Author Tracy Hickman (best known for the Dragon Lance books) gave a speech tonight as part of the BYU writers conference I've been attending this week. His words struck me so powerfully that I want to share the message with you as well as my thoughts on what this means for me and my writing.
Creative Reading 201:
An exploration of the reader as the author's partner in creation.
Story=meaning
No book lives until it is read. The reader partners in the experience in creating the written word. How that works is that the writer places symbols on a piece of paper, and the reader later comes along and interprets those symbols and make them come to life.
The meaningful experience in all literature takes place in the white space between the words. Minds connect the dots and fill in the blanks. It is what the reader interprets the words to mean, how they are personal, that creates a meaningful experience.
Literature is an art form where the final performance takes place while the original artist is not present. He cited an example from Stephen King's book On Writing. The experience of reading is like time travel back to when the author sat down at his desk and wrote it. They are experiencing the same things in one moment, even though those moments may be separated by years from when the author first wrote the book.
*It does not matter if you are published. Anyone can be published by ordering a copy of their book off Lulu. What matters is that you are read. It matters that your words come to life. Your words are dead until they are picked up by someone else.
We all read the same words, but what we bring to the story from our own experience makes it unique. It is the reader not the writer who creates the meaningful experience of the written word.
The only constant in the world is change. We're always moving forward, backward, or staying stagnant, but we are always moving in a direction. If we aren't moving forward, we are regressing and losing some of the knowledge we had. What we experience while reading a book cannot but help us change.
*Creation is more than knowing. It's doing something with what you know to change the world.
Tracy then shared a story about a soldier in Afghanistan who had read the Dragon Lance books and loved them. He took them with him as he was stationed so far from home. One day while on duty, he was shot in the back. The young soldier thought in that instant of what one character in the books would have done and he decided to act accordingly. Standing up even though his back was shattered, he warned his comrades and saved twelve lives that day.
I can't imagine that I'll ever have such a dramatic experience, but it still struck me that writing and books and stories can be so powerful when you touch a reader's life with your words.
Now for what this means to me. Today I was having a little mini crisis with my writing. Even though I've had close to 75 glowing comments from people who've read the first few chapters and loved the voice, and even though I've had two people read the whole thing and tell me they absolutely loved it, I started to doubt myself. I won't go into the reasons why, but let's just say I was feeling really down about my ability to write a book that I can actually get published.
And then I sat down to listen to Tracy speak, and I realized how selfish I was being. I was thinking of myself as the writer and not thinking of the reader. All I have to do is my very best with this book, and then I hand it over to the reader who will take that and create. There is something so incredibly powerful about that.
Really, that's why I started writing. I wanted to make a difference in people's lives—even if for just one person. I wanted to touch them, however briefly. But in all the hustle and bustle of "getting published" I forgot that.
So I am incredibly grateful for the lesson I learned tonight: I'm not in this by myself. It's a partnership I have with the readers. It doesn't matter if only two people ever read my whole book as long as it affects them, even if only for the entertainment value.
I don't know that I'll ever affect anyone's life so powerfully that they chose to save others' lives at risk to their own, but I hope that someone somewhere is better because of reading something that I write.
Showing posts with label publishing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label publishing. Show all posts
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
The Authonomy Experiment
For those who've never heard about Authonomy.com, the brain child of Harper Collins UK, here's a basic summary:
Aspiring novelists can post part or all of the books to a community of writers who will vote for the top five books to be sent to editors at HC every month. Those books are then reviewed, and if Harper Collins so chooses, they can acquire those books for publication.
Why do I call this an experiment? Because HC is trying something new and unproven to, as they have said, flush out new talent. The bigger question, though, is has this experiment worked?
I can only offer the perspective of one writer who actively participated on the site for six months; from the day the beta version was opened to the general populace last September until just a few months ago. Just this weekend I deleted my account, so my comments and opinions will have no bearing on my standing within that online community.
It started out as a grand idea. "Beat the slush!" the site proclaimed. Get your chance to have an editor at a large publisher to read—and even better yet—acquire your book without having to deal with agents or the traditional route of querying. In all manners, it sounded like a great idea.
And for many purposes, it is a good idea, but not really in the way HC intended it. At the end of my sojourn there, I can positively say it helped me tremendously by connecting me with other writers who taught me more about the craft of writing than I had learned in the four previous years it took me to write my book. I learned to hone my craft through the critiques people offered on my writing, and through critiquing others' work.
Has anyone been picked up for publication by HC because of Authonomy? Yes. One person whose book I completely support. (HC claims two others came from the HC slush, but those two authors had agents who made the deals. Their participation on Authonomy was nearly nonexistent.)
Did any of those books come from the Editor's Desk? No. Only one book has even had a request for the full manuscript, and that was summarily rejected just like the rest.
So have HC's purposes in the site been met? That depends on what their intents really are. They said in the beginning it was to find new talent. If that is true, they have one success story from among the thousands of books that have been posted there, many of which I have read and, though many are still rough, have a lot of potential in them.
If HC's purposes are actually for publicity and monetizing of the slush, as has been argued by several Authonomites (with supporting evidence of ads now gracing the site and a self-publishing POD plan in the works), then I suppose they are achieving their goals. The only problem with that is that they are manipulating the authors who have, in trust, placed their work before the masses—and the editors at Harper Collins—without there having been a true intention of following through with their stated purpose.
What drove me from the site, though, was the sniping, arguing, and backstabbing that ran rampant in the effort to attain the hallowed Editor's Desk. I got tired of being called names and vilified by others for my sincerity.
Whenever you introduce competition, you bring out the best in some and the worst in others. Just this weekend, I heard from friends I've met on Authonomy and continue to associate with, that a certain writer posted his book two days previously and has risen to high rank of 17 because he asked his devout YouTube and video game followers to vote for his book. After 750 such backers, it is obvious that he will make the Editor's Desk. (For another perspective on this, visit Fake Plastic Souks.)
What is the value of all that support if it doesn't come with the blessing of the Authonomy community? Not much, if you are truly looking to improve your work by critiquing and receiving critiques on your work. But if his only intent is to put it before the editors at HC, he can be rejected as swiftly as the others before him.
Many claim that such antics break the system of Authonomy. But I wonder if HC doesn't revel in the publicity this garners for them. A captive audience of nearly 1,000 gamers at one time is what publishers' dreams are made of.
So it all rests with HC's true motives behind this venture. Yes, they have been lauded by the publishing and social networking communities for their enterprising venture. But the big question is whether the site has succeeded as a tool for finding writing talent. That would, sadly, be no. It is a great social gathering place, a writers' forum, and even a fun waste of time, but it is not, nor I doubt it will ever be, a successful way to acquire new books from talented writers.
Why? Because it is too focused on the competitive, on the social climbing and mutual back scratching that one finds whenever a game is being played without rules. People will make up their own rules, and then will be declaimed by others as cheating.
So to all the other publishers who might be considering such a venture, don't do it. One Authonomy is more than enough to show that it won't work to find new talent. And if you do want to set up your own marketing of self-publishing scheme, come clean and tell people the true intent from the beginning. It will save a lot of wasted time and effort for the writers involved.
The traditional route of finding an agent may be tough, and some talent may slip through the cracks, but it's better than the Dancing with the Survivor that is Authonomy.
Aspiring novelists can post part or all of the books to a community of writers who will vote for the top five books to be sent to editors at HC every month. Those books are then reviewed, and if Harper Collins so chooses, they can acquire those books for publication.
Why do I call this an experiment? Because HC is trying something new and unproven to, as they have said, flush out new talent. The bigger question, though, is has this experiment worked?
I can only offer the perspective of one writer who actively participated on the site for six months; from the day the beta version was opened to the general populace last September until just a few months ago. Just this weekend I deleted my account, so my comments and opinions will have no bearing on my standing within that online community.
It started out as a grand idea. "Beat the slush!" the site proclaimed. Get your chance to have an editor at a large publisher to read—and even better yet—acquire your book without having to deal with agents or the traditional route of querying. In all manners, it sounded like a great idea.
And for many purposes, it is a good idea, but not really in the way HC intended it. At the end of my sojourn there, I can positively say it helped me tremendously by connecting me with other writers who taught me more about the craft of writing than I had learned in the four previous years it took me to write my book. I learned to hone my craft through the critiques people offered on my writing, and through critiquing others' work.
Has anyone been picked up for publication by HC because of Authonomy? Yes. One person whose book I completely support. (HC claims two others came from the HC slush, but those two authors had agents who made the deals. Their participation on Authonomy was nearly nonexistent.)
Did any of those books come from the Editor's Desk? No. Only one book has even had a request for the full manuscript, and that was summarily rejected just like the rest.
So have HC's purposes in the site been met? That depends on what their intents really are. They said in the beginning it was to find new talent. If that is true, they have one success story from among the thousands of books that have been posted there, many of which I have read and, though many are still rough, have a lot of potential in them.
If HC's purposes are actually for publicity and monetizing of the slush, as has been argued by several Authonomites (with supporting evidence of ads now gracing the site and a self-publishing POD plan in the works), then I suppose they are achieving their goals. The only problem with that is that they are manipulating the authors who have, in trust, placed their work before the masses—and the editors at Harper Collins—without there having been a true intention of following through with their stated purpose.
What drove me from the site, though, was the sniping, arguing, and backstabbing that ran rampant in the effort to attain the hallowed Editor's Desk. I got tired of being called names and vilified by others for my sincerity.
Whenever you introduce competition, you bring out the best in some and the worst in others. Just this weekend, I heard from friends I've met on Authonomy and continue to associate with, that a certain writer posted his book two days previously and has risen to high rank of 17 because he asked his devout YouTube and video game followers to vote for his book. After 750 such backers, it is obvious that he will make the Editor's Desk. (For another perspective on this, visit Fake Plastic Souks.)
What is the value of all that support if it doesn't come with the blessing of the Authonomy community? Not much, if you are truly looking to improve your work by critiquing and receiving critiques on your work. But if his only intent is to put it before the editors at HC, he can be rejected as swiftly as the others before him.
Many claim that such antics break the system of Authonomy. But I wonder if HC doesn't revel in the publicity this garners for them. A captive audience of nearly 1,000 gamers at one time is what publishers' dreams are made of.
So it all rests with HC's true motives behind this venture. Yes, they have been lauded by the publishing and social networking communities for their enterprising venture. But the big question is whether the site has succeeded as a tool for finding writing talent. That would, sadly, be no. It is a great social gathering place, a writers' forum, and even a fun waste of time, but it is not, nor I doubt it will ever be, a successful way to acquire new books from talented writers.
Why? Because it is too focused on the competitive, on the social climbing and mutual back scratching that one finds whenever a game is being played without rules. People will make up their own rules, and then will be declaimed by others as cheating.
So to all the other publishers who might be considering such a venture, don't do it. One Authonomy is more than enough to show that it won't work to find new talent. And if you do want to set up your own marketing of self-publishing scheme, come clean and tell people the true intent from the beginning. It will save a lot of wasted time and effort for the writers involved.
The traditional route of finding an agent may be tough, and some talent may slip through the cracks, but it's better than the Dancing with the Survivor that is Authonomy.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Supremely spoiled
I feel spoiled to work for such an excellent book company and under such fine tutelage. Why, you may ask, is this being spoiled? Because I have such high standards for book quality that I find many other publishers disappoint by comparison.
I'm learning the ins of publishing, from the first conceptual stages of acquisitions through the editing and design process, all the way up to the marketing stages of a book. On any given book I work on, I have my hand in it all.
The up side? I know more about the whole process than many who work in large publishing houses because I have to know what happens and how to control it at every stage. The down side? It has made me spoiled for when I'll eventually have my own book published.
I know what great design is, and when I view books out in the marketplace, I'm often disappointed. You need a great story, of course, but before any reader picks up the book, they see the cover. If that cover is cheesy or kitschy, well, that can be a turnoff right from the start.
Working in publishing has helped me understand that you have to trust your publisher, editor, and designer implicitly if the book is to succeed, but being the do-it-myself type of girl that I am, I'll want to have my hand in the design pie as well.
It's a little too early to really be thinking of such things since I still don't even have an agent, but I can't help wondering what my book will look like. Matte finish with spot gloss on the cover image? Could be nice. Some embossing with a gloss overlay? Maybe cloth over board to give it a sophisticated feel. The possibilities (in my mind, at least) are endless.
But in the end, it will be up to the publisher. That means I'd better sign a contract with a good one*, now doesn't it.
*Note: The quality of publishers doesn't depend upon size. I work for a smaller house that produces excellent quality books. But that is probably a discussion for another day.
P.S. To answer the question you're probably asking: I write fiction, but I work for a nonfiction publisher. Hence, why I'm not going through them to publish my book.
I'm learning the ins of publishing, from the first conceptual stages of acquisitions through the editing and design process, all the way up to the marketing stages of a book. On any given book I work on, I have my hand in it all.
The up side? I know more about the whole process than many who work in large publishing houses because I have to know what happens and how to control it at every stage. The down side? It has made me spoiled for when I'll eventually have my own book published.
I know what great design is, and when I view books out in the marketplace, I'm often disappointed. You need a great story, of course, but before any reader picks up the book, they see the cover. If that cover is cheesy or kitschy, well, that can be a turnoff right from the start.
Working in publishing has helped me understand that you have to trust your publisher, editor, and designer implicitly if the book is to succeed, but being the do-it-myself type of girl that I am, I'll want to have my hand in the design pie as well.
It's a little too early to really be thinking of such things since I still don't even have an agent, but I can't help wondering what my book will look like. Matte finish with spot gloss on the cover image? Could be nice. Some embossing with a gloss overlay? Maybe cloth over board to give it a sophisticated feel. The possibilities (in my mind, at least) are endless.
But in the end, it will be up to the publisher. That means I'd better sign a contract with a good one*, now doesn't it.
*Note: The quality of publishers doesn't depend upon size. I work for a smaller house that produces excellent quality books. But that is probably a discussion for another day.
P.S. To answer the question you're probably asking: I write fiction, but I work for a nonfiction publisher. Hence, why I'm not going through them to publish my book.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
When is it enough?
I've often heard writers ask, "When is my book done? When have I finished writing it?" I ask myself the same question. Frequently.
For the past few months I've focused on sending queries out to agents, and after initially good responses to my queries, I've since gotten rejections from some of those same agents. The standard line? "I didn't love it enough."
What is enough? I wonder. I love my book, which is why I wrote it. I even think it's close to being as done as I can get it—without outside editorial help, of course. But is it good enough?
I think it is. Really I do, but I also think I haven't found the right person yet who will love it and cherish it as much as I do. This may simply be the wrong time to be out shopping a young adult historical fiction. (Sorry, there are no vampires or zombies in this tale.)
What there is, though, is a story of heart and triumph over tragedy. Maybe now's not the time for it to make a big splash in the national publishing scene, but that doesn't mean I'm about to give up. I'll keep going, keep querying, keep seeking feedback on what I've written. And it may be that a small no-name publisher decides to take it on because they love it as much as I do. I'm realizing that will be more important than any six-figure advance because what I wrote will mean something to someone.
The moral of this tale? Don't give up. Even if you have to change your expectations, do whatever you need to do to achieve your dreams. It's worth it.
For the past few months I've focused on sending queries out to agents, and after initially good responses to my queries, I've since gotten rejections from some of those same agents. The standard line? "I didn't love it enough."
What is enough? I wonder. I love my book, which is why I wrote it. I even think it's close to being as done as I can get it—without outside editorial help, of course. But is it good enough?
I think it is. Really I do, but I also think I haven't found the right person yet who will love it and cherish it as much as I do. This may simply be the wrong time to be out shopping a young adult historical fiction. (Sorry, there are no vampires or zombies in this tale.)
What there is, though, is a story of heart and triumph over tragedy. Maybe now's not the time for it to make a big splash in the national publishing scene, but that doesn't mean I'm about to give up. I'll keep going, keep querying, keep seeking feedback on what I've written. And it may be that a small no-name publisher decides to take it on because they love it as much as I do. I'm realizing that will be more important than any six-figure advance because what I wrote will mean something to someone.
The moral of this tale? Don't give up. Even if you have to change your expectations, do whatever you need to do to achieve your dreams. It's worth it.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Is the world full of aspiring writers?
Everywhere I turn, someone is writing a book. Myself included, obviously, but I'm wondering just how many people in the world, or even just the US, think of themselves as budding authors?
I can't think of another profession (and yes, writing is a real profession) where people profess to have the talent/ability with nothing more than a desire. Art? To some extent. Acting? Well, there are plenty out there, but I don't know of many closet actors. Closet writers, now. There are millions of them. Anyone with a pen and paper can be a writer.
There's a rather random statistic that 80% of people in the US say they have a book within them that they want to put to paper some time during their life. There are about 300 million people living in America at the moment. So 80% of that is 240 million (feel free to correct my math if I'm wrong). I know that's not an entirely accurate number, but honestly, anything even close to that is mind-boggling.
If that many people truly want to write, would there be enough people to purchase all those books? And would most of them be worth buying or even reading?
Lately, every time I tell someone I've written a book and am searching for an agent, they tell me about the amazing story that they want to write. I'll tell you right now that the majority of those stories probably would not sell in the marketplace. Publishing is fickle, and while no one can really predict trends or what will succeed, there are some pretty big indicators that certain ideas wouldn't do well: lack of talent, lack of commitment, lack of a good plot.
So am I trying to dissuade anyone from writing? Certainly not. If you have a passion for it, then do what you must to accomplish your goals. I just think some caution is needed. If all signs are pointing out that you won't make it as a professional writer, maybe it's time to listen.
If this posts disturbs you on some primal level, ignore it. Keep writing. Who am I to stop you? I'm just tired and rambling.
I can't think of another profession (and yes, writing is a real profession) where people profess to have the talent/ability with nothing more than a desire. Art? To some extent. Acting? Well, there are plenty out there, but I don't know of many closet actors. Closet writers, now. There are millions of them. Anyone with a pen and paper can be a writer.
There's a rather random statistic that 80% of people in the US say they have a book within them that they want to put to paper some time during their life. There are about 300 million people living in America at the moment. So 80% of that is 240 million (feel free to correct my math if I'm wrong). I know that's not an entirely accurate number, but honestly, anything even close to that is mind-boggling.
If that many people truly want to write, would there be enough people to purchase all those books? And would most of them be worth buying or even reading?
Lately, every time I tell someone I've written a book and am searching for an agent, they tell me about the amazing story that they want to write. I'll tell you right now that the majority of those stories probably would not sell in the marketplace. Publishing is fickle, and while no one can really predict trends or what will succeed, there are some pretty big indicators that certain ideas wouldn't do well: lack of talent, lack of commitment, lack of a good plot.
So am I trying to dissuade anyone from writing? Certainly not. If you have a passion for it, then do what you must to accomplish your goals. I just think some caution is needed. If all signs are pointing out that you won't make it as a professional writer, maybe it's time to listen.
If this posts disturbs you on some primal level, ignore it. Keep writing. Who am I to stop you? I'm just tired and rambling.
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