tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post1193998243582663284..comments2023-09-25T02:24:22.087-07:00Comments on Anne R. Allen's Blog: The Biggest Mistake New Writers Make and 5 Ways to Avoid ItAnne R. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comBlogger71125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-82232457462878657092014-11-18T11:22:26.699-08:002014-11-18T11:22:26.699-08:00Thanks again, Anne. Next stop then is to see how ...Thanks again, Anne. Next stop then is to see how a hybrid proposition plays with the agents I have a line to. <br /><br />Looking forward to Laurie McLean's post.<br /><br />Dave Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04951312006744121145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-71389191194601494532014-11-18T11:18:34.152-08:002014-11-18T11:18:34.152-08:00Dave--Most of the agents I know only take a percen...Dave--Most of the agents I know only take a percentage of the deals they make. I'd stay far away from any who want more. That may be more common with screen agents than book agents. <br /><br />We have a post coming up in January from Laurie McLean, owner of the cutting edge Fuse Literary Agency, who will be telling us more about the new roles of agents in the digital age. <br /><br />A very successful hybrid author I know just hit the top 100 in China today. The translation deal was done by his agent, who gets a cut of the translation deals, but nothing from the original self-pubbed book in English. That's the kind of agent you want. <br /><br />You do need to read contracts very carefully. Watch out for the 'in perpetuity" clauses which are where they grab rights to all future earnings. No agent is worth signing something like that.Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-4560550402499705592014-11-18T10:54:04.017-08:002014-11-18T10:54:04.017-08:00Hi Anne,
thanks for the hugely valuable update. ...Hi Anne, <br /><br />thanks for the hugely valuable update. This business is moving so fast, last year's wisdom can be downright misleading. <br /><br />You mentioned that agents can still be useful for self-publishers. Are some starting to accept contracts that limit their commission to the deals they make rather than a % of all the writer's earnings? <br /><br />I've made my living from TV writing for twenty five years, in which business I had my fill of corporate media, so for my novels I'm looking at self-publishing. I do have good agent contacts, but I'm wondering if in your experience it's still early in the self-publishing revolution to expect agents to change their ways.<br /><br />I can see that to go hybrid and for foreign sales an agent might be a big asset.<br /><br />Thanks again for your insights.<br /><br />Dave Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04951312006744121145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-19467487811672305072014-09-19T16:19:36.530-07:002014-09-19T16:19:36.530-07:00Carrie--Welcome! Sorry this took a long time to pu...Carrie--Welcome! Sorry this took a long time to publish. We had a huge ATT outage here today. No Internet, no phone! (Panic time!) <br /><br />I'm so glad our blog is helping you. I've just been emailing another reader who feels the same "tharn" way, and I totally relate. I used to recommend trying the small publisher route first, but I'm hearing too many horror stories. Self-publishing looks better and better these days. But you absolutely need to do your homework. It sounds as if you've done just that. Best of luck with your launch!Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-2710631434139925252014-09-19T10:18:35.618-07:002014-09-19T10:18:35.618-07:00Hi, Anne. I've just today discovered your blog...Hi, Anne. I've just today discovered your blog (my new vice)--sent to me by a dear writer friend who subscribes. I've been doing a ton of marketing research over the past year (I'm launching my first book in a few weeks), but your words of wisdom stand out for me. With the trillions of ways to get a book into the hands of appreciative readers, I feel myself pulled in so many directions that I'm going "tharn," as Richard Adams might say. Thanks so much for sharing what you know with people who need to know it!Carrie Maloneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01691518706707240871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-76294615093157119202014-09-14T10:28:46.654-07:002014-09-14T10:28:46.654-07:00Leanne--Short fiction really is having a renaissan...Leanne--Short fiction really is having a renaissance in the era of the ebook. Ebooks can be any length and Kindle shorts are very popular. <br /><br />You're right about "checking in" with family. Find out how much pressure is from them and how much is internal stuff. Of course, it's not easy being married to a writer. :-) Your husband sounds like a great partner. Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-52312339483352101542014-09-14T10:25:21.448-07:002014-09-14T10:25:21.448-07:00Ryan--It's the only way to Carnegie Hall. LOL....Ryan--It's the only way to Carnegie Hall. LOL. I started in the days of paper submissions, too. And 6-9 month waiting periods. And I remember when the correctable typewriter ribbon was high tech. :-) . I just recently found a box of them in an old drawer. At first, I couldn't remember what they were for. That's an interesting question. Do we have more aspiring writers now submissions (and corrections) are so much easier? Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-38770439194435400642014-09-14T10:12:51.876-07:002014-09-14T10:12:51.876-07:00So much helpful information in this article, Anne....So much helpful information in this article, Anne. I especially like what you wrote about short fiction (I love to write short stories) And I'd add you can elevate outside pressure by checking in. I recently did this with my husband. I thought he was frustrated about being the sole breadwinner. His responded by telling me he knew how hard I was working and cautioned me against applying unnecessary pressure. It felt so good to once again hear him give me his support. Author Leanne Dyckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12886667518427660865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-87602119440677420662014-09-12T17:32:09.915-07:002014-09-12T17:32:09.915-07:00#3...practice, practice, practice. It's so tru...#3...practice, practice, practice. It's so true and so important. I started out writing short stories in college in the early 90's for small publishers and small LGBT presses, and I did them in hard copy. No one back then took e-submissions. Now that's practice. There was no such thing as editing a word or sentence like there is now with Word docs. Back then you RE-wrote the entire page and hoped it fit with the rest of the chapter. And, you re-wrote it so many times you wanted to scream. I often wonder how may people would still be writing today if we all had to go back to hard copy. Might be amusing to find out :) ryan fieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13361694356025572544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-67493764573182314052014-09-11T16:08:41.987-07:002014-09-11T16:08:41.987-07:00Dr. John--I didn't know about the 90% drop-out...Dr. John--I didn't know about the 90% drop-out rate for medieval apprentices. Actually, we probably have a similar dropout rate now for NaNoWriMo :-) <br /><br />I'm not sure there really are that many newbies who write a novel in three months and get a book contract. "Overnight sensation" makes good copy and publicists forget to mention the five "practice" novels the author wrote in a less popular genre. Romance and chick lit are as hard to write well as any other genre. It's true that if somebody's writing in the genre du jour, they may get in the door more easily, but if they're not ready, they have to pay dearly in long editing hours. Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-21392623923996426542014-09-11T15:32:24.083-07:002014-09-11T15:32:24.083-07:00True, Anne. In the middle ages, apprentices took s...True, Anne. In the middle ages, apprentices took seven years to learn their 'mystery' and 90% of them dropped out on the way. Why should writing be so different? Personally, I hate those chick-let wunderkinds who hack out a 'novel' in three months, bump into an agent at a wine bar and get a three-book contract from RandomHouse. I want to say:<i> learn your craft, muffin...</i>Dr John Yeomanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03457052363231077457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-62875457069023288062014-09-10T09:56:10.304-07:002014-09-10T09:56:10.304-07:00Anne--Thanks so much for commenting in spite of be...Anne--Thanks so much for commenting in spite of being thwarted by the Blogger elves. Grrrr. I think you have to sign out of Wordpress and back into Google plus to comment. Then use the Google ID, not a url. Very annoying.<br /><br />Great insight that we all have to become generalists in the e-age. A journalist must be a blogger, a storyteller, a SEO expert and a techie. We're moving away from specialization and back to the concept of "Renaissance person".<br /><br />Thanks much for reblogging. We love the backlinks! And thanks for buying Sherwood. I hope you find it lots of fun!<br /><br />Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-76423186528097215902014-09-10T09:42:25.330-07:002014-09-10T09:42:25.330-07:00It's ok, it happens. (You should hear when the...It's ok, it happens. (You should hear when they call me at airports!)Bernardo Montes de Ocahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15103125832153653134noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-65224188745658397732014-09-10T09:07:44.676-07:002014-09-10T09:07:44.676-07:00Here is a comment from Anne Tezon, who has been bl...Here is a comment from Anne Tezon, who has been blocked by the Google bots, probably because she has a WordPress blog. Grrr.<br /><br />Could not seem to make a comment on your blog as a google+ or wordpress account, so here is what I just attempted to write as a reply to your blog:<br /><br />Anne, I so appreciate your sage advice. Since I retired a year ago from newspaper publishing, I've been soaking up as much as possible about the dramatic changes in book publishing. That includes attending virtual seminars, listening to podcasts, linking to other writers and stumbling through social media ineptness.<br /><br />Actually, the evolving book publishing industry is so similar to the newspaper industry in that now we all have to be generalists and know a little about a lot in order to survive and thrive.<br /><br />Your advice is so worthwhile, I intend to reblog it on one or both of my website blogs, personalchapters.com and communitybragbooks.com. Thanks again. Oh, and by the way, I just purchased your Sherwood Ltd and got hooked from the first few paragraphs!Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-3702372055622269552014-09-09T09:37:47.938-07:002014-09-09T09:37:47.938-07:00Fritz--You bring up a great point. I've talked...Fritz--You bring up a great point. I've talked about it in other posts. Stephen King says at least half of your "writing" time should actually be spent reading. <br /><br />And trying to write in a genre you haven't been immersed in your whole life involves a steep learning curve. For people who aren't already voracious readers, yes, make time to read too. I think you still have to spend those 10K hours at the keyboard, but don't skip the reading! Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-2350697180872722782014-09-09T09:34:51.217-07:002014-09-09T09:34:51.217-07:00Debra--I guess maybe I'm telling everybody it&...Debra--I guess maybe I'm telling everybody it's okay to be a "Later Bloomer". But you're right, it sure is nice to have backpedaling as an option. Another benefit of writing in the e-age!Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-8385333376545462762014-09-09T09:33:11.420-07:002014-09-09T09:33:11.420-07:00Tina--Thanks so much. And I always appreciate it w...Tina--Thanks so much. And I always appreciate it when people jump through all the hoops to comment.Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-59687205647732856262014-09-09T06:01:40.957-07:002014-09-09T06:01:40.957-07:00The corollary to that isn't reading enough in ...The corollary to that isn't reading enough in the genre you want write in. In fact, I'd argue not reading enough is a more serious error than trying to start too soon. Remember that 10,000 hour rule for becoming an expert? (Well, rule is a bit strong, but there is truth to it.) I think one of the cool things about working your way towards becoming adept at writing is that a good chunk of that 10,000 hours (or so) can be accomplished by reading.Fritz Freiheithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05850882714883090857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-28112026789548121282014-09-08T21:59:58.846-07:002014-09-08T21:59:58.846-07:00Anne, can't tell you how it tickles me to hear...Anne, can't tell you how it tickles me to hear you say starting too early could be a mistake! Couldn't agree more and wish I'd realized that three years ago. Thank goodness, with self-publishing, there's time to backpedal. Debra Eve | Later Bloomerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06352958666659616541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-75200516737460183002014-09-08T21:15:18.248-07:002014-09-08T21:15:18.248-07:00Your blog is one of my favorites! You deserve all ...Your blog is one of my favorites! You deserve all the kudos. <br />TinaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-600073286788746412014-09-08T18:46:03.503-07:002014-09-08T18:46:03.503-07:00Bernardo--Multi-culti is really popular. I apologi...Bernardo--Multi-culti is really popular. I apologize for misspelling your name up there. I even once lived in a town called Rancho Bernardo. I ought to be able to spell it. :-) Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-29349545528552628422014-09-08T17:28:21.766-07:002014-09-08T17:28:21.766-07:00Thanks a lot for the reply! Very insightful! And i...Thanks a lot for the reply! Very insightful! And indeed multi-culti is pretty much my niche. Bernardo Montes de Ocahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15103125832153653134noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-578078111888890932014-09-08T15:55:00.241-07:002014-09-08T15:55:00.241-07:00Anne-I recently found a journal from when we did a...Anne-I recently found a journal from when we did a Query-Wri-Mo together. A query a day. Must have been 2009 or 2010. So discouraging. Sometimes I got rejections within hours. <br /><br />What I didn't know was that NO agent was looking at anything that could be called "chick lit". Comedy was out and teenaged angsty vampires were in. I also didn't know that the fact I'd been published by a small press and didn't have spectacular sales meant I was persona non grata in the publishing industry. Of course that was before I had a huge platform. And the comeback of chick lit. You may find that the only thing wrong with your work back then was timing. Sometimes it doesn't have anything to do with our work. <br /><br />15 books in 3 years is phenomenal! Congrats. Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-73953267645272706052014-09-08T13:50:15.558-07:002014-09-08T13:50:15.558-07:00I did rush to publish, but luckily, I had lots of ...I did rush to publish, but luckily, I had lots of practice and great critique partners. I guess I just couldn't stand the query-go-round and that's why I self-published. I think though, I learn more about the business as I keep publishing and am satisfied with the way my career is turning out. <br /><br />With 15 books in 3 years, I know what makes a good book and think next year when my current series is finished, I may jump on the query-go-round again. I mean, I can "prove" I know how to write. <br /><br />Maybe someday I'll be living the dream.Anne Gallagherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12299643638346680038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-19790742014289941062014-09-08T12:04:57.340-07:002014-09-08T12:04:57.340-07:00A.K.--Thanks. It's sure true that writers can ...A.K.--Thanks. It's sure true that writers can be our own worst enemies. And we can also give each other bad advice. <br /><br />Linda Adams isn't wrong in what she said in the comments about some feedback leading us astray. But until we learn what feedback is valuable and what isn't, we're still in the learning stage. Reviewers say much harsher (and often stupider) stuff than critique groups, so the learning stage also has to do with developing thick skin. <br /><br />And yes, agents have scooped bestsellers (usually YA) from Wattpad.Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.com