Currently reading - Dark and Stormy Knights, edited by P.N. ElrodDo you have what it takes to survive the publishing industry as a writer? Do you? Are you sure?
If you're easily offended by stuff like #queryfail or Slushpile Hell, you might want to rethink entering into the publishing business. 'Cause guess what? The critcism won't stop at your query letters.
Wait until the book reviewers get a hold of your magnus opum. Have you read Smart Bitches, Trashy Books or RT Bookreviews? The Smart Bitches reveiwers are notorious for their skewers. What makes you think you'll get a free pass from these gals?
What about the readers themselves? Think everyone will love you? Think again. An award-winning published friend was at her book signing in a major chain store. A woman walked up to her and said, "I hate your book. I read it four times to make sure."
Heck, there will be times when not even your family will love your work. The other night DH read the first ten chapters for my current wip. After he said the heroine was a lot like me, he then proceeded to tell me how stupid she was.
More than once.
Yes, we're still married.
For now.
Like I said, we all need rhino hide in this business. It's the only way to succeed.
LOL! My hide is adamantium, installed during my first stretch of workshopping when I was eighteen. :D
ReplyDeleteBut yeah, this isn't the place for the delicate and sensitive, although lord knows enough of them jump into the boiling pool and then thrash and scream about how hot it is. [sigh]
Basically, every time you publish something, you're holding it up to the world and saying, "Hey, look at this! Tell me what you think of it!" Guess what? They will.
Hey, at least your husband reads your stuff. [wry smile]
Angie
Actually, DH had some accurate points about the ms, so I can forgive him.
ReplyDeleteThe minute I pointed out his, um, statements, he rolled his eyes and said, "Oh God, you're gonna blog about this." So I did get him back.