Unpublished hellos

[deepsees]

Hello Forum,

I have been coached by a very published author to get involved with writer's forums....before and during my writing my first book.

Being the stubborn person I might be, I opened the throttle and wrote the book first. There is something about stubbing one's own toes that seems to appeal to me.

The novel is done, I have been rejected by nearly seventy agents so far. Being my book's main topic is the Blood of Christ it has been suggested to me that the secular publishing sector would ignore it despite the recent blockbuster films concerning the topic.

I am writing my second book despite the rejections. If I am going to be a writer, I am going to be a writer regardless of publishing.

So here I am, any accounts of failed or sucessful tips would be well considered.

Deepsees

[tlm]

Welcome. We are glad you have joined us. We all receive rejection. Hopefully you will learn things here that will help you.

[Keith Wallis]

Deepsees welcome to the shallows - now dive in.

[jacks girl]

Welcome home we can never give up you will learn here that there are other avenues may be you could do a e- book or put your book out there on a print on demand. I don't know much about these things myself not having even finished a novel yet. But welcome HOME

jacks girl

[deepsees]

Thanks folks. Writing is always an optimistic activity. You can't even enter the race to be heard if you don't have something to offer the market. Indeed I have found it much easier to write a book than to get it noticed.

Over the years I have written newspapers letters here and there, but every one has been published in the respective paper. Having been raised in the deep south, europe, and the caribbean, I have been exposed to a very wide range of people. How I have cooked that stew is the scent I try to have come out of my style.

But enough about that, I came in this forum to find some crutches to keep hobbling on with the help of.

Deepsees

[Alice]

Wow... seventy agents... that shows persistence! :D

You said you'd been rejected... but I've started to think of it and refer to it as being turned down. I have a product, they didn't want to buy it. Does that mean I'm rejected? No! They just turned down my product. :)

You were turned down seventy times, but you showed persistence to keep trying. I applaud you for that!

[love2write]

Deepsees,

You have what it takes...persistence and patience. Email me and I will send you a list of agents that accept email queries.

I would not recommend e-publishing or print on demand. You will run into contractual problems if another publisher wants your book. E-books and PODS are difficult to market. There is no bookstore placement, and the average pod sells about 75-100 copies. They are not a good choice for fiction.

Sincerely,
Rita Gerlach

Author of Romantic Historical Fiction

Editor of Stepping-Stones / e-newsletter for writers
Free subscription

Editor for the Stepping-Stones Book Proposal Service
For information: rpkg @ comcast.net

[deepsees]

Thanks love2write and Alice,

I have been keeping a database of all the agents I have contacted. Mainly to keep from accidently resubmitting to one lost in the fog of the day job and life in general.

I understand about persistence, sometimes it seems to have too many letters in it. As a kind of personal trophy I keep the full manuscript on my desk. It also serves as a monkey on my back. The push.

It has been edited now into a third time. I tried to keep it short since it is a first, but in doing so I feel I have not explored the topic like I would want to. It topped out at 118,250 words. I have been told 70k for firsts is easier to swallow.

Can't sing... may as well write.

Deepsees

[love2write]

That depends on the genre. The average length of an adult novel is around 120,000 words, sometimes a bit longer. Visit a bookstore and look at the books within your genre to get a general idea of word count.

Personally, I just write the story. I don't fret over word count. I have a novel I am getting ready to submit that is 135,000 words. What editors are looking for is a well written story. They will edit it down if need be. But you don't want to go to an extreme either way.

Sincerely,
Rita Gerlach

Author of Romantic Historical Fiction

Editor of Stepping-Stones / e-newsletter for writers
Free subscription

Editor for the Stepping-Stones Book Proposal Service
For information: rpkg @ comcast.net

[deepsees]

Thanks Love2write,

My cousin is a prolific writer, she has roughly thirty books published. When I started writing I gave her the outline. She thought the story worth the effort but stated it was well outside her romance genre. She was the one who suggest I join a forum like this.

As far as deciding if something is beautifully written, I think I am too close to the process to know. Stephen King is way too wordy for me to read, yet people think he is well styled. I prefer to use the correct number of words and not a letter more. When one word can say it all, why use five?

My late business partner, a professional engineer, told me that english majors get picky about diction and wording. That they will ignore the topic and message for the irritation of something ill written. This has proven true to me.

Deepsees

[love2write]

My cousin is also a well known writer as well...Nora Roberts. I don't throw that around, but it's interesting we both have cousins of notoriety. She has always encouraged me to keep things simple and to focus on writing a good story. She told me not to fret of the new writing rules that a lot of newer writers are fretting over, such as words ending with ly or ing. She uses them all the time.

[deepsees]

Hello Love2write,

My cousin is Charlotte Hughes, I have not asked her for help past advice for getting an agent. If my book(s) do not stand on their own, then far be it from me to force them on the public.

I go to Barnes and Nobles and do some of what I call Intellectual Shoplifting. I get one of each writer's magazines, buy a cup of coffee, sit and read what I need to know, and put them back on the shelves. In one of those issues I read about a lady who self published and then began an agressive sales program. Sold all of her copies and then approached a publisher with her sales track record.

The women of my family read Nora Roberts. Else I would not have known who she was. Bear in mind, I seldom read novels. My work causes me to read too many manuals and trade publications. If I read anything else, it is the Bible, daily. I start at the front and read to the back, five to ten chapters a day. Get to the end and start over. I am on my fifth reading. the linear progression of information that is in the Bible gives me a better grip on the why's and why not's.

Deepsees

[tlm]

There is no one famous in my family:mad: .

[deepsees]

There is no one famous in my family:mad: .

Then may you become the first. I refuse to use my relation to forward my efforts. If Charlotte can do it, I can. She had a closet full of rejections too. That was before the internet too. All that postage and printing.

With the new tools, it comes down to writing a good query letter.

Deepsees

[Gravity]

There is no one famous in my family

True story, back in the late 60s my dad's cousin was married to Lee Majors. Does that count? :D

[deepsees]

True story, back in the late 60s my dad's cousin was married to Lee Majors. Does that count? :D

there is a saying that we are only seven people from anyone else in the world. Seven people between you and the chinese rice farmer deep in the heart of China. Which means you know someone who knows someone who knows the farmer basically.

I shook Dan Blocker's hand once when I was 8.... (hoss cartwright)... but he never invited me to the pondarosa.

Deepsees

[tlm]

True story, back in the late 60s my dad's cousin was married to Lee Majors.

Farrah?:rolleyes:

[David Meigs]

Welcome to the CW family!