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June 2008
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Mayborn gives birth to a magazine, aided by Bob Shacochis, N. Scott Momaday How To Get Your Book Published: Advice roundup Children's author Marilyn Scott-Waters in Arlington How To Get Your Book Published: Take heart, says Sara Nelson How To Get Your Book Published: Writing a book proposal Award-winning librarian humorist speaks (or at least e-mails) Harry Potter prequel prompts nostalgia Categories
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Having written about the dancing, the statistics and some practical advice from the Writers' League of Texas Agents and Editors Conference, let's wrap up the coverage with some of the better bits of commentary I heard:
(The exception to this rule, said Diane Fanning, a fellow member of the Birth of a Book: From Idea to Bookshelf panel, might be somebody who has regular speaking appearances and can rack up big numbers selling their book at engagements.) "The only thing more subjective is sexual attraction." What does the mail room look like at a typical agent's office? "You're too young to see it." Is becoming an agent a smart career choice? "If you want to be an agent, you'd better have a trust fund. Or a working spouse." ("Same for a writer!" added an anonymous audience member.) In that panel, publicist Milton Kahn suggested that every writer needs to have a Web site with a video on it. Which contradicted Ron Hogan's comments earlier in the day about the relative worth of book videos. (I'll be the tiebreaker here and suggest that in the context of trying to land a spot on a TV show, it seems to be a good idea for a producer to be able to see how attractive and clever you are. For those of us focused on words on the page .... maybe not so much.) But let's give Kimberly Cameron one final word. Because for all the straight talk, nobody came out and told the assembled writers to go home and see if Wal-Mart is hiring greeters because that's a more stable long-term career choice. "It's really about the writing," she said. "It always comed down to writing." (By the way, if you're pitching to her, DON'T send a mass e-mail that includes dozens of other agents, which would indicate you haven't done your homework about any of them. The e-mails that get her attention begin: "I've selected several top agents [to potentially handle my book,] and you're one of them.") So, ready to go sell your book? Did I miss any particularly good advice? Let me know via that "comments" link below. And here's a final thanks to the league and their sponsor Phenix and Phenix Literary Publicists for inviting me down and helping cover my travel costs. Rusty Shelton gave his own report of the media panel I served on. And although in the photo at the end, which somehow made its way to Publishers Weekly, the look on my face would seem to indicate I had perhaps just eaten a lemon, it really was a pleasant weekend. (UPDATE: Ron Hogan of GalleyCat has posted his own report from our panel.) |
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