I’ll bet most of you know or have known a fellow writer like this. Someone who wrote a book. One book. Finished it. Polished it. Maybe rewrote it once or twice (or ten times) to fit the genre trends. At one time it was a paranormal. No wait, an erotic romance. No, a paranormal inspirational. It’s been entered into every contest known to the romance industry and had to be retired from the contest circuit because the judges now recognize it by the opening line.

The author loves this manuscript. This is THE book. Her book. Maybe the book of her heart. But it’s been rejected, refused and recycled so much that every agent and editor has seen it and said no. But still she doesn’t work on something new. This. Book. Must. Sell.

Of all the things I see writers doing to shoot themselves in the foot, this is the one that makes me flinch the hardest. I even have a sort of rule about it: thy first book shall not ever sell, for even if it doth not stink your pimpage of it reeketh most hardily.

The first time one finishes a novel one is quite deservedly an ecstatic occasion. You have, after all, done something most people never do. Whether the book is any good or not, you have spent a lot of time and work living with the characters, poured a lot of your energy into its confines. Like any life-defining moment when you achieve a major goal, it is noteworthy and should be celebrated.

But for the love of God, don’t stop.

Finishing one book does not make you a writer, I am sad to say. (And don’t throw Harper Lee at me here, she might have finished others. We don’t know.) Writing makes you a writer. Which means it is an active process, not a finished product, that makes one a writer.

Finishing a book is great. But the person who flogs only one manuscript is functioning in the same trap as the person who never finishes a piece, is always working on “something new” and always ditching it when problems arise. It’s a mechanism for avoiding the very real scariness inherent in the process of writing.

Writing is terrifying. There’s the hard work aspect–typing sixty to a hundred thousand words in order to finish a novel is no small order. Drafts of short stories, once revisions are taken into account, can easily be that much. A poet can churn out multiple poems before she finds a decent one. Then there’s the inherent risk of exposure–thinking that your characters can be mistaken for you, and therefore people can judge you through them. There’s the emotional nakedness of working with characters whose heads you take up residence in. Then there’s the sting of rejection from agents, publishers, or reviewers. No, my chickadees, this is not for the weak.

Hence avoidance raises its ugly head. Sure I’ll write another book–as soon as this one sells!

No. A thousand times, no. You must not write for the paycheck, or the reviewers. You do write for your readers to some extent, because clearly communicating is what we’re doing here, in order to share human experience.

But first and foremost you must write for yourself. Bukowski said it best:

unless it comes out of
your soul like a rocket,
unless being still would
drive you to madness or
suicide or murder,
don’t do it.
unless the sun inside you is
burning your gut,
don’t do it.

when it is truly time,
and if you have been chosen,
it will do it by
itself and it will keep on doing it
until you die or it dies in you.

You have got to write because you feel some satisfaction in the process, because the act itself fulfills something in you. Flogging one manuscript around to get validation isn’t what makes you a writer. Falling into the trap of thinking that you will “write something else once this book sells” is merely avoidance bred by fear (understandable, in light of how bloody scary writing is) or the less-attractive behavior of a poseur (most often accompanied by the ever-famous “I WROTE something! But you won’t UNDERSTAND it because I am an ARTIST! I can’t REVISE it! It’s the work of my SOUL!” But that’s a different blog post.)

So you finished one book. That’s great. It’s wonderful. I cannot say too much how wonderful it is. Go out, get drunk, get laid, celebrate with the substance/friends/food/party of your choice.

Then get over your hangover the next morning and go back to the goddamn keyboard or pen. Sit down, and write something else. Get back to work. Do it as soon as you can, don’t give yourself a reason to put it off. Because writing is what makes a writer. To paraphrase the Buddha: before finishing novel, write and revise. After finishing novel, write more and revise.

It sure beats hell out of chopping wood and carrying water, even if it is just as hard. The blisters you get might be on the mind or the soul. But that’s okay.

It’s what minds and souls are there for. Go do it, and do it, and do it again.

There is no other way.

I have very strong feelings about these topics and out of curiosity, I wanted to see how agents and editors feel about professional websites and dissing agents/editors/publishers/other authors in public forums. Below are responses on this topic from several of the top agents and editors in publishing.

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“I always check out an author’s website and blog if I’m considering offering representation, and have in the past discovered nasty comments on blogs or message boards from authors—although that’s been from writers whose work I chose to pass on. Still, when you consider that the next book might have been “the one” it really doesn’t make sense to publicly “diss” me or any other agent/editor for that matter. You’d be amazed how many clients I didn’t sign on for that first book they submitted. I think the problem rests in authors taking a rejection as a personal affront. That’s why I prefer the word “pass” over the term “rejection” because it’s much less loaded, and much closer to the truth—it’s a temporary “pass” not an ultimate rejection. Oftentimes that first work that we see just isn’t the magic one, but a later manuscript turns out to be a perfect fit.” Deidre Knight, Literary Agent, The Knight Agency

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“If it’s a first time author, I don’t go looking for a website because I figure there isn’t one yet–unless the author or agent tells me that they have already put a website into place. For already published authors (print or electronic) I will pop over to their websites to check them out. It doesn’t sway my decision about the book, but if it’s a good website it can give me a good initial feeling for the author’s savvy and their ability to reach out to the audience.” Monique Patterson, Senior Editor, St. Martin’s Press

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“I don’t have time to check things all the time, but yes, I definitely think that having a professional website/blog is important. When I do check things out, I’ve been amazed at what people will say on the web, and then be surprised that someone else knows about it.

If they wouldn’t say it to the person directly, then they shouldn’t put it on a site/blog, imo….

Of course, I also believe that applies to editors, publishers, reviewers, etc. as well.” Diana Gill, Executive Editor, HarperCollins

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“Yes, I do take a look at the author’s website to get a feel for her personality, what it would be like to work with this person, if she would be receptive to my comments about her work. I would want my relationship with authors to be professional and respectful, so I’d expect to see that on any blog. And if a published author is unhappy about something, I think she should go directly to her editor to address the problem. Posting complaints on a blog rather than communicating with your editor is just unprofessional as well as counterproductive.” Erika Tsang, Senior Editor, Avon Books
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Yes, I will review an author’s presence on the web–how they present themselves visually and the content of their website or blog. In today’s marketplace, having a professional look to your website is as important appearing and behaving professionally in public. More and more people are learning to use the internet and having their visit to your “world” easy to navigate and pleasant in appearance is very crucial–not everyone has the same equipment or could be visually challenged. Samhain’s marketing guru has set up an advertising group and has regular classes on topics such as this.

How can an author be taken seriously as an author when they use a free hosting services like geocities? eBook authors have a harder row to hoe, this is one area they should pay serious attention to. I liken a sloppy website to wearing ratty clothes to a public appearance, it doesn’t show you take who you are seriously.” Christina M. Brashear, Publisher, Samhain Publishing LTD.
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“I do check out the websites of authors I’m considering, and I am absolutely influenced by the tone of the dialog (or, more accurately I suppose, the monolog).

All the maxims you hear in life hold true in webworld: ‘no one likes a complainer, if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all, don’t air your dirty laundry, it’s better to be silent and thought a fool than to open the mouth and prove it to be true’; and let’s not forget that what you complain about often reveals your own flaws more clearly than what you’re complaining about. I could go on, but you get the idea. In two words: sour grapes!

Now, I’m the first person to realize that publishing is a frustrating and sometimes seemingly incompetent business, but the minute someone blames another for their lack of success the usual impression it leaves is:
a)an unwillingness to take responsibility for their own mistakes,
b) a personality that I don’t necessarily want to deal with (if they complain about x. will they complain about me? will they ever be satisfied?),
c) (most often) a person with only a partial grasp of how publishing works, and
d) a lack of judgment and/or common sense (who knows who’s looking at your site?! Not everyone is trustworthy or rooting for your success– come on, people, get a clue!)

If the writing is absolutely fabulous, would that stop me? Let’s just say, the more obstacles there are, the more amazing the work has to be. Who needs that kind of handicap?” Nancy Yost, Literary Agent, Lowenstein-Yost Associates Inc.

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“When I get a manuscript in that I do really like, I usually check the author’s website to get a sense of their previous books and how they market themselves. It’s rare that I read blogs in situations like these, just because of time constraints. But nothing sends a red flag up faster than an author badmouthing people in the business. Publishing is a small world–you’ve got to be careful not to burn any bridges because you never know what might happen or who might end up where. And a quick google search means anyone can find it…and forward the link along to everyone they know.” Michele Bidelspach, Assistant Editor, Warner Books

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“I am probably the last person to ask about blogs as I never visit them or read them. Occasionally I hear about the gossip and am surprised. Authors should consider themselves to be writing professionals; I can’t imagine other professionals in our business (editors, agents, sales people, etc.) dissing one another in a public forum. We may talk privately, but it’s important to know where and when and to whom to say what.

Yes, I usually do check an author’s website if I’m interested in buying, but mainly it’s to fill in missing information (usually about publishing history) from the agent’s or author’s pitch letter. A good website is certainly a plus!” Audrey LaFehr, Editorial Director, Kensington Publishing Corp.
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“Research on a potential new author for my list if vital. When I get a query, I generally check out the author’s website and blog (if listed). If they have previously sold, I use bookscan and check out their sales figures and review previous books on Amazon. I think a professional website is a key selling tool for connecting with readers and should be professional. It should not only deliver a sense of the author’s personality, but also give a sense of mood their book (or books) are trying to portray. A couple of things each website should have is a history of previously published and upcoming books, an author bio, and a guest log. The guest log is super important because it allows you to contact readers when you have news to share (like an upcoming book). Many authors also have a blog on their website. Again, this should be professional in nature. Since not only readers but also editors and agents check out websites and blogs, authors should tread carefully about airing their grievances in public. You want to promote a positive image and this is your platform to do just that.” Paige Wheeler, Literary Agent, Folio Literary Management.
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“When I receive a manuscript I really love, I often go to the author’s website (if she has one) to see if there are any reviews, interesting notes in her bio, etc., because I’m already thinking of how we can market the story. I might take a look at a blog entry to or two, but, to be honest, I don’t spend much time on that because there are always loads of other things to do. What the website tells me more than anything is what accomplishments the author has and how savvy she is about knowing what other people will want to know. Of course, this is all just for reference and is hardly make-or-break when it comes to buying the book. I’ve been fortunate in that I haven’t come across any public complaints about agents or editors, which would definitely raise a red flag.” Leah Hultenschmidt, Editor, Dorchester Publishing
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“When I receive a project from a literary agent that really piques my interest, one of the first things I do is check out the author’s website, if it’s given. I think well maintained websites are a must in todays publishing world — it gives me an excellent idea of an author’s self-promotion abilities and an instant understanding of their level of professionalism.” Signe L. Pike, Assistant Editor, The Random House Publishing Group

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Some food for thought for all of the authors regarding maintaining an up-to-date professional-looking website–and truly not only agents and editors agree, but it’s just common sense to avoid public dissing.
Not long ago, at a conference, I heard an HQ editor talk about dissing–an author was griping on a blog about how long the editor was taking, etc. etc., and the editor said the work was good, but she will *never* buy anything from that author because of her public griping about said publisher and editor. If you’re going to gripe, do it in private with a friend who won’t forward your email to someone else.

I’d like to thank all of the agents and editors who took the time to respond to my questions. I appreciate you all!

Chey