As writers, our greatest joys are our accomplishments. To have a work recognised for its merit by publishing is what we all strive for. And, to that end, I wish to share my news with you.
I received the edited manuscript of my first novel, The Wrath of Amun, from my publisher. The editor enjoyed the work, sent me a list of suggestions to tighten it up, expand on some areas, and add a little colour here and there. But, overall, no major changes or rewrites.
As this is my first work of fiction, I can not describe how this makes me feel. Non-fiction has been my genre for the past nine years; non-fiction, to me, is much easier than fiction. Whatever possessed me to think I could write fiction - well, it must have been a weak moment.
But, to have my fiction accepted for publication, now in the editing stage, and with publication pending, my world has opened up to far more possibilities. Writing is what I love, but I have more avenues to persue, by writing in multiple genres.
So, don't limit yourself and think of yourself as just a one-genre writer. Experiment, test the waters, even if it is just a short story. Though I shall continue to write non-fiction, fiction gives me the chance to fantasize, to create, to soar. Stay true to what you love and never give up.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Are You Kidding, Again??
When did we become so desperate that, as writers, we would take a job for no pay? To further rant on my perusal of craigslist postings, are people really that clueless to believe a professional writer or editor would take a job with the promise of pay from possible royalties?
These postings only illustrate how little people understand about the business of publishing. If traditional publishing is the route these people intend to go, less than 5 percent of manuscripts submitted ever get published. And, of those that do, many never realise royalties, and only receive an advance and nothing more.
So many of these postings are for ghost writers to write their memoirs or autobiographies. Unless you already have an established platform, are a celebrity, or somehow well-known, what "hook" do you think will interest a publisher in your story? And, if I'm going to devote weeks or months to writing a manuscript, I want to know my time and effort is worth more than a promise of "possible" payment. The last I checked, my mortgage company does not accept "promises to pay" while I submit a manuscript for publication.
Now, if your goal is self-publishing, some will charge you for the privilege to see your name in print. Does the ghost writer get in line, waiting for payment that may never come? We have all heard stories of "overnight" success, where an unknown writer is "discovered" by his first self-published work and signed to an outrageously funded contract by Big Name Publisher. But, they too are few and far between.
The computer age and the advent of electronical publishing has been a blessing and a curse. The blessings are many: books no longer have to be printed in large print runs, books can be distributed electronically, less printing costs should translate to higher profits and higher advances to the authors. The curse: everyone with a computer and a story thinks they can be the next Truman Capote, Stephen King, or Stephanie Meyer.
Writing a book, or making it a career, is hard work, thus the reason professional writers freelance. Helping a fledgling author to realise their dream is fulfilling and satsifying. But, as a professional, my time is worth something. Why do I want to use my valuable time ghost writing your book for no money, when I can be writing my own? If I don't attract a publisher with my own work, I can move on and write something else, but it is my time and my work. And it is what I love to do, knowing that it can, and has, paid off for me.
So, please, do not insult us. We write for the love of it, but we also write for the monetary remuneration. If we want to be rich, we would be in another line of work, but we do want our work appreciated -- you certainly wouldn't hire a plumber or advertising agency and expect them to "hope" to get paid. Expect to pay for writing services, just as you would any other service.
These postings only illustrate how little people understand about the business of publishing. If traditional publishing is the route these people intend to go, less than 5 percent of manuscripts submitted ever get published. And, of those that do, many never realise royalties, and only receive an advance and nothing more.
So many of these postings are for ghost writers to write their memoirs or autobiographies. Unless you already have an established platform, are a celebrity, or somehow well-known, what "hook" do you think will interest a publisher in your story? And, if I'm going to devote weeks or months to writing a manuscript, I want to know my time and effort is worth more than a promise of "possible" payment. The last I checked, my mortgage company does not accept "promises to pay" while I submit a manuscript for publication.
Now, if your goal is self-publishing, some will charge you for the privilege to see your name in print. Does the ghost writer get in line, waiting for payment that may never come? We have all heard stories of "overnight" success, where an unknown writer is "discovered" by his first self-published work and signed to an outrageously funded contract by Big Name Publisher. But, they too are few and far between.
The computer age and the advent of electronical publishing has been a blessing and a curse. The blessings are many: books no longer have to be printed in large print runs, books can be distributed electronically, less printing costs should translate to higher profits and higher advances to the authors. The curse: everyone with a computer and a story thinks they can be the next Truman Capote, Stephen King, or Stephanie Meyer.
Writing a book, or making it a career, is hard work, thus the reason professional writers freelance. Helping a fledgling author to realise their dream is fulfilling and satsifying. But, as a professional, my time is worth something. Why do I want to use my valuable time ghost writing your book for no money, when I can be writing my own? If I don't attract a publisher with my own work, I can move on and write something else, but it is my time and my work. And it is what I love to do, knowing that it can, and has, paid off for me.
So, please, do not insult us. We write for the love of it, but we also write for the monetary remuneration. If we want to be rich, we would be in another line of work, but we do want our work appreciated -- you certainly wouldn't hire a plumber or advertising agency and expect them to "hope" to get paid. Expect to pay for writing services, just as you would any other service.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Are You Kidding?
As a freelance writer, I believe in presenting my work in the best possible light, and often edit the heck out of my work. And, I am also willing to assist others, to make their work sing. Copyediting and proofreading are skills which not all possess, and as such, I am more than happy to offer my services. But, have we really sunk so low that we will take jobs which undermine our integrity.
Two recent Craigslist postings, "Help Me Cheat on My Spanish Test," and "Will Pay for Classes," illustrate what is wrong with our society. The first one I refused to open, but the second one was quite interesting. The person who posted does not "have time" to attend his/her online classes and is willing to pay someone $100 per class, to attend instead.
Numerous posting ask for professional freelancers to research and write thesis papers, do their homework, and now, attend classes for people who apparently don't understand the concept of education. If I'm going to do your work for you, regardless of what you pay me, that diploma or degree better have my name on it, not yours.
What makes me even more sad, is there are writers out there perfectly willing to take on these jobs. Is it really worth it, to sell yourself out, for the amount someone is willing to pay to steal an education. Because that is what it is -- theft. I often wonder if the colleges and universities know, or even care, that their students are paying for their grades, rather than earning them on their own merits.
I am struggling financially, as are many people in this economy, but I will not compromise my ethics and take such a job. And, I would love to know why a professional writer would. I may sound naive, but if you have no intention of doing the course assignments, and apparently can afford to pay someone to do them for you, why bother going to college in the first place? Your education amounts to just a piece of paper, that someone else earned, and should be rightfully theirs.
Two recent Craigslist postings, "Help Me Cheat on My Spanish Test," and "Will Pay for Classes," illustrate what is wrong with our society. The first one I refused to open, but the second one was quite interesting. The person who posted does not "have time" to attend his/her online classes and is willing to pay someone $100 per class, to attend instead.
Numerous posting ask for professional freelancers to research and write thesis papers, do their homework, and now, attend classes for people who apparently don't understand the concept of education. If I'm going to do your work for you, regardless of what you pay me, that diploma or degree better have my name on it, not yours.
What makes me even more sad, is there are writers out there perfectly willing to take on these jobs. Is it really worth it, to sell yourself out, for the amount someone is willing to pay to steal an education. Because that is what it is -- theft. I often wonder if the colleges and universities know, or even care, that their students are paying for their grades, rather than earning them on their own merits.
I am struggling financially, as are many people in this economy, but I will not compromise my ethics and take such a job. And, I would love to know why a professional writer would. I may sound naive, but if you have no intention of doing the course assignments, and apparently can afford to pay someone to do them for you, why bother going to college in the first place? Your education amounts to just a piece of paper, that someone else earned, and should be rightfully theirs.
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