One thing you have to learn as a writer is how to take feedback. Getting critiques and edits are a vital and necessary part of the craft. Also, if you ever plan on getting published, you are guaranteed multiple rounds of revisions with your agent and editor(s). The trick is taking the feedback you get and being objective about it. You have to keep the core of you story alive while polishing all those nasty edges until they shine. And you have to maintain your belief in the quality of your writing, no matter how hard the critiques might be to swallow.
One of the most wonderful and hardest parts of being an author is that it is ALL subjective. You may have one person tell you they loved an aspect of your book and another tell you they couldn't stand the exact same thing. So how do you deal with that? Who do you trust? Or what if you get a critique back that tears your book apart? What then? How do you know when to make a change or not?
I'm really curious to hear your thoughts on this today, and then I'll share mine on Wednesday.
You know what rocks though? When your husband comes in after catching up on your current WIP, and freaks out at you because THERE ARE NO MORE PAGES. And he tells you that you must write more RIGHT NOW, he'll wait for you because he can't go to sleep now anyway. That kind of feedback, I have to admit, is kind of fun. He he he...
Happy Monday! (And for all my friends in the U.S., Happy President's Day!)
Showing posts with label getting an agent; getting an editor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label getting an agent; getting an editor. Show all posts
Monday, February 21, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Whoops... sorry so late
Well, this day is half over (more for some of you!) and I'm just posting. Sorry about that. We had internet traumas over here the last two days. So, since I'm so late, I'll keep it short and sweet.
If you want to query agents, you have to write a book.
If you want an agent, you have to query them.
If you want to be on submission, you have to have an agent.
If you want an editor, you have to get your book ready for your agent to submit.
If you want a book on a shelf, you have to get an editor to buy it.
Is any of this information new? Of course not. You all know it. But here's the thing: if your goal or dream is to be published, and you have yet to take any one of these steps (that are within your power)... well... the writing is on the wall. Or my blog, as the case may be.
So here's the advice part:
Go. Do it! Now!! (...and keep doing it until you make it to the next step.) If we all keep "doing" until we make it to that last step, someday all of our books WILL be on shelves. Hurray!
If you want to query agents, you have to write a book.
If you want an agent, you have to query them.
If you want to be on submission, you have to have an agent.
If you want an editor, you have to get your book ready for your agent to submit.
If you want a book on a shelf, you have to get an editor to buy it.
Is any of this information new? Of course not. You all know it. But here's the thing: if your goal or dream is to be published, and you have yet to take any one of these steps (that are within your power)... well... the writing is on the wall. Or my blog, as the case may be.
So here's the advice part:
Go. Do it! Now!! (...and keep doing it until you make it to the next step.) If we all keep "doing" until we make it to that last step, someday all of our books WILL be on shelves. Hurray!
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