tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post6552789515141670333..comments2024-03-18T09:09:59.625-04:00Comments on Janet Reid, Literary Agent: Blogging about booksJanet Reidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comBlogger130125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-2786776010439117542015-08-14T13:23:52.669-04:002015-08-14T13:23:52.669-04:00"A fair review does NOT include a critique of..."A fair review does NOT include a critique of the author's demeanor, behaviour, lifestyle, social media presence, etc. A fair review is about the book, and can include mention of other books by the author."<br /><br />Hmm, I don't know about this, Janet. I read a lot of movie reviews, and they demonstrate that the best way to critique is to make wild speculation about the intentions of the stars/filmmakers, based on tabloidy details of their personal lives. The movie is only relevant as a springboard for juicy gossip. I don't see why book reviews should be any different.D. B. Bateshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14726277195370623653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-778066537822546262015-08-14T07:27:17.315-04:002015-08-14T07:27:17.315-04:00PIC don't think that. Writers love being read ...PIC don't think that. Writers love being read and a payment every now and again from the Libraries can add up to a nice sum! :) Marc Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14655107171881634183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-11179456756497790322015-08-14T06:11:36.746-04:002015-08-14T06:11:36.746-04:00Colin, thanks for adding me to Carkoon's most ...Colin, thanks for adding me to Carkoon's most wanted list. <br />Also thanks to 2NN's for visiting the pandas. <br />In my life as a painter, I have learned as much from the other painters I hang out with as I did in art school. So, this is a great place to learn more about writing and the business end of writing. No matter how much we might to say, "but my art is pure, uncontaminated by filthy lucre," we all need to pay our rent/ mortgage and cadmuim red light is $40 or more for a little bitty tube.<br /><br />I like reading reviews and find many great reads/ series that way. Of course, since I am a librbary girl, most people are not getting rich from my reading. There are definitely books that once I've read them at the library, I find I can't live without the book on my own shelves.<br />Cheers.Panda in Chiefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14160375490647791433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-47776601826174166822015-08-14T03:12:28.077-04:002015-08-14T03:12:28.077-04:00@Brian - yes I do know that. But it's the same...@Brian - yes I do know that. But it's the same thing. Otherwise you don't get an advance and that is changing a lot now. Advances ain't what they used to be. Good publishers are good publishers - a contract is never abut them exploiting their POWER over you. If you ever feel that is the way Brian - walk away. Like I say it is always about Mutual respect. Of course Sales can't be guaranteed that is why they are doing what they can by guaranteeing you the equivalent amount of money had they sold X amount. Editors in publishing love writers and they love books. They honestly arrant out to get or exploit you Brian. My comments re the bigger picture are just that, there is a shift going on in the traditional templates if you like. Some of that will be good, some of it not so good. <br /><br />Never feel you don;t have any power. You have the power to walk away. Not everything comes down to money. A deal is only good if mutual respect is there. With legit companies it pretty much always is and agents are there to make sure the nuances as well as the traditional nuts and bolts of a contract are in place. Re Agents - always bear in mind that they have a strong relationship with commissioning editors too - nobody is out to exploit anybody in a film flam way - but as in any business when it comes down to the nitty gritty then both sides have to be happy. That's called negotiation. <br /><br />When you say the stakes are not the same for the publishing house as for the writer. I don't believe that that tin a holistic sense is true. All cases are different on a one to one basis. But... in the industry as a whole Publishers stand as the interface between the Reader and the Writer. It is the reader who holds the power ultimately. Sure on a one to one basis the Publisher can choose what to provide to the reader (Although you see what I meant about digital revolution changing all that here) but the short term is not what I was mainly talking about. Believe me it's not something that isn;t been discussed at the highest levels. For the publishers to maintain the strong relationship they have with readers through their distribution outlet infrastructure - cutting off the amount of product they have isn't going to be be useful. Monopolies that don;t offer variety to the end user will eventual suffer.<br /><br />But that is a financial/economical conundrum that will play out over the coming years and no one is really sure how it will settle, Look at the big battle recently between Hachette and Amazon.<br /><br />My concern is on a cultural level for the Novel. If the industry this that the 'artists' aren't so important and that they can sell books big time simply by putting the name of a celebrity on it or by massively promoting a project regardless of the literary or ethical nature of it's content - I think we know the book I am talking about here - then in cultural terms it;s not healthy. Mid list writers are being squeezed hard apparently at the moment. If the book industry follows what happens in the Music industry and a couple of big companies run pretty much the majority of the musical cultural output - it is not good for creativity and evolution. And Art is all about evolution.<br /><br />Yes Money is important. Yes big publishers are big companies. But if the people who don;t care about 'content' run everything then WE all lose out. Humanity itself.<br /><br />So that is the position in which my comments should be viewed It is the very state of the cultural development and existence of Mankind itself that is at stake.<br /><br />What is the topic again??<br />:)Marc Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14655107171881634183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-23585315133087768172015-08-13T23:35:23.469-04:002015-08-13T23:35:23.469-04:00Julia: I do pray they/you get this all figured out...Julia: I do pray they/you get this all figured out soon. I can't imagine how frustrating and worrying it must be. And if "listening" helps, I'm all "ears". :)Colin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03292997431935215499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-79020296188852005392015-08-13T22:34:50.956-04:002015-08-13T22:34:50.956-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Juliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15041316285692964293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-35742838908496651132015-08-13T22:01:19.404-04:002015-08-13T22:01:19.404-04:00I'm with kdjames. I do write reviews, but I wr...I'm with kdjames. I do write reviews, but I write them to spread the word about books I like. If I don't like it, I don't waste time writing a review. For me, posting a book review on my blog is the same as telling my co-worker about a book, except it reaches a lot more people. (Maybe a lot. I don't get that much blog traffic.)<br /><br />I also agree that all writing is learning. I found my "voice" by writing web copy and advertising-type emails. <br /><br />Just my two cents, long after everyone else has gone home. lolAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-74099400523024746002015-08-13T20:14:37.773-04:002015-08-13T20:14:37.773-04:00John, glad I made you laugh and thanks for taking ...John, glad I made you laugh and thanks for taking the time out to tell me.<br /><br />As for the rest of you...I've never met a more polite bunch of debaters in my life. Are y'all Canadian?<br /><br />I'm on the Colin/Adib team. Everything you read and write is one step closer to making you a better writer. I read some bad, bad books when I was reviewing. I wrote down, for my eyes only, what made them bad, and that has helped me tremendously. <br /><br />Sure wish I could have jumped into the fray, but I was busy reviewing my own work. I had nasty things to say about it.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11543685541225544175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-50552347409806695212015-08-13T20:04:08.847-04:002015-08-13T20:04:08.847-04:00I've just joined Goodreads and hoping to start...I've just joined Goodreads and hoping to start posting on there regularly. I actually don't really like reviewing books - it feels a bit like schoolwork, perhaps? :) - but I know how important they are to writers, so that's really the only reason I would like to start contributing more in that regard. I don't like the star system though. Just joining they made me rate all these books and it made me uncomfortable. I don't know how to equate my feelings into stars. Sure, it's easy if I adored the book. Anything less than that, it gets murky.<br /><br />I'm also conscious that you can get yourself in trouble with fellow authors if you don't like things. A SFF/horror writer friend of mine never reviews any more because on more than one occasion she got so bashed over having given a couple of largely positive reviews with some minor quibbles - people following her to all her social media sites and harrassing her, etc. And these weren't even BAD reviews! I can see why you'd want to avoid that aggravation...Sam Hawkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05549251130820223139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-3848650530569356022015-08-13T19:38:42.846-04:002015-08-13T19:38:42.846-04:00Marc,
Earning out on a contract isn't the sam...Marc,<br /><br />Earning out on a contract isn't the same as promising to sell a certain number of books. The promise is in the publication and a reasonable marketing effort. If the book sells 2 copies, the only disadvantage is the huge company gets to write off the cost of promotion and loses a drop in the bucket, but the writer loses a HUGE selling point in their career (ala their debut novel). When an authors debut fails astronomically, a new publisher is far far less likely to buy the sophomore release. <br /><br />The publisher isn't agreeing to sell a number of books. They're agreeing to try to sell a certain number of books, and maybe pay residuals, and possibly a guarantee that they may or may not recoup. <br /><br />(Janet, correct me if I've got my foot in my mouth)<br /><br />The distinction may be minor but it's pretty important. The stakes are NOT the same for the writer and the publishing house, so leverage is not in any way equal between the two. The purpose of a contract is always to protect (or exploit) a party with far less leverage from a party with far more. <br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10279775404794792090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-67857924040501379422015-08-13T19:25:46.874-04:002015-08-13T19:25:46.874-04:00Panda: If you want to just say "What [insert ...Panda: If you want to just say "What <i>[insert name(s)]</i> said" that will work. I'm sure those you agree with would be greatly encouraged to know you share their thoughts. :)<br /><br />As for Carkoon's Most Wanted, I have the honor of maintaining that list. I'll add your name and site later. If you don't see your name on the list by tomorrow, give me a kick and remind me. :)Colin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03292997431935215499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-54098555888030462472015-08-13T19:18:23.580-04:002015-08-13T19:18:23.580-04:00Panda I did check out your sight earlier. Funny s...Panda I did check out your sight earlier. Funny stuff there.Carolynnwith2Nshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18394998702410764388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-63246957138714728892015-08-13T18:57:20.442-04:002015-08-13T18:57:20.442-04:00Damn, you all make it difficult to lurk, even thou...Damn, you all make it difficult to lurk, even though I am still reading along. Well, skimming today.<br /><br />With all this discussion of what reviews are "good for" -- and the only motivation, I think, should be to share enthusiasm for a book with other readers -- I must say it is certainly possible to write a review and gain attention from the author of that book, as well as the attention of their agent. And if that agent then links to your review on their blog and says nice things, well . . . it can garner more attention than you might believe possible. From writers and agents and, yes, even publishers. As to what that attention "means," I have no idea. Perhaps nothing.<br /><br />But the goal of a review shouldn't be what it can do for the writer of it. I dislike this idea of an agenda and it has compelled me out of lurkerdom to say so. The goal should be to celebrate and share a book you love, in the hope that other readers will discover and enjoy it too. At heart, all writers are readers first. Let that appreciation of good writing shine through in a review. I don't think there's ever a downside to that.<br /> <br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-28996129300849100772015-08-13T18:53:21.277-04:002015-08-13T18:53:21.277-04:00One of the problems with commenting from the other...One of the problems with commenting from the other side of the country, is that usually everyone has already made the points that I would have like to have made if I could get up at say, 3:00 AM. Thus I find myself wanting to say "what he/she said", so though a lurker I may be, I learn a lot from reading all pf your comments, and of course, Janet's posts.<br />One of these days I will screw up my courage and enter the flash fiction contests.<br />And now I have just discovered the page with ya'll's websites! Oh boy! More reading and procrastination in store. Just read Colin's review on GSaW, and actually now I want to read it, which before I didn't.<br /><br />Any way, looking forward to my dessert of Kale Flambe, from Colin Smith's "Stunning Desserts with Kale" chapter of the Carkoon Cookbook.<br />I don't know how one gets on the website list of Janet's blog readers, but just in case I can get there by adding my website here, it's http://yourbrainonpandas.com definitely NOT literary, but hey! Everyone needs a good laugh from time to time, and also, PANDAS!Panda in Chiefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14160375490647791433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-43398186499706105732015-08-13T18:25:39.276-04:002015-08-13T18:25:39.276-04:00And Theresa that's it for me in a nutshell - I...And Theresa that's it for me in a nutshell - I don't want to do a job on anyone's pride and joy either.Marc Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14655107171881634183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-21046892198694269842015-08-13T18:23:50.791-04:002015-08-13T18:23:50.791-04:00But yes your principles are all right there Brian....But yes your principles are all right there Brian. Mutual respect is the only basis for any relationshipMarc Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14655107171881634183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-12348337322515593392015-08-13T18:16:20.826-04:002015-08-13T18:16:20.826-04:00Well actually there is in a contract Brian - it...Well actually there is in a contract Brian - it's called an advance whereby a Publisher agrees to sell a number of books up to a certain number and will pay you regardless of whether they do or not. After which when the advance is earned out then you get royalties in differing amounts depending on the format of sales and where sold and how discounted etc.<br /><br />Depending on your deal of course. Marc Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14655107171881634183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-5914381976980355832015-08-13T18:10:35.233-04:002015-08-13T18:10:35.233-04:00I especially like the reminder that a review shoul...I especially like the reminder that a review shouldn't comment on personal issues pertaining to the author and/or the book cover or cost of shipping, etc. <br /><br />The "reviews" I post on Goodreads I really consider to be brief comments, and I don't include stars. I use that site mostly to keep track of my own reading and to jog my memory about what I liked and didn't like. Sometimes, if a book really speaks to me, I will write about it on my blog. And rules of politeness always apply. I would never write about a book I couldn't say something nice about. We all know how much of ourselves/our souls go into our writing, and I just couldn't do a hatch job on someone else's pride and joy.Theresahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18165072684559960801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-25654793041912017912015-08-13T18:10:16.274-04:002015-08-13T18:10:16.274-04:00Marc - i think we agree, but I think we look at th...Marc - i think we agree, but I think we look at this differently.<br /><br />Writers sell themselves to agents. Agents sell books to publishers. Publishers sell books in brick and mortars. <br /><br />But nowhere in any contract is a publisher required to sell a certain number of copies for the author. There may be escalators, and they may lose if no books sell, but no contract (should) have a minimum number of books that need to be sold to fulfill the contract. So sure, they sell books, books we write. But we have much more at stake if our book does poorly than they do. After all, there's only one of us, and we're only one of their plays. They've got a few hundred other releases next week. So to me, anything (within reason) that is suggested that might, just maybe, help my career despite requiring me to lose sleep, will be something I'll be doing. Because their business and contractual obligations begin and end whether my career sinks or sails.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10279775404794792090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-56653235623005320202015-08-13T18:02:02.015-04:002015-08-13T18:02:02.015-04:00I'm sure your donation (kinda funny it was a c...I'm sure your donation (kinda funny it was a church rummage sale) has loaded you up with some good karma. You can remind St. Peter lest he forgets.<br /><br />Thank you Colin!!!!Donnaevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09026536210749494257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-68001083694438019052015-08-13T17:55:16.745-04:002015-08-13T17:55:16.745-04:00Oh, and there are times when I am literally too bu...Oh, and there are times when I am literally too busy to write, but they tend to clump together, and as long as they don't take me out of the game entirely (as long as I get back to it when I do eventually have time, usually Saturday morning) it doesn't have much of an impact, other than slowing it down, of course. One of King's rules of writing was to finish a draft - any draft, even a long one - in 3 months. That's one I'm throwing right out the window. Not many people suffer from his rare form of verbosity.<br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02927341320624880126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-46836799202555597872015-08-13T17:54:11.069-04:002015-08-13T17:54:11.069-04:00@N's that was my point. :) What they sell is ...@N's that was my point. :) What they sell is what we write. Marc Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14655107171881634183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-15643501906018192312015-08-13T17:52:55.792-04:002015-08-13T17:52:55.792-04:00Marc, I guess I am woefully naïve.
You say "...Marc, I guess I am woefully naïve.<br /> <br />You say "...it was that publishers sell writers work."<br /><br />I thought WE, as writers did that by writing a book nobody can put down. I get all that marketing and promotional crap but if you use an example like THE SHACK, it didn't take a huge publisher to send it into the stratosphere, it took writing a damn good book that faithful-amateurs believed in and marketed by word of mouth.<br /><br />Like you say, cream rises. Carolynnwith2Nshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18394998702410764388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-59444617484577436802015-08-13T17:50:31.075-04:002015-08-13T17:50:31.075-04:00Carolynn - I agree wholeheartedly about King. If y...Carolynn - I agree wholeheartedly about King. If you've never read "The Body", "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption" or even "The Running Man" (which he claims to have written in a frenzied 48 hours following the completion of another novel) then you might just tag him a pop writer. Even my lesser favorites have completely engrossing parts that reveal oh-so-much about humanity and make you just go, "oh, my." Like "Hearts in Atlantis" - the first part IMO stunk but the second part that didn't make the movie, the part about the college kid playing hearts so much that he failed out and got sent to Vietnam - "oh, my."<br /><br />As far as the setting of word goals - it kind of happens naturally, I suppose, but I tend to go through feverish periods where I write 2-3 thousand words in a few days, but then what I'm writing tends to rankle. Sometimes I need time to digest and reflect, and make sure it's on the right track. Breaks are good, and life, and distractions. Even a writing distraction, like commenting here or completing a flash fiction entry, or writing a song or anything.<br /><br />I find that, except for those feverish periods which tend to coincide with moments in the WIP when my characters surprise me (and Jeez, those suckers are getting harder and harder to tell what to do!) I find I can only expect about an hour of good work, even on a day when nothing else is going on.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02927341320624880126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-36388358792340793882015-08-13T17:50:22.981-04:002015-08-13T17:50:22.981-04:00To be fair 2N's it al depends on whether you t...To be fair 2N's it al depends on whether you turned back the corners of any of those books you donated - and I think you know that. Marc Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14655107171881634183noreply@blogger.com