As writers sometimes we lock ourselves up in a dark room, chain our legs to the chair, or superglue our butts, (whichever option is readily available) and write. During this time you begin to forget to shower, forget to clean, take out the dog, or don't realize 5 hours have passed until your wondering why your stomach won't stop its incessant growling.
Fellow writers it's okay to reside within our own worlds when the muse is calling us, but don't forget to take a look at the real world. When you finish that manuscript you have a whole other world to deal with, and that is the world of publishing.
We can't just be those secluded writers that hardly interact with our fellow writers. No, we must learn as much as we can, see what similar books are being released in our manuscript's genre, join a critique group, attend a conference, and dump the shyness that some tend to hide behind.
This is a new world you will be entering, now make the most of it. I bet you your manuscript needs work. For most of us this is true; we won't have a sellable manuscript right out of the gate. We need one another to tell us what's working and what's not, but remember it is your work and your opinion that matters the most.
If you are interested in networking with other writers, check out the Writers Digest Community and Key Publications Network. I have the links up on the right side of this blog.
Good luck :]
2 comments:
Ah, networking and revision... the two often unpleasant necessities. I know it was true for me and probably for most aspiring writers--we think our main task is just to write that fabulous story we know we have inside and assume editors will eat it up right away, but the harsh reality is in this competitive market and age, perhaps a good 90% of publishing success revolves around networking and marketing success.
Sadly, that's the truth, but I think networking can be made fun and revisions...well they aren't very fun, but they are necessary!
Post a Comment