Don't bother getting an agent....

[Emurelda]

Just watched this.



How do people feel about this or do you disagree with him?

I personally see what he says as valid and that there are other 'easier' (said with trepidation) ways to get an agent or a publisher to notice you. But I might be wrong.

 

[David Newrick]

He lost me when he claimed that New York publishers will bring trucks of cash to your home, back them up and dump the cash on your lawn. Really?

 

[Emurelda]

He lost me when he claimed that New York publishers will bring trucks of cash to your home, back them up and dump the cash on your lawn. Really?

My reaction is slightly different...I think I glossed over that mentally. I tend to do that when someone uses exaggerated terms and I just pick out the useful bits that will benefit me instead.

 

[Robinne Weiss]

He echoes what I've come to feel--that publishers are doing little for authors these days except give them their name. But I also know that I am hopeless at marketing, and that even if a publisher can provide me with a tiny bit of marketing, I'm probably better off with it than without.

 

[Patricia D]

Who is the speaker?

 

[Emurelda]

Who is the speaker?

Michael Levin. A ghost writer.

 

[KG Christopher]

I know what my skill sets are, writing and telling stories, I really dont want to spend any more than 1 hour of my time each day self-marketing. I look at the social presence of authors and wanabe authors and its quite daunting. Unless you can employ your own marketing agency, you are going to spend so much time trying to build enough social clout, so when do you have time to write?

 

[Emurelda]

I know what my skill sets are, writing and telling stories, I really dont want to spend any more than 1 hour of my time each day self-marketing. I look at the social presence of authors and wanabe authors and its quite daunting. Unless you can employ your own marketing agency, you are going to spend so much time trying to build enough social clout, so when do you have time to write?

I find it became second nature once I got into the habit of social media at least. I haven't quite got the press media on board lol! I agree about trying to find the time for writing. It's a tough one.

 

[Katie-Ellen]

I could go there. But, the editing......

The writer cannot hope to get it water-tight all by themselves.

And if you pay, that doesn't guarantee quality. I have seen truly atrocious books, where the author paid the publisher for outsourced editing, let alone tried to do it all themselves.

 

[Emurelda]

I could go there. But, the editing......

The writer cannot hope to get it water-tight all by themselves.

And if you pay, that doesn't guarantee quality. I have seen truly atrocious books, where the author paid the publisher for outsourced editing, let alone tried to do it all themselves.

Yes, high quality editing is more expensive than I originally thought. And by high quality I mean a trustworthy and reputable editing company that you would not doubt as to their expertise.

 

[Jay Aitch]

And yet everywhere you read the need for pre-submission editing ... is it the industry making up jobs for themselves? Keeping the money flowing up the hierarchical pyramid (with writers being the foundation stones)?

Provocative perhaps?

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Writers as no-hoper milch-cows? A discouraging thought, but yes. Pre-publishing is quite an industry in its own right, it's evident.

 

[Marc Joan]

Not sure if there's a single answer to this. A good agent / publisher will increase your chances of [financial] success, surely? But bad ones probably won't.

 

[Emurelda]

Not sure if there's a single answer to this. A good agent / publisher will increase your chances of [financial] success, surely? But bad ones probably won't.

It's clinching one that is the issue. Getting their attention works through social media, maybe.

 

[Jay Aitch]

I'm hedging towards Plan B: find the nearest agent and kidnap them, force-feed them cheese and cake, and cheesecake, until they submit to my submission.