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.
OMG don't even get me started on Roxanne Gay (and other writers who won the lottery, have no idea they just got lucky and talk so obnoxiously about their experience, not understanding that it's NOT the experience of 99.999% of writers). But this means so much and right back at you. Adore you. And now your husband, too. (Not to make it weird).
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."
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.
OMG don't even get me started on Roxanne Gay (and other writers who won the lottery, have no idea they just got lucky and talk so obnoxiously about their experience, not understanding that it's NOT the experience of 99.999% of writers). But this means so much and right back at you. Adore you. And now your husband, too. (Not to make it weird).
Haha, not weird at all!
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."