tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post822139594065536127..comments2024-03-18T09:09:59.625-04:00Comments on Janet Reid, Literary Agent: Unleash your capitalist running dogJanet Reidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-21222896917891400512016-09-28T23:30:16.791-04:002016-09-28T23:30:16.791-04:00Fascinating reading this.
I started to read at 4 ...Fascinating reading this.<br /><br />I started to read at 4 (Grandma was a grade school teacher) and never stopped. I read (past tense "read') any and all stories from Pooh to Poe. I loved stories like Noah's Ark, the birth of Jesus and Brave New World. I am an agnostic. I believe all things are possible given enough time. <br /><br />I read stories of the old South in the USA and sad tales of Hitler and the Jews. I liked Aesop's tales and Silverstein prosey poems. I wanted to live in Narnia, Oz, Camelot and in Middle Earth (but not in Carkoon). I read everything in-between, still do.<br />It is the story matters. It's the story that sticks, not necessarily the lesson. The writing in the story had to take me where I've never been, let me see with different eyes. I learned to think, analyze, fantasize and wonder with all those stories. <br /><br />So the most important thing is a story well told and well written. <br />All else is a waste of worry.<br />Kate Higginshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09861373649696211491noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-66973599005728066442016-09-28T03:52:10.454-04:002016-09-28T03:52:10.454-04:00OP = original poster
NORMAN = NO Response MeANs no...OP = original poster<br />NORMAN = NO Response MeANs no<br /><br />Blog glossary: <br />http://jetreidliterary.blogspot.com.au/2004/08/terms-youll-see-on-blog.html?m=1<br /><br />:)MA Hudsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11055543285024785889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-12095073094811187752016-09-27T23:58:41.380-04:002016-09-27T23:58:41.380-04:00I was on a jet once, flying over what I considered...I was on a jet once, flying over what I considered to be a desert but which the locals insisted was the plains. The destination was Denver and I met a couple, we got a bit chatty through dint of my not inconsiderable personal charm. Suddenly, through what arcane prompt I'll never reconcile, the topic turned to politics: 'We're conservative!' they exclaimed proudly, (whether it should be a capital 'C' I cannot say) 'what are you?'.<br /><br />'--um I don't really do politics' and so began my inculcation in the world of US political divisions. I suppose they must've considered me one of the souls without affiliation in the rebellion of the angels because they really weren't happy with my statement. As my education developed it became apparent that the political divisions that occupied the thoughts of this couple, were materially non-existent. It's funny though, one would assume that consensus politics would breed, you know--consensus but that turned out to be a far cry from the state of affairs I encountered.<br /><br />So it doesn't come as a surprise that an author should seek to reflect their partisan affiliations in their writing, it's just that I suspect it's likely to be a teensy bit contrived. The test I would apply in that regard, is to examine the characters and look for traits like; wife beating, sexual indiscretion and drug abuse applied conveniently to colour a party as undesirable. If that's not present and the narrative confines its exploration to the <i>issues</i>, such as they are in this instance (I'm not exactly sure what they would be, as far as I can tell one party likes toast, the other likes crumpet with their breakfast) then you should be okay. I would though, give Johnathan Swift a gander next time you've got time on your hands.DeadSpiderEyehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07687178085803686186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-30959191292214808142016-09-27T23:35:37.245-04:002016-09-27T23:35:37.245-04:00And here's a late night tidbit for you: It see...And here's a late night tidbit for you: It seems "Battlestar Galactica" creator Glenn A. Larson was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ("Mormons"), and incorporated themes drawn from his church's theology into the show. :)Colin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03292997431935215499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-50077709888904203562016-09-27T22:23:13.052-04:002016-09-27T22:23:13.052-04:00There is a big difference between writing with a s...There is a big difference between writing with a specific agenda (aka preachy shit) and having a character, whose political/philosophical/religious leanings that are crucial to the story. I get the general impression that Julie Weathers and I are not on the same side of the political aisle, but I would read any thing she wrote, because she's a good writer who writes with conviction. <br /> I loved The Chronicles of Narnia and it only occured to me long after the fact that CS Lewis wrote it as a Christian allegory.<br />If it's a great story with compelling characters, I don't really care what their belifs are. Convince me that their beliefs are pivotal to the plot and I'm yours.<br />Beat me over the head with your personal dogma and you'll see how fast a panda can run. Panda in Chiefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14160375490647791433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-83946768222385261912016-09-27T22:10:16.405-04:002016-09-27T22:10:16.405-04:00Sun has set on the reef, but I'm chiming in to...Sun has set on the reef, but I'm chiming in to say it was a great read through the comments just now. So many of you made excellent points, and gave the Opie great advice. <br /><br />As for me, I'm an equal opportunity reader. Unless you're pushing something truly heinous, I just want to read a good story, politics be damned. <br /><br /><b>EM Goldsmith</b>: The Magician's Nephew was my favorite, too. I still want to shout "NOOOO!" as Digory strikes the Bell of Charn, which is inscribed: "Make your choice, adventurous Stranger; Strike the bell and bide the danger, Or wonder, till it drives you mad, What would have followed if you had."<br /><br /><b>Julie Weathers</b>: I love what you said so much: "Better to be the oasis."<br /><br /><b>Calorie Bombshell</b>: I'm with you. And when a thriller featuring a Whig, an Exhibitionist, and a Pirate hits the shelves, I will buy it!!!<br /><br />Finally, <b>Colin</b>: I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND GRENADE. Oh. My. God. :-)Claire Bobrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15666082441972111293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-57891348575449194022016-09-27T21:21:29.909-04:002016-09-27T21:21:29.909-04:00Hey there, Kathy and others new-to-the-comments! Y...Hey there, <b>Kathy</b> and others new-to-the-comments! Yes, aside from being a published author, my industry ambition is to make NORMAN a standard term of derision. "Oh, you aren't a <i>NORMAN</i> are you...?" "Uh... well, I was but I'm trying to quit." Apologies to anyone whose name is actually Norman. You are not the intended target. Unless you're an agent who NORMANs... ;)<br /><br /><b>Lennon</b>: You know, it might be. Has anyone checked to see if Qotku is actually a Russian curse word? Perhaps that's why we don't seem to have many Russian commenters...Colin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03292997431935215499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-85938456137087824112016-09-27T20:40:44.891-04:002016-09-27T20:40:44.891-04:00Yeah when I when I was first lurking it took me a ...Yeah when I when I was first lurking it took me a long time to figure out what QOTKU was (Queen Of The Known Universe, aka Janet). In my head, it sounded like everyone was cursing in Russian. Lennon Farishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03570629350169504234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-68535275577220746512016-09-27T20:14:05.517-04:002016-09-27T20:14:05.517-04:00Oh, and also there is a blog glossary on the right...Oh, and also there is a blog glossary on the right of the home page. I guess I got OP wrong--it means original poster. Welcome to the newest commenters!RosannaMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06399732751877180737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-16041236480094119912016-09-27T20:10:12.836-04:002016-09-27T20:10:12.836-04:00Hello Kathy and Unknown,
Yeah. That took me awhil...Hello <b>Kathy</b> and Unknown,<br /><br />Yeah. That took me awhile of reading before I figured those out. NORMAN means 'no response means a no' in regards to your query letter. Some agents who do not feel your book is right for them simply don't answer. <br /><br />And OP--means One Posting. Or the questioner that Janet answers. <br /><br />If I'm wrong one of the old-reiders will chime in.RosannaMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06399732751877180737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-57760279828329021422016-09-27T20:06:22.093-04:002016-09-27T20:06:22.093-04:00kathy joyce: In the top right corner of the blog p...kathy joyce: In the top right corner of the blog page, there's a link to the blog glossary, for times when you're curious and we're not around (not everyone sticks around as late as I do):<br /><br />NORMAN is Colin's acronym for agents who don't respond to queries: "NO Response MeAns No".<br /><br />OP means 'original poster', sometimes written as Opie, to sound more friendly. Basically, the person who asked the question.<br /><br />Welcome to the comments! We are happy to answer questions. (((hugs)))BJ Muntainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12977414826388000094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-56008914443103028492016-09-27T19:51:07.249-04:002016-09-27T19:51:07.249-04:00What's a NORMAN? How about OP (opie)? Thanks!What's a NORMAN? How about OP (opie)? Thanks!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03581361783795436259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-38749590274630234442016-09-27T18:31:38.309-04:002016-09-27T18:31:38.309-04:00Joseph Snoe - I have Heartsick and a couple of oth...Joseph Snoe - I have Heartsick and a couple of other Cain novels. Agree that the antagonist is deliciously twisted. Not that I, personally, would know what twisted is, of course. :-)Calorie Bombshellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18039655088542854847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-89486859922836160832016-09-27T18:17:37.025-04:002016-09-27T18:17:37.025-04:00Going to pop in with some unrelated mishmash. Been...Going to pop in with some unrelated mishmash. Been super busy but just wanted to give a congrats to yesterday's finalists as well as (of course) Donna. I have your book on pre - order and am very much looking forward to reading. Like my buddy Bob proehls book (which was FANTASTIC by the way) I look forward to putting it on my high school's reading list. We have a fabulous library and an awesome cadre of readers. They really nail the shit out of my list (love those kids). But I get to read Dixie first! Best everyone, and thanks for last week's contest, host of hosts.Timothy Lowehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07514224628760035696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-32829011328312403102016-09-27T15:59:42.442-04:002016-09-27T15:59:42.442-04:00As a reader, I will read books where the character...As a reader, I will read books where the characters have nothing in common with me, not values, belief systems, way of life-you name it. And I don't care as long as they are compelling and the story draws me in and carries me away. <br /><br />But there is nothing worse than hearing the writer try to pound home their ideology. Can they explore religion and politics and race relations and any other topic that polarize people? Absolutely. But don't take me out of the story. <br /><br />My advice to the OP is to have someone or a couple of someones read your query. Then hopefully you can figure out if the query is the problem or the market is saturated. It is hard to fix the problem if you don't know what it is. Best of luck!RosannaMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06399732751877180737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-90114648546309335152016-09-27T15:59:37.096-04:002016-09-27T15:59:37.096-04:00Talk to me after your 200th rejection. That's ...Talk to me after your 200th rejection. That's when I'll listen to a writer cry in their beer. (And then tell them to write something else.)<br /><br />Publishing is a tough business. But it is first and foremost a business.It's highly unlikely that a compelling thriller would get turned down due to the author's political leanings. <br /><br />My advice to the writer, if he or she can manage it, is to attend International Thriller Writers' ThrillerFest next July in NYC. (If you sign up early enough, you even have an opportunity to attend a briefing at FBI Headquarters.) The answer to the writer's question about why the submission has been getting rejected can probably be found at either the Pitchfest or Craftfest portion of the conference.JD Hornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05538238148744690853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-63489256707974983492016-09-27T15:47:03.867-04:002016-09-27T15:47:03.867-04:00Steve Stubbs
Atlas Shrugged still does pretty wel...Steve Stubbs<br /><br />Atlas Shrugged still does pretty well, too. Joseph S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07437663031050410028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-1552415596918687392016-09-27T15:42:23.393-04:002016-09-27T15:42:23.393-04:00Calorie
One more if you like a crazy woman (in a ...Calorie<br /><br />One more if you like a crazy woman (in a nice way) writing about a crazy woman (in a not nice way), try something by Chelsea Cain. I read "Heartsick" and "One Kick" sits on my shelf demanding to be read.<br /><br />I warn you: The evil woman in Heartsick (Gretchen Lowell) is really a sicko psycho.Joseph S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07437663031050410028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-7105746798552695482016-09-27T15:27:05.956-04:002016-09-27T15:27:05.956-04:00I don’t have the URL handy, bit I did read a comme...I don’t have the URL handy, bit I did read a comment by an agent on the net whp said lots of people watch Fox News and get worked up about politics and want to write a book holding forth on why we need to reutrn to the seventeenth century or whatever. It is a great book idea, but the agent said agents tend to reject these things because nobody cares what we plain mortals think unless you have a platform. If your name is Jeffrey Toobin and you write for THE NEW YORKER and you are fascinating as hell to listen to, you can write about a tired subject likje Patty Hearst and it will be a commercial success.<br /><br />Unfortunately for most of us, not so much.<br /><br />So what I am wondering is, if you are banging away about politics in your query and giving the impression this is a political rant by someone who is not a professional ranter. If my suspicion is correct, your query can easily be fixed by focusing on the story and not what you think about Donald J. Trump. Leave the politics out altogether, in other words, and use the freed space for your story.<br /><br />The novel might need to be fixed as well. There is an erstwhile writer who is also an erstwhile member of the homeless population who wrote a science fiction novel even lulu.com would not publish. I never saw it but a lady who did said it was 500,000 words of ain’t-it-awful that not everybody is equally rich, with a thin layer of science fiction overlaid on it to make it look like a story.<br /><br />The moral is, unless your pen name is George Orwell and your real name is Blair, preaching about politics may be a bad strategy for writing a novel. It can be done. Witness Orwell’s novel DOWN AND OUT IN PARIS AND LONDON, which is even better than 1984 IMO. Orwell was one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century. If you want to know how to mix politics and story he is a great role model. Let me rephrase that. He is the best ever. If you are not a genius of the first water as he was, or suspect you are not there yet, you might want to heed the old Hollywood maxim given as advice to screenwriters:<br /><br />“If you want a message, call your answering service.”<br /><br />Steve Stubbshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13421775912951050610noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-36530415879579353462016-09-27T14:29:29.035-04:002016-09-27T14:29:29.035-04:00Naked owls? Sounds a bit of a hoot to me, actually...Naked owls? Sounds a bit of a hoot to me, actually... ;)Colin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03292997431935215499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-27101911673370101932016-09-27T13:07:54.260-04:002016-09-27T13:07:54.260-04:00Naked owls. Now that is edgy. Naked owls. Now that is edgy. E.M. Goldsmithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18387494005655553037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-63578097204170198912016-09-27T13:02:34.180-04:002016-09-27T13:02:34.180-04:00Barbara
Owls, huh?
So your book is about the Illu...Barbara<br /><br />Owls, huh?<br />So your book is about the Illuminati?<br />(just joking)Joseph S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07437663031050410028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-85184645721501072562016-09-27T12:48:12.455-04:002016-09-27T12:48:12.455-04:00Ditto what Dena said. Write the book you want to w...Ditto what <b>Dena</b> said. Write the book you want to write and don't change just to fit a perceived market trend.<br /><br />Like Dena, I had a rejection letter from an agent who, after he complimented my writing, said he preferred books that were more "edgy." I had submitted a middle-grade animal fantasy. Later someone in my critique group said I should make my book edgier by including a scene where everyone was naked. I replied, "All the owls in my novel don't wear clothes." :-)Barbara Etlinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07190731838738606727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-2758170130500450042016-09-27T12:39:42.426-04:002016-09-27T12:39:42.426-04:00I too like thrillers. In fact I have written a cou...I too like thrillers. In fact I have written a couple and am considering tossing them into the trenches soon.<br /><br />I have to stick by my delusion that my thrillers are above most of those languishing on Amazon's shelves.<br /><br />Part of the reason is because I do not push an agenda when I write. The only race or creed I discuss in the first one is that the young woman it turns on is of Maronite extraction. Evil is just evil and has nothing to do with dyeing your butt red or blue. Just because you liked the red butt idea doesn't mean all the other red butts are good and the blue butts are evil.<br /><br />Even though I like thrillers in the whole I have problems with those who push their agenda on me. You letter seems to point at something like that. Individuals are not the policy of their party and I doubt any would stop to check what color butt you have before pulling you from a burning Senate Sub-committee.Craig Fhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07157301156577795781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-42538488437180076002016-09-27T12:29:41.080-04:002016-09-27T12:29:41.080-04:00My first reaction was 'but fiction isn't a...My first reaction was 'but fiction isn't about politics, it's about truth'. Not philosophical Truth with a capital T, but individual people's truths, their experiences, emotions, thoughts. That's what I'm interested in when I'm reading and writing. Non-political example: There's nothing that infuriates me more than child abuse and animal abuse, but Nabokov's Lolita is one of my favourite novels. I never once sympathised with Humbert Humbert, but he fascinated me, and I felt devastated at the end when he'd basically ruined Lolita's life. I never once felt Nabokov was trying to force his own opinion on me (whatever it might have been), he just described. <br />My point is, even though I mostly sympathise with left-wing and environmentalist views, that doesn't mean I'm only interested in characters or stories that share those views. On the contrary. But they have to be well-rounded and not stereotypes.<br /><br />I can't help thinking of Ursula Le Guin in this context. I've probably mentioned her many times here, but she's such a brilliant storyteller, and I love how she uses her stories as a social experiment. I recently read The Dispossessed, about an anarchist society, and although Le Guin herself doesn't hesitate to give her opinion, she doesn't preach anarchism in that novel. She explores it and describes it from different sides, and I thought it was a fascinating story. <br /><br />Others mentioned C.S. Lewis. I don't agree with many of Lewis's Christian ideas, but I still enjoyed Out of the Silent Planet. It's quite a beautiful story in itself. (Perelandra on the other hand... oh my) <br /><br />I must say though, I won't read books by authors who are openly homophobic, racist, misogynist, etc. I don't want people like that putting their words in my head. Life's too short to waste valuable reading time. I once tried to read Paradise Lost, but eventually Milton's portrayal of Eve got so on my nerves that I promised Eve I would write a story from her point of view. (And then I read Joseph Campbell and realised that had already been done even before the bible was written, because she's actually the mother goddess)<br /><br />Wow... I think I probably went off topic a bit with my rambling. Sorry about that. <br />Andreahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00328411110801244620noreply@blogger.com