tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26861837.post3169671054593359069..comments2023-10-15T03:25:09.233-04:00Comments on Jason Pinter's 'The Man in Black': Jason Pinterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12453031566914553124noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26861837.post-71790046907447583172006-11-30T18:30:00.000-05:002006-11-30T18:30:00.000-05:00Diana Gabaldon's OUTLANDER just about never made i...Diana Gabaldon's OUTLANDER just about never made it past the publicity department; her editor championed for it and it was finally published and shelved in the Romance section,though word is, those in the know expected it to flop. It didn't. Diana worked tirelessly to promote her first novel while writing the second while working full time and raising three young children with her husband's help. She didn't give up her full-time job until she'd finished her third book and through word of mouth and a continually growing fan base, it hit the best-seller list. To get there, she strolled into book stores to sign copies whenever she was in a new city, she graciously accepted requests for her attendance at writer's conferences and book signings, and offered and continues to offer writing advice and moral support to not-yet-published writers on the Compuserve Writer's forum. She climbed to the top of the list because first, she writes damn fine stories, and second, because she worked hard. Every day. Good writing gets one nowhere if one isn't prepared to work hard and believe in one's self. Kudos Diana. You are my inspiration.Deborah Smallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17582655689614863667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26861837.post-49103738463594744942006-11-26T19:26:00.000-05:002006-11-26T19:26:00.000-05:00My SF/Humour novel was rejected by several publish...My SF/Humour novel was rejected by several publishers back in 2000 (niche genre, they said) so I self-published in 2001.<br />Four years later I was offered a three book contract covering that book and two more I'd written in the same series.<br />In 2005 the first book was a nationwide SF bestseller for three weeks after launch here in Australia, and it just underwent a second printing 12 months later. The second is doing just fine, and the third comes out in five weeks.<br />Now, that's hardly 'big' but it's not bad going after such humble beginnings.Simon Hayneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02660767551431793439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26861837.post-24025480847315452006-11-16T23:24:00.000-05:002006-11-16T23:24:00.000-05:00Madeline L'Engles A Wrinkle In Time went to 101 ed...Madeline L'Engles A Wrinkle In Time went to 101 editors before it was published.<br /><br />Louis L'Amour was rejected 349 times.<br /><br />Dr. Seuss was rejected 27 times and Gone With the Wind was rejected 25 times.<br /><br />I like to think about these stories when my agent calls with another nice rejection. <br /><br />(And yes, I do mean nice. If the flavor you are selling is mint choc chip and everyone wants strawberry this week, well that's just the way it goes. There's no reason to get upset over it. At some point we'll find one who says hey, that's my favorite flavor.)<br /><br />Thanks, Jason! You gave me a smile today. :)Debra Parmleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14341226311309495262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26861837.post-67861734503077180092006-11-16T09:04:00.000-05:002006-11-16T09:04:00.000-05:00I took a writing class with Matthew Sharpe at New ...I took a writing class with Matthew Sharpe at New College of Florida, and he is just fantastic -- great teacher, wonderful person, and with the best seersucker pants.Aliciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07878355409462427383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26861837.post-51019540312258030502006-11-16T00:57:00.000-05:002006-11-16T00:57:00.000-05:00Emily Giffin's SOMETHING BORROWED didn't get a hug...Emily Giffin's SOMETHING BORROWED didn't get a huge advance, I don't think. Not compared to how it (and her subsequent books) sold, anyway. The deal was reported as a "nice deal for two books" on Publishers Marketplace. The film rights, 3 years later were reported as a major deal...Maureen McGowanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00494408580378817045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26861837.post-47655358098373664672006-11-15T11:31:00.000-05:002006-11-15T11:31:00.000-05:00Good points guys -
The thing is that there is a d...Good points guys -<br /><br />The thing is that there is a delicate balance between Skill as a writer and Luck - I consider fate, luck or whatever you want to call it - far more important than we would like to admit in public<br /><br />AliAli Karimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00640079406581573368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26861837.post-85546197674148781772006-11-15T09:43:00.000-05:002006-11-15T09:43:00.000-05:00I have to pipe in here and say you can't really in...I have to pipe in here and say you can't really include JKR in the humble beginnings list. Maybe the UK deal wasn't for much but the US sale was huge, over 100,000k and that's what really started the momentum for that book. US publishers went nuts in the bidding for the first HP. <br /><br />(And to put this in perspective, NO middle grade or YA novel had ever gone for more than 100,000k advance in the U.S. Arthur Levine staked his career on that book and obviously won.) <br /><br />I know this history because one of my authors is with the editor who was the underbidder in that auction for the first HP book. Now that would be a hard loss to swallow. Big smile.Agent Kristinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04017698857224414498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26861837.post-35451294994809339942006-11-14T15:44:00.000-05:002006-11-14T15:44:00.000-05:00I don't have any stories. But I wanted to say, goo...I don't have any stories. But I wanted to say, good on you. I know the odds are long, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. <br /><br />Maybe one day, I'll be able to call myself a published author. <br /><br />I take that back. I WILL be a published author one day. This is not an option. Some day, some unsuspecting publisher will buy my novel, and I will be able to meet Anne Rice... and tell her what a twit she is. ;) <br /><br />Oh, wait, I do know of a success story. <br /><br />JK Rowling. She wrote most of the book in cafes, and couldn't even afford nursery care for her daughter. She sold the first HP book for 3,000 pounds, after being rejected by several publishers.<br /><br />You know the rest.Heather Dudleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04186324266078999666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26861837.post-53274498971806305862006-11-14T09:23:00.000-05:002006-11-14T09:23:00.000-05:00Mary Higgins Clark was a young widow with five chi...Mary Higgins Clark was a young widow with five children who had to go back to work after being a SAHM. She was a copy writer at a radio station, I believe. She got up very early every morning and wrote before having to get the kids up for school and going to work. Her book was rejected by virtually every agent and publisher in the business, but eventually she sold WHERE ARE THE CHILDREN? and the rest is history. I have no idea what she was paid for that first book.Allison Brennanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02872860080644987843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26861837.post-15790535273391263302006-11-13T20:04:00.000-05:002006-11-13T20:04:00.000-05:00Well over a year ago, an agent friend of mine Deid...Well over a year ago, an agent friend of mine Deidre Knight sold a "little" book called 90 MINUTES IN HEAVEN for under $10,000 advance.<br /><br />First print run was something like 600 copies.<br /><br />Today, there are 1.3 million copies in print and and the title is #9 on the NYT Bestseller list.<br /><br />Don Piper, the author, is going to be on the Today show tomorrow (Nov. 14) as well.<br /><br />All from very humble beginnings.Agent Kristinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04017698857224414498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26861837.post-52461172306344246252006-11-13T16:04:00.000-05:002006-11-13T16:04:00.000-05:00As I recall, HE'S NOT THAT INTO YOU didn't get a b...As I recall, HE'S NOT THAT INTO YOU didn't get a big advance, and it became a cultural phenomenon pretty quick. Kim Edwards' THE MEMORY KEEPER'S DAUGHTER became a bestseller in paperback but I don't think the advance was all that high. George Pelecanos's first advance was something like $2500. Ian Rankin was almost dropped by Orion before BLACK AND BLUE broke him out and made him Crime Writer King in the UK.Sarah Weinmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13661619408480044050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26861837.post-45178972155204608022006-11-13T13:03:00.000-05:002006-11-13T13:03:00.000-05:00Well, duh. A mired-in-the-midlist writer publishe...Well, duh. A mired-in-the-midlist writer publishes a SHOCKING! fictional expose of Vatican duplicity and sells eleventy billion copies. Dan Brown is an inspiration to us all.Graham Powellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01775285782385634486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26861837.post-55922260654361812132006-11-13T10:14:00.000-05:002006-11-13T10:14:00.000-05:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10856865376451900401noreply@blogger.com