The Little and the Big Things
I used to get caught up in all the little things--the margins and fonts used in the manuscript, the cover art (someday), back copy blurbs, the formats of queries, what to say in cover letters, and how to respond to a response, and how long to wait before following up for all steps of the process--but the longer I have been around writing, the less important any of this seems. It's sorta like the whole one-page resume rule when graduating college. A whole 10 years later, I have a hard time cramming the good stuff into that short of space. And guess what? I don't.
What I'm getting at, is just like any other business, sure there are guidelines and recommended practices. Please follow them. But if this week, you are having a bad week and forget the 1" margins, you'll be forgiven. And shit, if your book is good or in-market right now, you'll snag the agent or publisher. Sorta the old adage-if it is meant to be, it WILL happen.
All these little things are great distractions for the big thing in front of all writers--writing the novel. And believe you me, when I say they are distractions for me as well. But when it comes down to it, the writing must speak for itself. No matter how trite, anal, pretensions, or snobby I sound. The writing is the writing. No matter how you format it and wrap it for presentation. Sure doing the proper things might garner you a few more head turns--so follow these little rules--but it won't sell your book for you.
I'm still in the beginning. I am still an unknown-a wanna be-and a working writer (with a day job), but I do have an agent. And I worked hard to get her. I researched. I scoured Internet sites, I purchased agent-getting books, and I read novels. A lot of novels I loved. I kept my eyes peeled--and I eventually snagged someone who loved my books as much as I did. But that didn't mean I didn't do my homework and work my ass off to get it. In fact, I rewrote an entire novel .
Nothing is that unusual about my story. I don't think that I got *picked up* by an agent that early on in my writing career. And I made God awful mistakes when I started querying. But that is how we learn. And grow. Nor did I take any sort of easy route. I wrote. And I rewrote. And queried. And then did the whole process over again at least three times until I got a yes.
And now I am writing another book. And hopefully another after that. Am I worried about all the little things still--the things that have yet to affect me? Sure, in the back of my twisted little head that is still holding onto the dream. But I am concentrating on what I can make a difference in. And that IS the writing. So, if I can offer any nugget of advice for anyone hoping for any sorta dream: work damn hard at your craft. No matter what it is. And make sure that one thing is as good as you want it to be--or better. And then worry about the little things. Those are easy to fix once the big one is in as good as shape as it can be.
What I'm getting at, is just like any other business, sure there are guidelines and recommended practices. Please follow them. But if this week, you are having a bad week and forget the 1" margins, you'll be forgiven. And shit, if your book is good or in-market right now, you'll snag the agent or publisher. Sorta the old adage-if it is meant to be, it WILL happen.
All these little things are great distractions for the big thing in front of all writers--writing the novel. And believe you me, when I say they are distractions for me as well. But when it comes down to it, the writing must speak for itself. No matter how trite, anal, pretensions, or snobby I sound. The writing is the writing. No matter how you format it and wrap it for presentation. Sure doing the proper things might garner you a few more head turns--so follow these little rules--but it won't sell your book for you.
I'm still in the beginning. I am still an unknown-a wanna be-and a working writer (with a day job), but I do have an agent. And I worked hard to get her. I researched. I scoured Internet sites, I purchased agent-getting books, and I read novels. A lot of novels I loved. I kept my eyes peeled--and I eventually snagged someone who loved my books as much as I did. But that didn't mean I didn't do my homework and work my ass off to get it. In fact, I rewrote an entire novel .
Nothing is that unusual about my story. I don't think that I got *picked up* by an agent that early on in my writing career. And I made God awful mistakes when I started querying. But that is how we learn. And grow. Nor did I take any sort of easy route. I wrote. And I rewrote. And queried. And then did the whole process over again at least three times until I got a yes.
And now I am writing another book. And hopefully another after that. Am I worried about all the little things still--the things that have yet to affect me? Sure, in the back of my twisted little head that is still holding onto the dream. But I am concentrating on what I can make a difference in. And that IS the writing. So, if I can offer any nugget of advice for anyone hoping for any sorta dream: work damn hard at your craft. No matter what it is. And make sure that one thing is as good as you want it to be--or better. And then worry about the little things. Those are easy to fix once the big one is in as good as shape as it can be.
Labels: writing
