10 Things NOT to Say to an Agent or Editor (+ Publishing News)
For the next ten days, we’re running a blog series on the pitfalls writers regularly fall into when trying to land a publishing deal.
10 Things Not To Say to an Agent or Editor, No 1: “Please read the attached writing and give me feedback.”
Writers want feedback. It’s understandable but think about it: if we were to read and feedback to everybody who wanted it, we wouldn’t have time to represent our writers. Or eat, sleep, or go to the bathroom…
By asking for feedback, you show that you have no understanding of, or empathy for, the realities of the business you want to enter.
If you really need feedback, the best option is a manuscript critique from a published writer/editor. If you’re not willing or able to make that financial commitment to your writing, you will have to resort to a friend or family member whom you can trust to tell you the truth and give you objective, constructive advice.
Approach a publisher or agent only when you have something to offer. Something you know to have true publishing potential.
PUBLISHING NEWS:
We’re sad to hear that The Friday Project Ltd (TFP) formally went into liquidation this week. This innovative web-to-print publisher has been picking up interesting bloggers and writers from the Internet and giving them book deals since 2005.
TFP received backing from publishing veteran Anthony Cheetham, who was its Chairman until his resignation last year. In UK trade magazine, Publishing News, he said: “in my view, they never raised enough funds in the first place to be able to invest enough in the bigger projects that would have pulled their profits up. They have some wonderful books, but no bestsellers. I thought it was a strong concept originally, but to succeed you’ve got to operate internationally, which involves paying out larger sums.”
TFP rarely offered advances to its web-sourced authors and those advances it did pay were usually around £1,000 - £2,000. More upfront investment in fewer projects might have enabled them to break out? Now it seems that HarperCollins, one of the most web aware of the larger publishing conglomerates, is poised to buy TFP assets and negotiations are nearing completion.
The press discovered and supported some wonderful new talent during its almost three years in existence - including Caroline Smailes, who is kicking off Font’s virtual book tour on Sunday next. We hope they can feel good about that. And that the current developments turn out to be a positive development — for the company, their creditors and their writers.
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