Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Many Reasons to Many Why's

This past year I have found a lot of frustrated authors or "would-like-to-be'", authors, who are to say the least a bit disgruntled with agents, and their mannerisms. On the other hand I have also found a lot of agents perturbed and peeved on queries and just plain ol' writing basic know hows, from a variety of submissions they receive.

I would like to know if most agents out there are simply sarcastic bastards that are just overwhelmed with the job of representing too many wonderful writers?


I would also like to know if most writers/authors are always such whiny ass baby's who can even spell, or take some time to actually refine and create their visionary masterpiece, like any great artist.

Perhaps agents are too busy with the surmounting piles of queries and summaries and submissions that it actually bores them and they no longer find the creativity and imagination of the writers in the world that have actually struggled within themselves to get the "balls" to even produce and send out for someone in the world to take a peek at.


Perhaps authors have an insurmountable fear of rejection for their works and it is very brave for the 'one' who is willing to face the pessimism in sending query after query, just to receive the rejection once over a million times again... seeking solace into the dark night by taking his next hit of the aphrodisiac of choice to quiet his inner soul crying in vain because writing is the passion, the element of communication of their story, and yet they still don't have it right.


Reason's Why for the rejections are wide ranging, some may have a wonderful idea and just cannot seem to get it written, sloppy work, bad, spelling, grammar, the simplest mistakes of not using punctuation correctly. Some stories being submitted are just plain 'not-what-I'm-looking-for', which is another reason for rejection.


An agent builds their reputation on the material they choose to represent and what they are able to connect with and their audience of the book readers and other prospective clients... so it may not be your writing at all but the genre and category that you are choosing to submit and interest is all wrong.

There are also the writers who tend to pull in every thing they can to get the story in a certain amount of word count, and actually instead of writing a wonderful piece and expanding the story in a more detailed and natural flowing story-telling way; then may follow up with a sequel or even trilogy, and so forth, they bunch it all in and it totally becomes a crowded and unreadable script, and it is too hard to even follow. I can grasp the idea, but where the hell is the story?


Perhaps, it the gossip columnist that has written a 200 page of nothing but, the " he said, she said" and it has no character base... I know all can relate, but it may be evoking an emotional train wreck in a weird way, and the concept could and should be soothing for the broken hearted, but it is a piss poor writing of blame and hate.


I just think that the writers who are submitting to agents need to really take a look at their writing as well, how much "work' is it going to take to make the sentences even comprehendable, and I know for an agent it is very time consuming to find the 'right book' to get out there and sell. The agent is not an editor but has the ability to see beyond, only to a point, if you have not taken the time to really go through and adjust your writing to meet the least acceptable criteria for composing a well written story, then why would an agent want to represent?


We like to think we are miracle workers, well maybe... we at least try our best...

I suppose for most it is a two way street, it has to be a wonderfully written piece and it has to be the correct appropriated story for the right agent/author relationship to work out in best terms.


Agents don't have the time to actually sit down and make a practice of writing back to everyone with an explanation. There are way to many "would-like-to-be's".

Wonderful Wishes,
S*

1 comment:

  1. It's so obvious you really care very much! That separates the wheat from the chaff very much straight away sets you apart and elevates you above the ranks of those who have become cynical. Don't be surprised if you find you become a magnet to all and sundry who are drawn inexorably to a willing ear. However you might well also spot; sometime in the not too distant future; a few specks of gold hurtling straight into your orbit. Reading between the lines of your quest; it seems to me to have an air of inevitability about it. That is not meant to be mysterious nor cryptic in any way. To me it just seems self evident. Continued good wishes and loads of luck to go with your uncommonly decent sense!

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