Editio Self-Publishing discussion

New blog post -

"Heaven forbid that a DIRTY, HORRIBLE WRITER should submit directly to the very sensitive publisher... authors have GERMS."

http://kj-bennett.blogspot.com/2011/1...

Glad I wasn't the only person with that impression of agents lately. :)

Had one the other day...mind you, it's an agent I spoke with recently at a book store in the area, who asked me to submit after we discussed my book. I sent in the submission, waited the pre-determined time, then got a form rejection that can be summarized as, "Book too long, didn't read."

Mind you, they only had the sample chapter...not the book. Plus, they knew how long the book was when they asked me to submit. Plus, they read samples when I met them, which is WHY they asked me to submit. Then, form rejection...with a "please don't submit again, because your genre isn't what we're doing right now" (funny, didn't they know the genre when they read it and told me to submit?!?).

The whole agent system makes my head hurt.

I really enjoyed reading your blog post. And I really agree with what you are saying, I'm surprised the agents don't wear rubber gloves when reading unsolicited material, new writers with an original style, the nerve of us!

I'm glad this struck a chord - Part 2 will be posted on 6 December.

Jim- that was outrageous treatment: someone should make them pay, and pay BIG!

Part 2 -

“You can’t sell books to thirteen year-old boys," said the MD of Hachette.

Clearly I was doomed to obscurity.

http://kj-bennett.blogspot.com/2011/1...

A few words in support of agents...

Most of them are acutely aware of the changes that are happening in publishing and are sincerely working to get a handle on them.

Most of them thoroughly understand how the business works (or doesn't work) today and will work like hell for something they BELIEVE (not think) they can sell in the current environment.

ALL throw their hands in the air at least a dozen times a day wading through submissions from people who a)don't write well, b) don't understand the importance of genre in the marketing process, c) don't understand their potential and target audiences, d) don't write well, e) believe that their book really is the next Harry-GlitterVampire-SecretCodes-LivinWiththeServants megamillion seller, e) think their agent should do the rewrites, f) don't see a need for rewrites...

and did I mention g) don't write well?

Yes the Harry-GlitterVampire-SecretCodes-LivinWiththeServants megamillion sellers were works of genius (OK some of them). But not all of the fifteen or twenty million people in the US currently working on a novel have that level of genius -- pretty sure of it.

Here's an article I wrote when I finally decided to self-publish earlier this year after turning down contracts from two small publishers:

http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/b...

As it happens, my self-published book caught the attention of a literary agent (via an author I met at BEA), and she's trying now to sell it to a commercial publisher. The nice thing is, since my book is already out in the world, I'll have some leverage over the deal instead of being in a position to "take it or leave it," my only other option being to keep it in my closet for all of eternity.

Ron,

Interesting points and I can't argue with them. The problem I have with agents is that in the UK they maintain a stranglehold over the industry because publishers use them as a filter. Publishers are never short of books to print and they wish to maintain their profit margins: why hire a large team of readers when agents filter everything for them? That way they can use a small team. Not sure if the US has this same problem.

For every good writer out there, trying to make their mark, there will be 20 or more awful ones. I know that my first efforts were not ready for publication. Over years I have improved. I would like at least the opportunity of being rejected by the publishers on quality grounds rather than being rejected by an agent who got out of the wrong side of the bed, or who can't be bothered to read the MS (and I've had that experience several times).

Pamela - great article.

Cross genre always confuses the professionals because they find it too hard to catalogue. I, too, would like a large publishing house to discover my book and get it in world-wide publication on paper. I like paper!

And the third part is here:

"... representation does not equal publication.

All unpublished authors should repeat this mantra 100 times whilst sitting in a full lotus position before eating their breakfast muesli."

http://kj-bennett.blogspot.com/2011/1...

The 5th and final part ...

http://kj-bennett.blogspot.com/2011/1...

"There’s an air of anticipation whenever an author I know gets a publishing deal. There’s the waiting, and the building of tension as the author goes through the process of editing and re-editing. Tales are regaled of how “My editor told me to kill off the main character’s wife so we could ramp-up the emotional dynamic.” A bit severe for a cookery book ..."