’t stand out in the text of the email. Bulleted lists are now my way to go. Thanks for the great info.

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By: Erika Robuck

Erika Robuck — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 20:36:27 +0000

This is great advice. So simple but so profound. It applies not only to the professional side of writing, but also the craft. Thank you!
Erika Robuck´s last blog post ..Review- The Postmistress

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By: Laura Droege

Laura Droege — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 18:22:11 +0000

Your point about the types of questions that get us into trouble underscores what I’ve always suspected: there ARE such things as bad questions.

If the question’s too vague, it seems to indicate that the person hasn’t thought through the issue enough, and isn’t respecting the other person’s expertise and time. If the question has already been answered a thousand-and-one times in other places, it seems to indicate that the person hasn’t taken the time to research the issue on their own.

Thank you for helping to educate us (me, in particular) on this crucial aspect of the publishing business.
Laura Droege´s last blog post ..Hope in a bottle- one simple thing that changed Baby Zoe’s life

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By: Janet O

Janet O — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 17:12:44 +0000

Always look forward to your tweets and posts. The section here on the 4 types of questions that get us in trouble was especially insightful. Thanks.

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By: P-A-McGoldrick

P-A-McGoldrick — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:13:39 +0000

Thanks for the tips!
I, too, like the idea of itemizing the list in a bullet format.

Patricia
http://pmpoetwriter.blogspot.com/
P-A-McGoldrick´s last blog post ..BACK TO THE MOVIES–INCEPTION

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By: Lydia Sharp

Lydia Sharp — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:06:44 +0000

I always look forward to your posts, Jane. So informative and clear. Thank you!
Lydia Sharp´s last blog post ..What Form Rejection Means To Me – An Uncontest Entry- Essay Thing

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By: Kristan

Kristan — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:05:55 +0000

Great point. Generally speaking, generalization is the enemy of the writer. (Har dee har har.)

No seriously. One of my favorite professors once said (much more eloquently than this) that the best way to get a reader to feel connected to your story is to make it very specific, not broad. Counterintuitive, but true. If you say, “I was sad because I’d lost someone very important to me,” that won’t have nearly the impact of saying, “My Nana passed away, alone in her nursing home, on Tuesday afternoon. I spent all of Tuesday night curled up under my father’s desk, weeping silently.”

(Just an example off the top of my head.)

Anyway, to your point, the same holds true for pitches or advice. The more specific, the better. :)
Kristan´s last blog post ..Good tidings

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