tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5999752843311959295.post5662558104498080324..comments2023-08-18T07:59:00.089-05:00Comments on Travels with Kaye: LAND OF THE FREE PRE-PUBLISHEDKaye Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05596677617002735674noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5999752843311959295.post-55627290588382019242010-07-08T19:05:01.311-05:002010-07-08T19:05:01.311-05:00You're right, Sarah, we know what will sell. W...You're right, Sarah, we know what will sell. We just don't know what slots each editor has open. Sometimes the very thing you're writing was just bought and the editor doesn't want another just like it.<br /><br />I still think it's 98 percent luck. I know some awesome writers who aren't published, after all.Kaye Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05596677617002735674noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5999752843311959295.post-81897520764334441092010-07-08T15:55:10.847-05:002010-07-08T15:55:10.847-05:00Actually, I think the unpublished do have a notion...Actually, I think the unpublished do have a notion of what sells. Most of us are voracious readers. Most of the people seriously seeking publication even do strange things like reading guidelines and checking out what our target has published before.<br /><br />For some odd reason, though, we tend to write what we ourselves find interesting. :) We don't want to pretend to be other authors, we want to be ourselves. Then, there's that other part... we need to write well. Maybe we can work more on that last part. Oh, and have a business plan.Sarah Glennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12455113960686270662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5999752843311959295.post-86928442262993241282010-07-08T10:20:20.606-05:002010-07-08T10:20:20.606-05:00I've thought about that, too, VR. Doesn't ...I've thought about that, too, VR. Doesn't it seem like you have to have the luck of the lotto winner in this game? You have to hit the agent when they're in the right mood for your writing style, the agent has to know a suitable editor, the editor has to have an immediate need for what you're writing. That's the progression as I see it. The only way to win the game is to keep playing and hope you land some luck some day.Kaye Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05596677617002735674noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5999752843311959295.post-87402598646670022172010-07-07T00:09:29.338-05:002010-07-07T00:09:29.338-05:00Here's the issue I'm grappling with: Even ...Here's the issue I'm grappling with: Even if you could convince an agent you have a market, would it make a significant difference? Most agents take on projects they believe they can sell. The work must evidence not only market appeal, but the agent must have editorial/publishing connections to whom s/he can pitch the project. A writer forced to prove marketability suggests to me an agent without the publishing contacts necessary to sell the property. Am I looking at this wrong? Help!VR Barkowskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04927993233682731113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5999752843311959295.post-75134980172770408642010-07-06T23:09:29.007-05:002010-07-06T23:09:29.007-05:00Thanks, Susan. Yeah, I don't feel free and unf...Thanks, Susan. Yeah, I don't feel free and unfettered at all!Kaye Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05596677617002735674noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5999752843311959295.post-52196582548164123922010-07-06T23:03:47.027-05:002010-07-06T23:03:47.027-05:00You make some excellent points, Kaye, particularly...You make some excellent points, Kaye, particularly along the line of how hard we "pre-published" work. Many of us are juggling several books at once (and some darned good ones, too), taking classes to improve our craft, keeping on top of the latest in the industry, creating websites, blogs, doing the whole social networking thing, building our platforms...now if we could just convince the right people to say yes. It's a shame not to take advantage of and nurture such dedication and talent.Susan Schreyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11902407971890082541noreply@blogger.com