The American Writer
Tom Eubanks
Humor, Storytelling & Observations on Writing
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Entertainment - Enlightenment - Education
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You are too funny!
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The press and publishers are only interested in you AFTER you've made the book a success. I've been published by Wiley and I've published two books myself, and I prefer the new model. Ultimately, whoever publishes the book, YOU are responsible for promoting it. Send your book to bloggers who write about literature and try to get some viral marketing going. Pick up a copy of The New Rules of Marketing and PR, by David Meerman Scott. Lots of good ideas in there for entrepreneurial authors.
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Tom, as a professional writer and friend of both Harlan Ellison and Josh Olson, I offer a little perspective. Josh Olson and I first encountered each other on WORDPLAY, a site for screenwriters, both professional and aspiring, run by Terry Rossio and Ted Elliott also professional screenwriters, where professionals, newbies, wannabes, and amateurs of all stripes intermingled and were given the advice and benefit of the professionals' experience...it was always practical, pragmatic, no nonsense, honest, opinonated, passionate, full of conviction, ocassionally conflicting, and often cutting and intolerant when met with stupidity and arrogant truculence. Fools were not suffered gladly. But there were fools. Amateurs who would rather get defensive and argumentative than maybe learn something from someone who had actually been in the trenches. But there were a great many more who avidly lapped up the advice from those who had achieved what they sought. Those who get it appreciate truthfull sometimes harsh advice. Sadly, the ones who get it are usually the ones who don't need it. It's the ones who don't get it.
I met Mr. Ellison at a convention for fans of another author. He saw my name in a programme and called me over to the dais to tell me how much he enjoyed a movie of mine When I complained about how the movie had been diminished by the director, he laughed and said, "You sound just like me, come up to the house. We'll be friends." Later that night, I gave him a novel I had written of the movie. He opened it up and made a quick negative critique about a particular passage. Many people -- non-writers -- who witnessed it were outraged by it. I laughed and said, "I should consider anything a writer as great as Harlan Ellison says about my work...after all, he's not some studio executive who doesn't understand writing." But I also recognized the jokingly acerbic tenor in which the remark had been made and I was confident enough in my own work not to be shattered by an opinion, even one as knowledgeable and informed as Mr. Ellison's. The next day Harlan called me and said, "In spite of my remark last night, I've been reading through this and it's fine work." I went up to the house, we became friends. The best of friends. I have seen Harlan indulge amateur writers with great kindness, patience (more forbearance than they often deserve), and, to those who are serious, great encouragement.
Through our mutual friendship with Mr. Ellison, I have become re-acquainted with Josh. Both he and Harlan are greatly admired, respected, and looked up to by a great many amateurs who seek their wisdom and knowledge.
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As you know, I like pictures!! Good exercise too. Thanks for more advice on writing. I am enjoying it.
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Though on a semi-regular basis I receive compliments on my writing, the more I read your stuff here, the more I realize my initial instinct has always been right -- on my best day I can't carry your jock.
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Tom -- I suspect this post alone will help me big time as I write in my own blog almost daily. This kinda content is what will give you major traction over time.
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