The publishing industry gives me headaches, whenever I think about it. And it is the main reason I wish I wasn't driven to write, because I'd rather go to the dentist than deal with it. I've worked in it, dealt with it, and had friends in it.
Acquistions editors - these guys don't read. Or the one's I've met don't. Let me amend that - they do read. But not the MSS. They read the *pitch* or *query* - they look at the letter - see what markets the book will sell in, and if they can SELL it. If they can't figure out how to SELL it, they won't grab it. Doesn't matter how well written it is. All about what can be sold.
This is not just true about publishing - it's true in all the entertainment and art businesses. It's not geared towards quality - it's geared to what they can sell. Your description of this writer explains why he got published - he's a natural salesman with loads of charisma.
John Maxim, Nicholas Sparks, and Dan Brown = former account execs and ad guys. Mitch Ablom = journalist selling his work.
Ages ago a college art professor took my class to an art exhibit - told us all how much of what was on display was complete crap, but it would get bought or seen - because the artists were excellent at sales and marketing. She said that was the one skill many really good artists lacked the ability to *market* themselves.
If you read any of the professional writers blogs, note what they talk about doing? They are a)constantly pitching their work, b)going on book tours and giving radio speeches, c) at conventions and panels, d)heading workshops...constantly selling. And the money for a good portion of the travel and marketing is coming from their own pockets.
An excellent example of this is what happened witht the novel "The Horse Whisper" which was sold based on the first three chapters - the best part of the novel in many readers opinions. The rest of it, not so great. An acquisitions editor optioned the book mainly on those chapters - the rest wasn't finished and she didn't care. When she got it, she told the writer to work up the romance more and made a few other suggestions - not based on what would make the story better - no - but what would make it a better sale.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2007-06-08 01:06 pm (UTC)Sigh.
The publishing industry gives me headaches, whenever I think about it. And it is the main reason I wish I wasn't driven to write, because I'd rather go to the dentist than deal with it. I've worked in it, dealt with it, and had friends in it.
Acquistions editors - these guys don't read. Or the one's I've met don't. Let me amend that - they do read. But not the MSS. They read the *pitch* or *query* - they look at the letter - see what markets the book will sell in, and if they can SELL it. If they can't figure out how to SELL it, they won't grab it. Doesn't matter how well written it is. All about what can be sold.
This is not just true about publishing - it's true in all the entertainment and art businesses. It's not geared towards quality - it's geared to what they can sell. Your description of this writer explains why he got published - he's a natural salesman with loads of charisma.
John Maxim, Nicholas Sparks, and Dan Brown = former account execs and ad guys. Mitch Ablom = journalist selling his work.
Ages ago a college art professor took my class to an art exhibit - told us all how much of what was on display was complete crap, but it would get bought or seen - because the artists were excellent at sales and marketing. She said that was the one skill many really good artists lacked the ability to *market* themselves.
If you read any of the professional writers blogs, note what they talk about doing? They are a)constantly pitching their work, b)going on book tours and giving radio speeches, c) at conventions and panels, d)heading workshops...constantly selling. And the money for a good portion of the travel and marketing is coming from their own pockets.
An excellent example of this is what happened witht the novel "The Horse Whisper" which was sold based on the first three chapters - the best part of the novel in many readers opinions. The rest of it, not so great. An acquisitions editor optioned the book mainly on those chapters - the rest wasn't finished and she didn't care. When she got it, she told the writer to work up the romance more and made a few other suggestions - not based on what would make the story better - no - but what would make it a better sale.