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Melissa Petro's avatar

I got blocked by Roxane Gay on Twitter some years ago for pushing back on her assertion that “money should always flow down[from the publisher to the writer.]” suggesting that anyone who charges aspiring writers is a grifter. There are a lot of con artists out there, but there are also decent, industrious folks like you (and me) with hard earned experience that they make a living by sharing.

All that said, there was a period before I was able to sell my book, when I was working as a book coach- I either had to quit coaching or sell a mother effing book, because it was disingenuous to say I could help them accomplish their goals when I couldn’t for the life of me accomplish mine. I was a very, very good developmental editor- but I couldn’t necessarily develop a manuscript into a book that *sold*- and for some writers, that’s key.

I really appreciate you, Anna, and your honesty and generosity- as well as how industrious you are, because you do deserve to be paid for the labor you offer, and that’s no con or deceptive hustle. I just wish all industry folks were as honest as you are about what they truly have to offer because what you’re saying here is absolutely correct : you can’t give away (or sell) what you don’t have.

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Steve Gallegos's avatar

Hey, but "they tried delivering Chinese food, and each night, they went to bed completely drained and unfulfilled." Everyone knows that ancient proverb: "Man who delivers MooShu Chicken, or MooShu Books, make MooShu Money."

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