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Professionalism
Sep. 7th, 2005 02:19 pmReceived an email asking me to read an author's manuscript and provide a review quote that he could use to market the book to agents and/or editors. He'd also like my advice on his plan for marketing the manuscript, a plan which demonstrates a near complete lack of marketing savvy and industry knowledge.
This is the third time this guy has hit me up. The first time I was polite, and offered suggestions on how to present himself professionally which he clearly ignored. The second time I sent a canned reply that I don't have the time to read manuscripts. This time I'm not even bothering to reply.
When I was starting out, it would never have occurred to me to blindly email my manuscript to every published author I could find, on the assumption that they had nothing better to do than read and critique my story. It's the sheer gall of these people that gets me-- the attitude that as a published author I somehow owe them the keys to the kingdom, and could I wash & wax their car as long as I was in the neighborhood?
There are those writers I hear from who want to learn, and will listen as I tell them that it's not easy to find a publisher (or an agent), and they need to start by doing their homework and then sending out queries. That they need to be prepared for disappointment and rejection, and that it takes time and perseverance to succeed. If someone is making a genuine effort to understand the business then I'm happy to talk with them, and I think anyone who has met me at a con can vouch that (provided I'm caffeinated) I'm a reasonably friendly and approachable person.
Then there are those like my e-mail correspondent who don't want to do the work. The path that I and countless others have followed to publication isn't good enough for them-- they need an instant shortcut to the top and are convinced that if they keep badgering me, I'll give it to them. Encountering these people via e-mail is bad--- running into them at an SF con ensures that I suddenly remember urgent appointments elsewhere before I give in to the temptation to reshape their heads.
One of the reasons that I drastically cut back my involvement in RWA was the high percentage of "You owe me's" that I was encountering. This despite the fact that for years I went out of my way to give back to the organization. I gave numerous workshops ranging from craft topics, to how to write a query letter, and even role-played how to pitch your story idea to an agent/editor. I judged contest entries, and critiqued manuscripts and proposals. At some point I realized enough was enough-- these activities were devouring my limited free time and I wasn't getting any satisfaction from my efforts.
I still critique proposals for friends, and provide cover quotes for authors whose works I've enjoyed. But I no longer fall into the trap that being published means that I owe people anything-- except the obligation to my readers to write the best damn book I can.
This is the third time this guy has hit me up. The first time I was polite, and offered suggestions on how to present himself professionally which he clearly ignored. The second time I sent a canned reply that I don't have the time to read manuscripts. This time I'm not even bothering to reply.
When I was starting out, it would never have occurred to me to blindly email my manuscript to every published author I could find, on the assumption that they had nothing better to do than read and critique my story. It's the sheer gall of these people that gets me-- the attitude that as a published author I somehow owe them the keys to the kingdom, and could I wash & wax their car as long as I was in the neighborhood?
There are those writers I hear from who want to learn, and will listen as I tell them that it's not easy to find a publisher (or an agent), and they need to start by doing their homework and then sending out queries. That they need to be prepared for disappointment and rejection, and that it takes time and perseverance to succeed. If someone is making a genuine effort to understand the business then I'm happy to talk with them, and I think anyone who has met me at a con can vouch that (provided I'm caffeinated) I'm a reasonably friendly and approachable person.
Then there are those like my e-mail correspondent who don't want to do the work. The path that I and countless others have followed to publication isn't good enough for them-- they need an instant shortcut to the top and are convinced that if they keep badgering me, I'll give it to them. Encountering these people via e-mail is bad--- running into them at an SF con ensures that I suddenly remember urgent appointments elsewhere before I give in to the temptation to reshape their heads.
One of the reasons that I drastically cut back my involvement in RWA was the high percentage of "You owe me's" that I was encountering. This despite the fact that for years I went out of my way to give back to the organization. I gave numerous workshops ranging from craft topics, to how to write a query letter, and even role-played how to pitch your story idea to an agent/editor. I judged contest entries, and critiqued manuscripts and proposals. At some point I realized enough was enough-- these activities were devouring my limited free time and I wasn't getting any satisfaction from my efforts.
I still critique proposals for friends, and provide cover quotes for authors whose works I've enjoyed. But I no longer fall into the trap that being published means that I owe people anything-- except the obligation to my readers to write the best damn book I can.
