tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post4528437209457117662..comments2023-09-25T02:24:22.087-07:00Comments on Anne R. Allen's Blog: SHOULD YOU REWRITE WITHOUT A CONTRACT?Anne R. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-21923716558840409032009-10-26T18:50:07.132-07:002009-10-26T18:50:07.132-07:00I like the post and the comment by Northwriter...v...I like the post and the comment by Northwriter...very empowering to continue to send out the original.Dorothy Ann Segoviahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16783805734499717554noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-66323546255295139442009-10-25T15:54:38.076-07:002009-10-25T15:54:38.076-07:00Northwriter--Good point that you can keep sending ...Northwriter--Good point that you can keep sending out the original while you're working on revisions for another agent. "Uncontracted" works both ways. <br /><br />And if the revisions make it better--even if the first agent rejects it in the long run--you've had some free professional advice. <br /><br />So I'm dying to know if the agent you finally signed with liked the original or the revised version?Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-24147203769842354482009-10-25T09:09:39.090-07:002009-10-25T09:09:39.090-07:00Doing revisions without a contract is a tricky sit...Doing revisions without a contract is a tricky situation. On the one hand you've got someone interested but not interested enough to offer representation. <br /><br />Before I found representation with my most recent YA novel I did uncontracted revisions on an earlier novel with a different agent. That agent did not offer representation but I continued to query the original while I worked on and then submitted the revision. You don't have to stop sending out the original unless you've got some kind of exclusive agreement.Northwriterhttp://paulgreci.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-81187264302318269602009-10-24T07:11:00.146-07:002009-10-24T07:11:00.146-07:00Congratulations on the nibble, that's good new...Congratulations on the nibble, that's good news no matter what :) You have great advice here, especially about checking out what the agent is currently representing. If I enjoy the authors on their list I'd be more likely to be okay with their rewrite suggestions... actually I'd probably give almost any suggestion a try just to see if I could make it work, and if it doesn't than go back to the original version and keep sending out those submissions. I'd lose time, which is precious, but publishing isn't a hurried business.Diana Pazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04368186068872293410noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-44921442095097177042009-10-24T06:16:26.778-07:002009-10-24T06:16:26.778-07:00Seems like its one of those fine lines between &qu...Seems like its one of those fine lines between "art" and "commerce." As a gallery director (centuries ago, in a previous life) I would see and talk with a lot of artists and some of them were really teriffic BUT I knew their work just wouldn't sell. Or, they were really talented BUT the work just hadn't matured yet and so they weren't ready for a one-man-show. In discussing their work, I'd go over those hard facts of life, offer encouragement, and or 'splain that when it came to "art" it's a life-long engagement and the field is filled with 'overnight stars" (who'd been toiling 25 years before being "discovered") so dont' give up. And sometimes, I could offer suggestions as to how they might work so the work might be more "saleable." BUT, that's also always a problem: The artist's vision is his own and you can't or shouldn't really alter that -- if you do you end up with . . illustration or commercial art or something. Which means the advice, Keep Your Day Job is always wise. I'd add that, Art is a lot like fine wine; takes time (and many failed barrels) before it/you matures into a fine vintage, so . . . Keep Your Day Job and, above, keep working.Churadogshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17701649330085709021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-75222688315394074522009-10-23T19:27:42.982-07:002009-10-23T19:27:42.982-07:00I agree with you all the way about churning out th...I agree with you all the way about churning out their kind of book. I also believe that the professionals know what sells and what is good, so I think in the end it's a fine balance of remaining true to ourselves and keeping our audience in mind at the same time. Tough stuff!Michelle D. Argylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09696465137285587646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-65363290538235888872009-10-23T17:34:51.242-07:002009-10-23T17:34:51.242-07:00Lady Glam--You're not daydreaming. I agree tot...Lady Glam--You're not daydreaming. I agree totally. I guess I'm not clear enough here. I'm saying it has to work for you, because if you change your first book to get representation, you're going to have to keep churning out THEIR kind of book instead of what you want to write. <br /><br />I didn't do the requested rewrites for those agents and I sold my books anyway.annerallenhttp://annerallen.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-55920513372668944562009-10-23T15:52:01.344-07:002009-10-23T15:52:01.344-07:00It's definitely a personal decision to rewrite...It's definitely a personal decision to rewrite without a contract, but I also think you're giving too much weight to the agent. They're simply trying to find clients they can work with. If an agent asks me to do revisions that I don't agree with, and it seems like they're not giving me much of a choice with what direction I take, I don't think I could work with them anyway.<br /><br />I need an agent who trusts me to make decisions, too. I really like collaboration, but I guess that comes later in an agent-author relationship. Or maybe I'm totally daydreaming. Hah.Michelle D. Argylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09696465137285587646noreply@blogger.com