Yeah, I gotta ask myself this. I have been writing for as long as I can remember. I've had authors review my stuff, I've edited and re-edited, attended college courses on writing to improve myself..and for what? To get a reply back from an agent I submit my stuff to asking me for money. I mean FFS ..this has happened to me soooo many times. It seems sometimes as if there are more crooks out there than decent ones. Yesterday, after I got the news that Rooney was questionable, I really started to question my own writing. I want to think I can write a good story. But as time has progessed, we can no longer submit directly to publishers and finding an agent is proving to be more and more an impossibility. Most reputable agents dont accept email queries which leaves me to send out expensive mailings should I want to get ANY attention at all for my writing. SO what do I get for my trouble? Rejections. Rejections dont bother me...but getting a reply from an agent who wants money pisses me off to no end and makes me want to spam their mailbox with every sex toy related catalogue in existence. Because it's so hard to get recognition in this business..I wonder just how good my writing really is and if its even worth all the trouble to pursue it. Of course, I will keep on writing, because im an addict. Of course, I eventually will recover from my momentary depression and submit again, but this time, I will have to be smarter and more thorough in checking agents out before submitting. I am just a tired writer. I started out so enthusiastically. I wanted to contribute to an industry that has brought me so much entertainment and marvelous adventure through the years. This goal..is a tough one..let no one ever tell you different. There is my rant..and here is a solid word of advice for new writers: NEVER EVER let anyone charge YOU for your work. An agent that chooses to represent you will do so without taking your money (until you are published anyway heh) because he/she believes in the strength of your work. Good luck to you all and excuse my 'PMS'y' rant.
Ya well let me tell ya..Im seriously thinking about charging that scam artist for my postage! Its not cheap to send out three chapters THUS my hatred towards skanky agents.
I see how much trouble it is to submit to a publisher now. Glad I haven't tried it before. It's a relief too. Not that it's too much work Joan, just I prefer not to do time consuming research like that. And the urban dict. thing is hilarious.
I like FFS, that's the first time I've seen that- took me a few seconds to take figure it out. As far as your crisis there, the way I look at it is, never give up. Unless you can find something that you're equally good at. Like me, I'm good at writing, electric guitar and bowling. Eventually one of those things is gonna' fall through (or at least that's how I would write it) But even if it takes me until I'm in my 40's, one of them is going to fall through, and if it doesn't THEN I'll quit and be depressed. But then I'll buy myself a swimming pool filled with mountain dew and feel happy again.
lol i know you were trying to make me feel better..but ill be 39 in two months...so basically you are saying i have one year left before i should burn all my writing? LOL Or are you just saying im old
Hehn, oops. Yeah, I thought you were maybe 30- hard to tell who you're talking to over the internet. Well you know what, who cares about age. As far as writing goes, you can write until you become senile.
It really annoys me that there are people out there who know because writers are so intent on gaining publication, many writers will pay huge somes of money towards that. They piss me off. But IndianaJoan, forget the scum, she's not worth bothering about. Don't give up.
Well my biggest mistake was not researching her a little better before I submitted a query. For you noobs who are going to want to submit someday..be very very thorough about who you submit to and once again..never pay anyone anything..if an agent asks you for money RUN The best way to deal with this is to avoid the problem by googling first. There are some great sites out there that are very informative about who is who and who is BAD in the writing industry. Thanks for the encouragement
The way I look at it is that my writing is mine. I would like to share it with the world but I am happy if that never happens because it is more my outlet and a passion than a career. Your time will come and the hard work will pay off. I've read some of your stuff and I can say that you are a talented writer. I would buy one of your books. Really the only other way to go about it is self-publish in which you will have to come up with the cash to fund it yourself. There are disadvantages to this but some people have been very successful at doing it this way. Good luck and keep your head up. It'll happen for you.
No problem. We all need a lift sometimes. You'll get there. If it were easy everyone would be doing it
