Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action has arrived, stop thinking and go in.
- Napoleon

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Ummm... Ya

I spent yesterday reading Anthony Bourdain's "Kitchen Confidential", and working on my new synopsis. I think it's almost ready for public consumption. If any of you want to see it, let me know. I'll be happy to share, if you don't mind giving me your thoughts afterwards. =o)

And now, today:

This morning, my CP shared a thoroughly depressing piece of news with me. I don't blame her, she needed to get it off her chest, and after we talked she felt better. Personally I didn't get depressed so much as pissed off. You see, a certain unpublished writer we both have had contact with has not only found an agent, but their book is in front of a publisher now.

You know me, I'm the first person rooting and cheering when I hear someone has achieved a writing goal. Sounds like it ought to be happy news, right? This should be an occasion to break out the pompoms, shouldn't it?

It would be except this person's writing is horrible. Seriously horrible. Not only is this person's writing horrible, but they seem to be unable to take constructive criticism to heart - even when it concerns spelling and grammatical errors. To top it off, this person begs for people to critique their work, so if you're kind enough to put effort into looking over their work, they just ignore you. (Which is frustrating to say the least.)

So, anyway, the sheer stinkiness of this person's work, and the fact that they got an agent when neither of us have, is a little bit disheartening. I cheered my CP up, and we both will get over it, but it doesn't bode well when two people who are serious and conscientious about writing can't get an agent, but this person can. Feh.

Maybe it's all just a case of RPRT (Right Place, Right Time). If you've got RPRT, it trumps everything.

Tell me... Have you ever picked up a book and wondered how the hell it ever made it into print? (And I'm not talking self-pubbed either.) Dish the dirt here. Go on. Get it off your chest. (You don't have to give names/titles if you don't want to.)

9 comments:

Wendy Roberts said...

It happens all the time. This is a strange, strange business LOL!

B.E. Sanderson said...

LOL, Wendy. I hear that.

Unknown said...

You can send synopsis my way again if you want :-)

Travis Erwin said...

Yes I have done this several times.

I can understand how it happens with older well-established authors, but when a debut novelist puts out a stinker I can only surmise it is do to a differnece in tastes.

WordVixen said...

Since I review books, I get a lot of 'em coming my way. There have been two so far that were so incredibly horrible that I had to force myself to read them. Luckily, I don't actually have to review any books that I feel are so bad that I can't find a positive to talk about.

There was a third that I bought at a discount place. It was gearing up to be completely terrible (though better actual writing than the other two I mentioned), but there was a twist at the end that made it worthwhile. Still, I don't see how an agent or editor got far enough along to find it's only redeeming quality. And the other two started out ok, but by chapter two, both stunk.

Kristen Painter said...

First of all, I loved Kitchen Confidential! I really like his show, too and I will confess to occasionally reading his blog.

Now, on the other issue. I can TOTALLY relate. I mean, wow, don't get me started. Tell your CP that getting an agent DOES NOT ensure a sale and neither does a ms sitting in front of an editor.

This is a crazy, unfair business. Some of us pay our dues and some of us seem to float through - regardless of our talent levels. It sucks, but it's something we've got to deal with. (((hugs)))

Kristy Baxter said...

God knows, there are tons of books like that out there. I've read (or tried to read) more than a few.

If this book makes it to publication and your CP is still having a hard time, just tell her to imagine all the readers who will throw the book at the wall while reading it. Picturing all those copies thrown with great force (thwack! thwack! thwack!) should be therapeutic. =)

Tempest Knight said...

Lately a lot of the books from new authors make me wonder how they got published in the first place. I wonder what's wrong with publishers. Are they so desperate to catch up on trends that they just sign about anyone?

I know that happens a lot on the music industry when a specific trend. Back in the 80s it was with the hair bands. Then in the 90s was with the "Boy Bands."

Anyway, I agree with Kristen. Having an agent doesn't guarantee a sale. A friend of mine got an agent, and almost 2 years later, no sale. Take it easy, and know that you and your CP will have a sale when the time is right for you two.

Anonymous said...

There's books I love, and books that make me set my hair on fire. Same goes for movies and TV--sometimes I ask myself, wtf were the producers thinking??? Gotta be RPRT!