posted
No this isn’t what it looks like, about famous quotes. Lately it seems that every book I read on publishing talks about ----baring a quote from a famous author. Meaning that you must do all you can to get in the door with an agent or publisher---(sell your soul, sacrifice your first born, figure out the name of the little man)-unless you have a quote about your book, recommending it. (not that you don’t have to write well or do all the other stuff right) (a bit disheartening to think---boy it is who you know)
My question is this---so how do just starting out authors get those quotes? I can imagine that the e-mail and snail mail boxes of every known writer and author is filled with—Hi my name is and I have written XCBT. It’s great. You’re great. Wanna read it and give me a quote so I can get my itty bitty foot in the door? (sarcasm intended)
I imagine that they have form letters to deal with this one, or they just pass it off. I sent a letter to a well-known author about a huge mistake in their book—ok so maybe it was rude to point it out. But I couldn’t believe that the copyeditor missed the boat on the mistake, it was that big and obvious. (or they in their galley proofs) (in one chapter the father’s and son’s name were reversed) Know what I got back---Dear (my name filled in the template) thank you for contacting me regarding---(filled in book title.) Many others feel the same way you do—yadda yadda—talking like I had sent a glowing letter of praise on the book!
Obviously, no one had even read my letter. So sending a letter, even a formal one, asking them to take valuable time to read my stuff would get me no where. (3 Chapters and a synop anyone? Please)
So how does one get that elusive quote and recommendation?
posted
You know, I always thought that the publisher solicited those praise quotes from famous authors, not the new author, as a marketing gimmick. Seems like something I read enforced that impression, although I can’t think of what source that would have been right now, so that may be totally off the mark.
How one would get one, without personally knowing somebody already established in the business, is an excellent question.
posted
Actually they sometimes do--but I am talking about the ones that get an agent to read the thing in the first place. After the fact---well then one wouldn't need the get me in the door one. LOL
posted
There is -- or at least, was -- a website that compiles author's' cover blurbs. It would correlate how authors would trade good reviews of each others books! Pretty fuuny, pretty atrocious.
[This message has been edited by chad_parish (edited April 11, 2002).]
posted
If you're talking about getting a quote from an author so that you can use it to get an agent or editor to look at your work, I'll tell you right now that it doesn't necessarily help.
Jane Yolen, when she was editing a line of books for HBJ, read my novel partial and said the book wasn't YA enough for her line, though she loved what I'd done. She told me I should send it to an editor at another publishing house (naming the editor).
I sent the partial, with a photocopy of her letter praising my partial, to the editor, and it came back a few months later with a form rejection. (If they won't even read the quote, why bother to get one?)
If you want an in with an agent or an editor, one of the best things you can do is to go to writers conferences and meet the editors and agents that attend. Then, after it's all over, send your query or partial or manuscript (depending on their submission rules) to the editor or agent with a letter that says something about how nice it was to meet them at Such-and-Such Writers Conference and would they like to look at your material.
Attendance at a writers conference will get you a much better "in" than a quote from a writer.
posted
This is definitely not the most time-effective way of doing this, but I would say meeting the author face to face. I've been to several conventions (one, an actual writer's convention, and the 2nd being a genre one) where authors were present. At both, naturally there were newbies like us wanting to break in, and invariably the authors would discuss how they "did it." I think in that forum, you may have the opportunity to chat with an author, feel them out as to whether they would be interested, etc. At the writer's con I went to, I met an asst. editor for a publisher, we started talking, and I mentioned a project I wanted to work on (key phrase, wanted to... I hadn't even started it yet) and she was very enthusiastic, said that that actually fit into a new line they were developing.
This type of friendly dialogue may open up the door for professional help.
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