approaching a publisher
Will Reed
multiple pubhlishers simultaneously - but what about sending out
multiple letters asking if they'll accept an ms submission?
PButler111
>From: bigbo...@yahoo.com (Will Reed)
>Date: 5/2/2003 5:06 AM Central Daylight Time
>Message-id: <29213801.03050...@posting.google.com>
>
>I understand that it is a bad idea to send out a manuscript to
>multiple pubhlishers simultaneously - but what about sending out
>multiple letters asking if they'll accept an ms submission?
Multiple submissions aren't a bad idea as long as the publisher you're
submitting to states that they accept multiple submissions and you let everyone
know that you're submitting to others. But you're not going to get far if you
just start flinging manuscripts to the wind. There aren't many publishers
who'll look at unsolicited manuscripts, and not that many more anymore who look
at unagented manuscripts. You need to target publishers who specifically
accept unagented work and mulitiple submissions. Then send those people a query
letter with a short synopsis. Don't send a manuscripts until someone asks to
see it.
ActiveVerb
submitting to states that they accept multiple submissions and you let everyone
know that you're submitting to others. >>
I wouldn't announce you're submitting to others. Everyone does it and pointing
this out in a letter isn't going to help your cause.
PButler111
>From: activ...@aol.com (ActiveVerb)
>Date: 5/2/2003 11:44 AM Central Daylight Time
>Message-id: <20030502124427...@mb-m13.aol.com>
You're wrong. Publishers need to know if the work you're offering them has
been offered to others, and most clearly state as much in their submission
guidelines. Far from not helping your "cause," this usually serves to let a
publisher know they need to shit or get off the pot -- to use technical jargon
-- or they might lose something good to one of the others who are being offered
the same work.
Anncrispin
multiple queries.
It's expected.
-Ann C. Crispin
Fiction
> I understand that it is a bad idea to send out a manuscript to
> multiple pubhlishers simultaneously - but what about sending out
> multiple letters asking if they'll accept an ms submission?
Just follow the writers' guidelines. Do whatever the publisher
requests. You can find writers' guidelines for book publishers at
www.writersmarket.com, in the paper version of The Writers' Market or
The Literary Marketplace, both online and paper version.
Dawn
ActiveVerb
(1) Publishers submission guidelines take the position of what is good for the
publisher, not necessarily the writer. You should know what the guidelines are,
but also ignore parts of them if it is in your interest to do so.
(2) We are talking about unsolicited submission from a writer who has no
personal relationship witht the publisher. In that situation, the publisher
isn't going to worry a whit about losing the project to someone else. Indeed,
announcing that the book has gone to others might cause a reader to put it at
the bottom of the slush pile.
That's just my experience in dealing with these things. Your experience with
publishers and agents might differ.
ActiveVerb
have to tell a publisher that you send out multiple manuscripts is if two
publishers both want it. That's a good thing that puts you in a competitive
advantage. If you send out a manuscript to 10 publishers and one wants it, you
never have to mention that you sent it to nine others too.
The best thing is if you're a new and unpublished writer is if someone does
become a bit miffed that others got the manuscript you can play dumb. "Oh,
goodness? Did I do something wrong."
At least that's what I've done in the past. And I've never had any problems.
PButler111
>Message-id: <20030502165506...@mb-m21.aol.com>
>
>Well, two points:
>
>(1) Publishers submission guidelines take the position of what is good for
>the
>publisher, not necessarily the writer. You should know what the guidelines
>are,
>but also ignore parts of them if it is in your interest to do so.
Wow, you must give a fantastic job interview. "I understand that you specified
I should wear a suit to the interview, and that you require my proof of
citizenship and college transcripts. And sure, that's good for you. But I
decided to ignore all that. So, do I get the job?" Right.
>(2) We are talking about unsolicited submission from a writer who has no
>personal relationship witht the publisher. In that situation, the publisher
>isn't going to worry a whit about losing the project to someone else. Indeed,
>announcing that the book has gone to others might cause a reader to put it at
>the bottom of the slush pile.
Oh, you've got to be kidding me!? When's the last time you picked up a copy of
Publishers Weekly? Take a look at "Hot Deals" and you'll see numerous stories
of bidding wars and pre-emptive offers. Ask my agent what it's like to be the
editor who loses a bestseller to another publisher. (When my agent was an
editor at Simon and Schuster he passed on Jerry Hopkins' "No One Here Gets Out
Alive," which was subsequently published by Warner in 1981. It still sells
about a quarter-million copies annually worldwide.) No one gets ahead by
taking a cavalier attitude toward submissions being seen by other publishers at
the same time.
PButler111
>Message-id: <20030502165853...@mb-m21.aol.com>
>
>I think a lot of writers worry about this too much. The only time you will
>ever
>have to tell a publisher that you send out multiple manuscripts is if two
>publishers both want it. That's a good thing that puts you in a competitive
>advantage. If you send out a manuscript to 10 publishers and one wants it,
>you
>never have to mention that you sent it to nine others too.
>
>The best thing is if you're a new and unpublished writer is if someone does
>become a bit miffed that others got the manuscript you can play dumb. "Oh,
>goodness? Did I do something wrong."
>
>At least that's what I've done in the past. And I've never had any problems.
But you're a magazine writer. You've never had a book published, which I think
is what this person was asking about. Book market and magazine market are
quite different.
ActiveVerb
goes for the magazine industry. And actually for screenplay writing too.
<<pbutl...@aol.com: But you're a magazine writer. You've never had a book
ActiveVerb
>Well, two points:
>
>(1) Publishers submission guidelines take the position of what is good for
>the >publisher, not necessarily the writer. You should know what the
guidelines are, but also ignore parts of them if it is in your interest to do
so.
pbutl...@aol.com: Wow, you must give a fantastic job interview. "I
PButler111
>Message-id: <20030503002400...@mb-m16.aol.com>
>
>I was talking about my experiences in the book industry. But, yes, the same
>goes for the magazine industry. And actually for screenplay writing too.
What experiences in the book industry? Have you ever had a book published?
William Penrose
>I understand that it is a bad idea to send out a manuscript to
>multiple pubhlishers simultaneously -
It's a bad idea, if you like to be a starving artist. It's hard enough
to get published as it is.
Think of it as a way that publishers reduce the size of their slush
pile. When you send them a manuscript, they will take three to fifteen
months to get back to you, if they bother al all. Do you really want
to wait until 10 or 20 publishers have taken their sweet time --
serially -- before your story is accepted or you die of old age?
Suppose KMart told you, "Sorry, we won't accept you in our store if
you also shop at Target or Sears." Would that make sense?
More to the point, how would they know?
Bill Penrose
PButler111
>you also shop at Target or Sears." Would that make sense?
That's hardly on point. In your example, he would be the shopper, the one
spending the money, hence the one in the position of power. He's talking about
submitting a manuscript to publishers -- the ones with money, the ones in the
position of power.
ActiveVerb
<< darks...@ozemail.com.au:
There is nothing wrong with submitting to more than one publisher; for
the writer that is.
If the publisher becomes aware of it, then it must mean someone has
accepted it. Publisher's guidelines are purely for the benefit of
publishers. If they get a letter of enquiry with a synopsis nowadays,
unless it is accompanied by a resume, they assume that they are
dealing with a novice writer.
I have always sent out multiple MSS if I am looking for a new
publisher. Sometimes it is because I want to try a new Genre, other
times I may be experimenting with something that I don't want to have
damage my reputation if it doesn't work. My agent is the same, she
will approach several people simultaneously, probably a little more
selectively than I would. She always has, and so did the first two
agents I had, as far back as the early eighties.
I used to only work in the "accepted" way. A letter and synopsis, and
it was slow, even when sent to as many publishers as I could manage.
I now finish any work and submit it anywhere that seems appropriate,
if not from personal knowledge, then from Black's Writers' and
Artists' Yearbook or similar publications. It depends which country I
am in at the time. In fact the only time I use a synopsis now is if I
have been lazy and haven't finished the work. An acceptance gets me
motivated.
It used to be hard, (and expensive), back in the days of typewritten
MSS and hours on a Xerox machine. Since the advent of PC's, fast
printers and low paper costs it would seem very foolish not to send
copies to several publishers at once. I will even send simultaneously
to several editors that I know and have dealt with in the past; first
in etc...
I purchased my first commercial quality, high speed LaserJet back in
the early nineties, just to enable me to broadcast material more
rapidly. It cost a fortune compared to a conventional H/O printer, but
paid for itself instantly. I am in this industry for me, not to give
any editor or publishing house an easy ride.
It does get easier as you progress, once they have published anything
from you, a publisher will generally read your material fairly quickly
and give some indication as to how they regard it. I usually get a
preliminary response within a week or two nowadays; it used to take
many months. Even with the faster response it does not always mean
they want it, just that they are considering it. Better than not
knowing anything.
You do have to be very careful about tracking submissions though,
there can be a bit of a problem if the phone rings and a voice says:
"Hi, this is Nancy Wagstaff from ABC Publishers and we have just read
your MS and would like to discuss it with you." You must know
instantly what you have at ABC Publishing, or you may breach protocol,
sometimes disastrously. There are programs designed purely for
writers' submission tracking. I have seen them at conferences etc.,
but have not used them. I just use ACT, a useful program for that type
of thing.
I have heard stories, usually regarding magazine submissions, where
two unrelated publishers have published the material and simply sent
the writer his/her standard fee. If this happens, it is a problem for
the editors, not the writer. They owe the writer the courtesy of
formally accepting his/her work before proceeding.
One personal exception. If you approach an editor with a proposal,
even an informal one, and get a go ahead, you do not shop it around
unless it has been rejected. That would be very bad manners.
David
>>
William Penrose
OK, suppose I sold vacuum cleaners, and a customer said, "I'm going to
take a year to think about whether I will buy a vacuum cleaner from
you. In the meantime, you must not sell, or even show, a vacuum
cleaner to anyone else."
I repeat, how would a publisher know, and, frankly, would they even
care? Do they all meet in a pub somewhere and say, "You know, I've got
a manuscript from P. Butler that's been sitting on my slush table for
the past six months."
"Funny, I've got the same manuscript on my slush table. It's all
yellowed at the edges, it's been so long."
"I guess we'll just have to agree not to read her stuff, whether it's
any good or not."
Basically, publishers are telling you to starve yourself so that their
job will be marginally easier.
Bill Penrose
PButler111
>Date: 5/5/2003 8:48 PM Central Daylight Time
>Message-id: <3eb71330...@news.anet.com>
It's hard to believe anyone is really this stupid. Luckily, though, I'm
familiar with your history, which makes it much easier. I understand that
you've had no experience with real publishers, Bill. Those who have understand
what I'm talking about. And if you think the publishing business isn't a small
town unto itself and word doesn't get around when a writer screws over a
publisher, you're even stupider than I first thought.
Spenser
proposals to editors for magazine articles, I don't want to submit it to
more than one at a time for fear that two make accept the proposal. What
I don't want to happen when I'm trying to get in with an editor is to have
the editor feel snubbed because I sold the idea somewhere else before she
had time to respond to my proposal.
I had this happen once about a month ago. I sent an idea to one editor
and he rejected it but said that he forwarded it onto a few other editors
on my behalf to help me out. Two weeks later a second editor e-mailed me
and said that he would buy the article. I replied to his e-mail and
confirmed the assignment. Before I managed to get through writing a third
of the article, another editor sent me an e-mail offering me almost double
the money. Since I didn't cause the faux pas, it was a little easier to
deal with this problem. I sent an e-mail to the third editor (copying the
second editor) apologizing for the mix up and telling him that I already
had agreed to do it for the second editor and thanked him. The second
editor replied back to us both and told the third editor that he could
have it since the second editor felt that it was better suited for the
third magazine. So, I'm getting the higher rate and didn't ruin my
relationship with either editor. This might not have been such a happy
ending for me if it had been my fault, though.
Hopefully, that came out fairly clearly. It sounds like a scene from the
Three Stooges when they're reading a contract.
ActiveVerb
wrote a humor essays that I sent out. WordPerfect Magazine bought it
immediately and the next day an editor at Home Office Computing called wanting
to buy it. I told her it was already sold, she tried to talk me into
withdrawing it from the other place and give it to her. I said, sorry no. She
said okay and offered me an assignment on the spot.
Often, I think, writers are too afraid of editors. They're just people like you
-- and often have freelanced -- and will react fairly.
PButler111
>Date: 5/5/2003 11:20 PM Central Daylight Time
>Message-id: <20030506002051...@mb-m11.aol.com>
>
>In 20 years of writing for magazines, this has happened to me exactly once. I
>wrote a humor essays that I sent out. WordPerfect Magazine bought it
>immediately and the next day an editor at Home Office Computing called
>wanting
>to buy it. I told her it was already sold, she tried to talk me into
>withdrawing it from the other place and give it to her. I said, sorry no. She
>said okay and offered me an assignment on the spot.
>
>Often, I think, writers are too afraid of editors. They're just people like
>you
>-- and often have freelanced -- and will react fairly.
Once again, we weren't talking about magazines.
ActiveVerb
Calm down, silly boy. Actually, we were talking about magazines. The guy I
responded to wrote:
<<I'm probably as naive as they get on this subject, however when I submit
proposals to editors for magazine articles, I don't want to submit it to
more than one at a time for fear that two make accept the proposal.>>
pbutl...@aol.com (PButler111): Once again, we weren't talking about
magazines.
PButler111
>Message-id: <20030506182814...@mb-m21.aol.com>
>
>
>Calm down, silly boy. Actually, we were talking about magazines. The guy I
>responded to wrote:
I hope you research your magazine articles better than you research your posts.
I haven't been a boy, silly or otherwise, in quite some time.
ActiveVerb
in both the book and magazine industries. It's pretty common, actually.
I also have experience in writing for the movie industry, newspaper syndicates,
special supplement publishers, and corporate world too.
Feel free to disagree with my opinions, if you like, but every opinion I
express is based on my personal experience.
I don't for example know anything about or have any experience in writing, oh,
poetry or greeting cards, so I wouldn't express an opinion about them.
pbutl...@aol.com (PButler111): <<I hope you research your magazine articles
PButler111
>Message-id: <20030506193028...@mb-m20.aol.com>
>
>I don't know why you have trouble believing that someone could be
>experienced
>in both the book and magazine industries. It's pretty common, actually.
>
>I also have experience in writing for the movie industry, newspaper
>syndicates,
>special supplement publishers, and corporate world too.
>
>Feel free to disagree with my opinions, if you like, but every opinion I
>express is based on my personal experience.
>
>I don't for example know anything about or have any experience in writing,
>oh,
>poetry or greeting cards, so I wouldn't express an opinion about them.
I took a moment to check out your profile, leading to your website, leading to
the knowledge that you haven't published any books, either with a big publisher
or otherwise. Had you glanced at my profile you would have found that I'm not
only a female, but I've had two books published so for.
ActiveVerb
PButler111
>Message-id: <20030506204914...@mb-m27.aol.com>
>
>Your information is incorrect.
Since it was drawn from your website, if my information is incorrect, so is
yours.
Spenser
Do you two want to be alone?
Or are you just married to each other in real life?
ActiveVerb
no reason, so I decided to filter out that person's posts so I wouldn't get
sucked into the negativity.
PButler111
>Message-id: <20030507011629...@mb-m15.aol.com>
>
>LOL. Yeah, I agree ... this has degenerated into a silly and negative thing
>for
>no reason, so I decided to filter out that person's posts so I wouldn't get
>sucked into the negativity.
It's convenient how that happened right after I pointed out that according to
his own website he's never had any books published. Killfiling is certainly
easier than explaining how he claims one thing there and another here.
ActiveVerb
books because this particular web site is designed for one specific purpose --
to market my health-writing services.
I've never written a health book, so I don't mention book credits -- only
credits for health articles in magazines. (The web site also doesn't mention
scriptwriting or speechwriting credits, because that's not relevant either to
the purpose of this particular web site.)
OK, I've broken my own rule and stuck my toe in the negativity. So now I will
pull it back and be on my way. Peace.
PButler111
>Message-id: <20030507151455...@mb-m10.aol.com>
>
>My web site does not say I've never published a book. The web site lists no
>books because this particular web site is designed for one specific purpose
>--
>to market my health-writing services.
>
>I've never written a health book, so I don't mention book credits -- only
>credits for health articles in magazines. (The web site also doesn't mention
>scriptwriting or speechwriting credits, because that's not relevant either to
>the purpose of this particular web site.)
That's a nice try, but your website does actually talk about your scriptwriting
and speechwriting. So let's hear about all these books you've published.
Eric Garcia
12:56 and I can't go to sleep, and those of you who know me know I can't
resist when someone breaks out the "those who have had experience with real
publishers" bit, so what the heck.
> I understand that
> you've had no experience with real publishers, Bill. Those who have
understand
> what I'm talking about.
Actually, I'm on Bill's side here. Let's not even go into the way that
agents may or may not work within the business, or whether or not agents can
piss editors off, because it's patently obvious that they can and do on a
regular basis, and whether or not that's a good idea isn't the debate right
here. The initial poster -- and, I believe, most of the folks on this
group -- seems to be agentless, and are talking about making multiple
submissions to publishing houses over the transom. If that's the case, then
I can see *no* reason whatsoever why the writer would be bound to wait
months upon months (if he's lucky) to hear back from one big house before
sending it on to the next. Hell, send a copy to Random and one to S&S and
one to FSG and one to Viking and etc. etc., and hell, if you get an offer,
then you're good to go. If Viking AND Random both call you on the same day
and say "We've *got* to have this book," then you count your lucky stars,
choose whichever house you feel more comfortable with, and apologize
heartily to the others that you're not interested in their deal and have
decided to go elsewhere. Yeah, sure, they might be pissed for a bit, and you
might lose that specific editor's well-wishes, but you've got your deal, and
memories, if met with success, are short.
> And if you think the publishing business isn't a small
> town unto itself and word doesn't get around when a writer screws over a
> publisher, you're even stupider than I first thought.
Small town? Yes, yes, yes. Incredibly small, and getting smaller by the
millisecond. That said, I fail to see how not accepting a publisher's offer
is "screwing over" a publisher. They've invested exactly $0, and perhaps 8
hours of work (reading, getting authorization from higher-ups to make a deal
if it's a low-level editor, making phone calls). They'll forget about it. In
the meantime, the writer hasn't wasted four years of his life waiting for
the right pub. to come around. Wait another four years, and every publishing
house is going to be part of the Random Trade Group, anyway...
As I said, I don't quite know why I'm throwing myself into this, but there's
my $.03. Do with it what you will.
emg
PButler111
>Date: 5/9/2003 3:06 AM Central Daylight Time
>Message-id: <TcJua.5428$3e3....@fe05.atl2.webusenet.com>
You need to go back and read what was actually said. No one said not to sed
multiple submissions; quite the opposite. He was told that most publishers are
fine with multiple submissions, but ask that you tell them that you've
submitted to other places. No one was talking about agents. You're arguing
against things that were never said.
ActiveVerb
for a big magazine, so he asked his book agent for ideas. The agent said he
could sent it to the New Yorkers, Harpers, and some other places he had
contacts. But then the agent said maybe the writer would want to do himself.
"If I send them, I have to do it one at a time and wait for a response," the
agent said. "Since you don't know these people, you can can send send the idea
to all of them at once."
And that's the way it is: If you have a personal contact and you're telling
them they are getting an exclusive look, you have to honor that. (Which is true
for magazines, books, editors, and agents.) Of course, in this instance, you
would expect a fairly quick response in exchange for that exclusivity.
But if you are sending unsolicited stuff to strangers, you can expect a lot of
rejection (and probably a lot of form rejections), so it would be foolish to go
one at a time.
Eric Garcia
news:20030509074750...@mb-m04.aol.com...
> You need to go back and read what was actually said. No one said not to
sed
> multiple submissions; quite the opposite. He was told that most
publishers are
> fine with multiple submissions, but ask that you tell them that you've
> submitted to other places. No one was talking about agents. You're
arguing
> against things that were never said.
>
Okay, right, now I remember why I don't usually get involved in these
things. But, just for the heck of it:
1) I'm glad everyone's in agreement now that multiple submissions aren't
bad. Yaaah for us. We all rock.
2) To say, as you do above, "No one was talking about agents. You're arguing
against things that were
never said," I refer you to an earlier post of yours in this thread:
>When's the last time you picked up a copy of
>Publishers Weekly? Take a look at "Hot Deals" and you'll see numerous
stories
>of bidding wars and pre-emptive offers. Ask my agent what it's like to be
the
>editor who loses a bestseller to another publisher. (When my agent was an
>editor at Simon and Schuster he passed on Jerry Hopkins' "No One Here Gets
Out
>Alive," which was subsequently published by Warner in 1981. It still sells
>about a quarter-million copies annually worldwide.) No one gets ahead by
>taking a cavalier attitude toward submissions being seen by other
publishers at
>the same time.
To me, this is pretty much talking about agented deals, and not deals
done over the transom. I can't think of a single instance in which a book
submitted through the slush pile has wound up in a bidding war. I've been
very fortunate in my career to have both bidding wars and pre-emptive deals
struck over my work, but it's all been through my agents. The point of my
entire post was that agents (which, as you can see above, you brought up
initially) do indeed have to worry about pissing off editors, but that
unagented writers should worry more about getting their work to as many
people as possible without having to worry about specifically telling every
house where they've sent their over-the-transom manuscript.
Now, are we all happy and good to go? Big bright smiles and ready to
face the day?
emg
PButler111
>Message-id: <j9Qua.11100$3e3...@fe05.atl2.webusenet.com>
Why? Because I mentioned something that happened to an editor, who now --
many, many years later -- happens to be an agent? That's stretching things by
miles.
Eric Garcia
emg
"PButler111" <pbutl...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20030509133207...@mb-m27.aol.com...
William Penrose
> >Basically, publishers are telling you to starve yourself so that their
> >job will be marginally easier.
>
> It's hard to believe anyone is really this stupid.
It would be stupid to try to make a living, or even pocket change,
under the authoritarian conscientiousness that you're proposing. We're
talking about people who are unaware of my existence, who don't care
if I eat or don't eat, and who may never reply to a submission.
You would like me to be a good little boy, follow orders, and twiddle
my thumbs, while my manuscript sits and rots unread in a cardboard
carton week after week? That would be stupid.
Bill Penrose
PButler111
>Date: 5/11/2003 9:27 PM Central Daylight Time
>Message-id: <856e0bc4.03051...@posting.google.com>
As I said, it's hard to believe anyone is this stupid.
William Penrose
>
> As I said, it's hard to believe anyone is this stupid.
Thank you for the thoughtful reply.
Bill Penrose
Joshua P. Hill
>LOL. Yeah, I agree ... this has degenerated into a silly and negative thing for
>no reason, so I decided to filter out that person's posts so I wouldn't get
>sucked into the negativity.
Don't worry about it -- most exchanges with Patty Butler end up like
that. What else would you expect from someone who gets upset because
respondents don't take the trouble to research her gender before they
respond to her posts?
ALGERNON
Yes; poor Bunbury is a dreadful invalid.
LADY BRACKNELL
Well, I must say, Algernon, that I think it is high time
that Mr. Bunbury made up his mind whether he was going
to live or to die. This shilly-shallying with the question is
absurd.
Josh
ActiveVerb
of opinions are a good thing. But I try to avoid people who get so wrapped up
in their opinion that they become incensed when others disagree and start
lashing out in pointless personal attacks. I find myself tempted to return in
kind, which is just a soul-destructive thing to do. A quick push of the filter
button eliminates the problem forever. LOL - it's the equiavlent of the Prozac
of the newsgroup world.
<<>LOL. Yeah, I agree ... this has degenerated into a silly and negative thing
for >no reason, so I decided to filter out that person's posts so I wouldn't
get
>sucked into the negativity.
oshua P. Hill josh...@snet.net.: Don't worry about it -- most exchanges with
PButler111
>Date: 5/12/2003 11:57 AM Central Daylight Time
>Message-id: <20030512125742...@mb-m02.aol.com>
>
>LOL. It doesn't worry me.I like spirited debates about issues and differences
>of opinions are a good thing. But I try to avoid people who get so wrapped up
>in their opinion that they become incensed when others disagree and start
>lashing out in pointless personal attacks. I find myself tempted to return in
>kind, which is just a soul-destructive thing to do. A quick push of the
>filter
>button eliminates the problem forever. LOL - it's the equiavlent of the
>Prozac
>of the newsgroup world.
LOL. I couldn't help but notice that your newfound dedication to positivity
came right on the heels of me pointing out that you've never had a book
published, despite your claims to the contrary. LOL. No wonder you're
laughing so hysterically. LOL. You and Josh. LOL. Oh, my yes, it really is
a sidesplitter, isn't it? LOL.
(LOL = Lack of Literacy?)
Joshua P. Hill
>LOL. It doesn't worry me.I like spirited debates about issues and differences
>of opinions are a good thing. But I try to avoid people who get so wrapped up
>in their opinion that they become incensed when others disagree and start
>lashing out in pointless personal attacks. I find myself tempted to return in
>kind, which is just a soul-destructive thing to do. A quick push of the filter
>button eliminates the problem forever. LOL - it's the equiavlent of the Prozac
>of the newsgroup world.
Heh -- a much wiser man than I . . .
Josh
><<>LOL. Yeah, I agree ... this has degenerated into a silly and negative thing
>for >no reason, so I decided to filter out that person's posts so I wouldn't
>get
>>sucked into the negativity.
>
>oshua P. Hill josh...@snet.net.: Don't worry about it -- most exchanges with
>Patty Butler end up like that. What else would you expect from someone who
>gets upset because respondents don't take the trouble to research her gender
>before they respond to her posts?
>>>
Josh
jeanannd
hundred different publishers all at once...most of which rejected his
manuscript. Think he said it was the hundredith one that accepted it and
published his work...the rest is history.
--
^ ^
>"< jeanannd
/ I \ /
\ / I \/
"ActiveVerb" <activ...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20030512125742...@mb-m02.aol.com...
ActiveVerb
Writing (good book). His earlier novels and stories were rejected many times.
Finally, he wrote Carrie (he threw the novel away half completed, thinking it
was crapped; his wife found it in the trash, liked it, and convinced him to
finish it.) By then, after many rejections, he had begun publishing short
stories. Those stories had attracted attention of publishers. King sent Carrie
to one of those publisher with whom he had a relationship based on his earlier
work: they bought Carrie for a small advance. The novel did nothing particular
in hard cover, but the paperback rights sold for a six-figure sum. I don't
recall him saying in his book that he ever sent out a novel to 100 different
publishers at once. This statement doesn't ring true to me, since it would be
difficult to find 100 publishers for a horror novel. But he was, like many
writers, rejected quite frequently for many years starting out.
jeanannd
under another name before that...the other name he used for many years was
Richard Bachman I think. I've heard the Carrie story, but he keeps
changing the facts on that one...so I think it's just a nice sentimental
tale he uses sometimes. His wife Tabitha by the way has written some good
stuff as well. Very talented family all in all.
--
^ ^
>"< jeanannd
/ I \ /
\ / I \/
"ActiveVerb" <activ...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20030513031754...@mb-m11.aol.com...
ActiveVerb
the facts he says at face value -- just the emotions behind the facts.
Jennifer Rasmussen
Carrie (1974) was his first published novel, including the Bachman books.
Jen