Archive for the ‘On Writing’ Category
THE MEANING OF THANKSGIVING is a national treasure, one that is worth recalling and reflecting on so that we don’t take it for granted or simply come to think of it as the day before Black Friday. What is offered in the day of Thanksgiving to our nation and its people is far more precious.
When we seek the truth about the holiday, there is no one better to explain it than the source, the father and first elected president of our nation.
Here, in his own words, is what President George Washington had to say about it:
“Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor – and Whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me “to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.
“Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be – That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks – for his kind care and protection of the People of this country previous to their becoming a Nation – for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his providence, which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war –for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed – for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted, for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.
“And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions – to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually – to render our national government a blessing to all the People, by constantly being a government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed – to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord – To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and Us – and generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.
“Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.
“G.O. WASHINGTON.”
May the traditional spirit of Thanksgiving be a blessing to you and yours. And in these times that try souls and make us weary, may we remember to hold fast to an attitude of gratitude. For all our flaws and challenges, ours is an exceptional nation. At times, we lose our way, and we forget who we are. But we have the opportunity to remember today.
My special Thanksgiving prayer is that we read the words of our founder and recall who we are and, most importantly, whose we are.
Blessings,
Vicki
The Daily Doings of a Working Writer
© 2011, Vicki Hinze
“Oh, I’d love to be a writer. You get to work at home. You can do what you want when you want. You can take off whenever you like—it must be so great. I’ll bet you have all kinds of time to do things I never get to do, working nine to five…”
Over the years, non-writers have said some version of the above to me hundreds of times, and to most other writers I know who write full-time. There’s a certain mystique to being a writer and if you find it endearing, you probably don’t want to read the rest of this post. It’ll shatter those illusions. So be warned.
If perhaps you’re considering writing as a career, or you’d like to peek behind the veil and see what it’s actually like to spend a day with a working writer, I invite you to read on…
It’s two weeks until Thanksgiving. I’ve scheduled my time very carefully because the grans will be off from school and I want a few days to spend time with them. So nearly a year ago, I scheduled a second book in a series to be due to the publisher on 12/1, which meant I’d be clear to take those few days. Only a few things came up that has totally changed my schedule.
It’s 4 a.m. I’m at my desk, and here we go…
1. Final read and forwarded a proposal for a new series to my agent. (I love, love, love it!)
2. Tweaked the last of the revisions on Book 1 in a 2012 new series.
3. Paused for breakfast, which Hubby (bless him) cooked.
4. Reviewed a set of proofs—the last look before printing.
5. Wrote an article for a bookstore chain’s Thanksgiving blog.
6. Reviewed a contract on a new promotional video that will be used on all videos I do.
7. Reviewed a proposed contract revision on ten books.
8. Viewed and reviewed a promotional video, celebrating sales Amazon has on nearly all of my books.
9. Received editorial comments on synopsis of Book 2 in a 2012 new series. I’d written the first half of the book while the synopsis was under review because the book deadline was looming, but it’s going to have to be reworked to better fit the imprint vision. Shoots the schedule, but coordinated shuffles so now ready to move forward again, but that extra week I wanted off . . . it ain’t happening in 2011.
10. Posted on my social network pages.
11. Received the advance copies of a new book and they’re gorgeous but had a wee problem so addressed that and we got it squared away.
12. Received and responded to two mentoring requests.
13. Received and responded to 17 author questions on craft/business.
14. Answered forty minutes worth of email.
15. Counseled a writer attempting to write through grief.
16. Discussed a promotional opportunity to decide whether or not to participate in a proposed program.
17. Attended an online meeting/webinar to render opinions.
18. Read an Overview on my partner’s project and brainstormed.
19. Had a career strategy discussion with a good friend contemplating a big career move.
20. Skipped lunch and did a phone conference with a new author instead.
21. Wrote a blog post for Christians Read.
22. Did a little research on a project I’m not yet discussing.
23. Added a couple of updates to the website.
24. Planned the move from the facebook profile page to the Author Page and started the prep work for it.
25. Skipped an afternoon break and reviewed requests from other authors and responded to readers’ notes.
26. Planned next month’s contests.
27. Started the final read on Book 1, 2012 new series, discovered a flaw and repaired it. Rescheduled final read.
28. Responded to workshop and seminar requests.
29. Reviewed notes and did the bare bones of an Art Fact Sheet that will need fleshing out once I know more about the story. (Read that, after I’ve written a chunk of it.)
30. Exchanged multiple emails with my agent regarding foreign interest in multiple projects, new proposal, and a few other things.
31. Got notice of adjusted publication dates on three projects, so tackled the resulting scheduling shifts. (Some days, I do believe the calendar is an enemy. Fortunately, some days, it’s a blessing.)
32. Got an alarm about more piracy. Checked it out—it’s piracy—so forwarded to legal.
33. Addressed another hacking attempt. (Have I mentioned I love LifeLock?)
34. Broke for dinner, pretty bummed that I didn’t see the sun once today. (That’s NOT happening tomorrow.)
35. After dinner, responded to more email, skimmed several loop messages, and answered two Urgent messages, which I always stop what I’m doing to answer as soon as I see them.
36. Got in another set of galleys to review—and notice that line edits on another project will be in within a week.
37. It’s now 10 p.m. and I’m done for the day.
Did I get everything done I wanted to get done? No. But I work from a priority list, so I got the most important things done and I’m not in crisis-mode.
Are there things I left off the list? Probably. Actually, I know for a fact there are. I pause and pray all through my day. For the work, for others, for decisions I’m about to make, for just about everything and anything. But that’s not work, that’s restoration time that rejuvenates and refreshes. Gives you a second and third and fourth wind. I also didn’t log Bible reading—first on the list every day—or any reading. There just wasn’t time for reading today aside from a group of opening lines that will be in a friend’s blog post (and likely a workshop) on opening lines.
Is tomorrow going to be this busy? Yes, but on different things. Some will occur again, of course: blog posts, network posts, reader and author notes and such, but some will different. Unanticipated things always crop up.
Where’s the glamour? Well, that’s the thing. It’s not in flitting to signings and doing media interviews or having long, luxurious lunches or dinners where you sit and leisurely visit. It’s in your love for the work.
Some parts of the work you love more than others, but you’d better love most of it or find yourself another career.
This isn’t an unusual day for an author. It’s a typical day during busy times. Some times are less busy, true. But some are busier and the author then must pick and choose what to do and what to postpone—prioritize.
Many think that authors have tons of free time. The truth is, I worked 60 hour weeks in the corporate world as a director of operations and that wasn’t as demanding as being a working writer. One of the biggest reasons is there I had a large staff. Here, it’s me doing the writing, the creating, and while I have help with some things, if I don’t produce, we don’t work.
Working at home is terrific—except that you never leave work. You set boundaries and things come up. You plan trips and things come up. You can’t always take those things with you.
My point is there are trade-offs. But if you’re the head of an organization and you think a person has tons of free time to volunteer for you because s/he works at home, you probably need to rethink that.
I’ve had phone conferences with other authors at 2 a.m. who after a full day were still awake and working. With authors whose day began at 2 a.m. I don’t share that with you expecting to indulge in a pity party. I’m just being frank about the investment required by writers to have a career writing.
Writers work hard and they work most of the time. They have to, to keep up with demands.
All this said, I have two days on my calendar marked with a great big “X”. They’re in red. In permanent marker. Those are days I AM going to spend with my angels. In December there’s a full week of those X marks—twice. One for Christmas shopping and decorating and such, and one for spending time with my family. (Read that, Vicki is going to play and play and play.)
Now before you jump to conclusions about that time off, let me remind you there was no summer vacation. A day here or there, yes—a few, even when I was well—so this time off is earned and necessary if I don’t want to see disappointed faces on Christmas or to render myself unbalanced.
I love writing. I love most things about it. I love most of the work that goes along with it. It’s my dream job because it gives me the opportunity to be ALL the things I wanted to be when I grew up. I’m first to admit I had a long and diverse wish list. It’s such a joy to actually get to do those things through the pages of books.
I think about writing and still have stars in my eyes. That’s a wonderful thing, a love affair. But it doesn’t mean I’m blinded by those stars to the real work and discipline required to do the job. To add those diverse elements that keep me balanced as a human being.
Like in everything else, busy seasons cycle. And there will be lazier days, calmer days, days where there’s time for lunch and to rest and just be. But even on those days, the wheels in writers’ minds crank at warp speed. Even when they’re taking time to relax and just be, they’ll be zoned out one second and in the next, a whole story flashes before their eyes, captures their imaginations and they’ve got to write it down—now—before they lose it.
That’s the nature of the writing beast—and the fickle sense of humor of the muse, who is on a 24/7 clock. It’s all part and parcel of the daily doings of a working writer.
Blessings,
Vicki
© 2011, Vicki Hinze
National Novel Writing Month, affectionately dubbed NaNoWriMo, officially kicks off November 1st. Are you ready, authors?
Not familiar with the program? You might want to get familiar. It’s fun and it’s productive. A time to intensely focus on writing.
The objective is to lock your internal editor in a closet and write your heart out—an entire novel—in thirty days. The focus isn’t on finished product, it’s on producing pages.
Even so, it’s impossible, you say?
Well, it’s not. It’s been done. Often. By writers who thought they couldn’t do it. And some have gone on to sell the novels. Others who have already sold the novels write them during this time.
NaNo (for short) started out tiny but now a projected hundred thousand writers participate. You write, you report in daily on your progress, and that provides not only incentive to get it written but also the opportunity to network with other writers. There are regional groups, cheerleaders and support teams. It’s a great time for authors to come together and take what is usually done in isolation and join with others. Not just any others. But others whose eyes don’t glaze over when you talk about plot or character or novel structure.
It’s a wonderful time of writing for the joy and love of it.
You can learn more at http://www.nanowrimo.org/. Why not sign up? You’ve got nothing to lose and much to gain.
Blessings,
Vicki
THINGS EDITORS/AGENTS SHOULD NOT DO TO AUTHORS PART 2: LIMPING IN THE FAST LANE
© 2011, Vicki Hinze WARNING: This is a no-edit zone…
It’s been a busy twenty-four hours, beginning with the post I wrote yesterday. The response has been astounding. I’ve been blogging since before there were blogs, (since before OneList [which eventually became yahoo groups]). I have no idea how many years it’s been, but it’s been a long, long time, and I’ve written posts that have gotten a lot of responses. Stealing Joy received hundreds and hundreds, but I do believe yesterday’s post, 5 THINGS EDITORS AND AGENTS SHOULD NOT DO TO AUTHORS, might just beat its record.
Two things on that: First, thank you for your comments. I read them all and you kept me up late last night! Secondly, you said such lovely things and I am grateful for your feedback. Now to Part 2…
Life is moving fast for us all. Periods of enormous change are like that. And we’re all trying to get a fix on how things will shake out and what we must do to make sure when the music stops we still have a chair. One thing to remember: We’re all limping in the fast lane—whether we are authors, agents, editors or publishers.
Limping goes beyond those stated groups too. Talk to any sales rep, anyone in marketing, publicity. Talk to booksellers, or those who support books by creating covers, press, book trailers or shorts, run book clubs—anyone singularly involved in the process. We’re all limping, seeking our feet.
The problem is we can’t view the whole forest just yet. Changes are fast and furious. We’re viewing the trees surrounding us, and some of those are blurred. We need a little more time to gain insight and put things in perspective. Even when we do, be prepared: there will be no one-size-fits-all answer.
For some, the traditional route is best. For others, the independent publishing route is the best way forward. For still others, a combination of the two is ideal for that particular person in their defined role in this market/industry.
I know you all hate it when I say this, but truth is truth. Your best path forward honestly does “just depend.”
On what? (See, I can hear you.)
It depends on who you are, what you do, what you want, what most matters to you, and where you are on your specific publishing ladder, and with whom. So many factors weigh in on making a personal best-path call, but not the least of which are your own personal factors.
Too many underestimate the importance of personal factors, even personal preference. That’s a mistake. One this woman has made and can spare you discovering firsthand by simply telling you, “Don’t do that.” Your wants, likes, preferences, goals, objectives, mission and purpose—they all matter. Those are the very things that define your career and shape your success.
Success is self-defined. Regardless of how you define it, the whole of you must be engaged in it or you’re going to fail. So engage in ways that are relevant to you. They will be different, they might not register as success on someone else’s scale, but we’re not weighing in on their sale, we’re weighing in our own.
Our scale is the home to our fulfillment, our regrets, our failures and our success. So forget others’ scales. Watch your own. Measure your own.
I’ve been blessed with a long career in this business, and I’ve only had one rule: I will not write a book I do not love. That’s it. On everything else, I’ve been flexible.
Flexibility is a good thing because so many things have changed in so many ways it’d take books equal to a set of encyclopedias to discuss them all. I won’t repeat why change is good. If you don’t know, re-read yesterday’s post. I will repeat that I’m grateful for change. A healthy market must change and be flexible or get left in the dust. A healthy person must too.
Last night, I watched the political debate. The bickering was frustrating and annoying. Some of the candidates got so caught up in minutia they wasted great opportunities to discuss matters of substance and consequence. We’re poorer for their lack of discipline. But we can learn from their mistake. We don’t have to trudge through that same mud puddle to get the point.
In times of great change there are great opportunities. There are also many opportunities to make great mistakes. Naturally, we want to seize the great opportunities and avoid the great mistakes—and we can increase our odds of doing so if we take the lesson from last night’s debate. Don’t waste effort or energy on minutia while ignoring the 800-pound elephant in the room.
What do I mean by that?
Simply that to seize opportunities you have to open your mind to them. Just because something is unorthodox or hasn’t been tested doesn’t mean it’s not a good idea. Evaluate and assess but look at the potential.
Secondly, understand that you’re going to view everything through the prism of you. You might do it unconsciously, but you’re going to do it. None of us can be wholly objective.
Why is that significant? Because if you haven’t bothered to get to know yourself lately (or ever), you can’t trust your prism. Is it seated in logic, emotion, experience—what force drives it? That’s handy info and important to know. It will help you avoid mistakes and see and seize opportunities.
A couple years ago, I signed with a new agent. In the past two decades, I’ve had several. I knew this one was different. How? In our first conversation, he asked, “What do you want?” During the conversation, he asked, “Why is that important to you?” And toward the end of the conversation, he asked, “What three things can I do for you today?”
Bluntly put, I was shocked—but only in the best possible way. This agent was gold, and I knew enough about myself to know he was the right one for me. He engaged, listened, and got specific. He’s the first I’ve had to ask those questions, incidentally. There’s a lesson in that, too.
Now if I didn’t know myself and know what I wanted, what was important to me and why, I wouldn’t have been able to answer those questions and I’d have missed that three-things to do opportunity. But I did know and could answer. I didn’t bog down in minutia. We focused on the substance. And that is the reason that I’ve shared this example with you.
Understand that it’s not all just about you. Those who invest in you and with you need clear, well thought out answers. But before you can give them—or before they can give them to you—you each need to arrive at those answers on your own.
This matters regardless which hat you’re wearing, or where you are in the publishing chain, or how you “think” you should move forward. Stop and really assess so that you factor in all that should be factored in before deciding your course. Knowing yourself truly is essential to your path to success—and it’s the best crutch going during this limping phase.
We will get through it. We will make hard choices. Some will be good ones, some won’t. The best we can do is stop and assess. Now. Today.
Where are we today? What do we want today? Not last year, not three years ago, not where should we be on that five-year plan we did four years ago. Today. We are not the same people we were then. We are not in the same situation we were then. Assessment has to be a fluid thing because we are fluid. We change.
In many of your notes you said essentially that this limping phase sucks dead canaries. True in part, but only in part. Limping in the Fast Lane gives us a chance to start fresh. Everything is changing, so if the applecart is already upset, we don’t have to worry about upsetting it. We can experiment and change too. That makes this a great time to pause, reflect, assess, and decide or discover who we are right now and what we want. Then we can develop a current plan for how to go about it.
If you need help on that, check out my WHY WE NEED A PLAN article. It’s on the blog, and on Kindle. (A note. I can’t put items on Kindle for free. They’ve got to be 99 cents or more. So they’re 99 cents.) But everything there is on the blog here.
One last thing. When in a state of flux (and we all are), and we’re limping (and everyone is), we tend to be a bit more testy. We’re out of our comfort zone, worried, fearful, unsure of what’s coming, and that makes us uneasy. Some get just plain mad. They think they’ve paid their dues and this should be an easy time in their life, not one fraught with challenges. I hear them on that, but life doesn’t work that way. It never did.
So let’s bear in mind that we’re all going through this together. Some of us are more afraid and unsure and worried than others. For some, this is a blip. For others, it’s an abyss. Regardless, it’s also an opportunity. As members of the publishing community in whatever capacity, we all want a strong, healthy industry. We better serve each other and ourselves if we forget the minutia and focus on the substance. And we best serve all if we do so with compassion, dignity and grace. Maybe the politicians will learn a thing or two from us.
Blessings,
Vicki
5 THINGS EDITORS/AGENTS SHOULD NOT DO TO AUTHORS
© 2011, Vicki Hinze
WARNING: THIS IS A NO EDIT ZONE…
Over the years, I’ve seen scads of lists of things authors should not do to editors or agents. I’ve written a few articles on both subjects. What I haven’t seen is a listing of things editors or agents shouldn’t do to authors. I’m not saying one doesn’t exist, I’m saying I’ve not seen one displayed for public viewing.
There are common sense reasons for that. The dollar volume and scope of author’s works is huge, but our industry is a small one with tight bonds. The editor at one house today becomes the senior editor at another tomorrow, and so authors are reluctant to “burn bridges” anywhere for fear that tomorrow that editor will move to gain a promotion (common) and the author will be working with him or her again. But there are also common sense reasons to discuss the matter. Better, more amiable professional relationships benefit the whole of the industry and everyone in it. So I’m addressing this. It’s long overdue.
First, let me say that I have never looked at the author/editor or the author/agent relationship as adversarial relationships. In the author/editor relationship, each brings different and essential skill sets to the table for a common goal: to create the best possible book. While they might have creative differences of opinion, they work through them together and eventually get to a place where both are content with the results.
In the author/agent relationship, the same thing happens. Different sets of skills, common purpose, and different goals. The author’s goal is to write the best book possible, and the agent’s goal is to best market the book and author. Again, common aims.
Note that in both relationships, the author/editor and the author/agent, there are common goals that pursued by both result in win/win situations. Neither the author nor the editor “wins” at the other’s expense. Neither the author nor the agent “wins” at the other’s expense. (Winning at another’s expense, by the way, is never winning.)
In both sets of relationships, strategic business alliances are formed for the purpose of achieving together something greater than either can achieve alone. For years, there have been more writers than publishing slots. More writers than agents. And while alternative publishing has existed, distribution challenges made it difficult for authors to succeed in that venue. But it has happened.
Today, the model that has been in place is no more. Today there are many alternatives that are lucrative and solve the distribution challenges. Yet new challenges emerge, and while the old models don’t work well anymore, the new models haven’t yet been clearly defined for a broad spectrum of authors or editors or agents. Everyone is in a period of adjustment.
That feels like a bad thing, but it’s not. Stagnant anything dies. So change is good. It’s sometimes scary and uncomfortable because we haven’t seen how it all works or how it will all shake out, but it’s good because change breeds growth, breathes in new life, interest, enthusiasm. All that’s constructive and positive—and essential to long-term progress.
There was a time when authors were adrift in a sea of fog. Information wasn’t readily available, it was considered proprietary, it was guarded—yes even from the author, who had a direct interest and took many leaps of faith with little certainty of outcome. Authors worked in isolation, having little contact with other writers or industry professionals, and they were pretty much at the mercy of others when it came to finding out what was going on with their work. Those days are gone. Authors have information, access, and the ability to create their own model based on their own vision of success and they can do it alone.
That doesn’t mean they should. Remember those skill sets. Each—the author, the editor, and the agent—brings a different set to the table, and unless an author is expert at all three, s/he shouldn’t take on all three. They are distinct. They are different. They are all essential to the process of the goal: creating the best possible book.
That said, an author who does not possess all three skill sets can move in what is deemed untraditional ways to get those skills working for him or her. Editors can be hired on specific projects. Agents and/or literary attorneys called in when needed for specific purposes. When an author chooses this route, it is with the knowledge that time must be spent developing those assets and doing what those professionals do. Can it be done? Yes, it can and has been done many times. Should it be done? That’s the better question, and one only the writer can answer.
Do you want to write or devote more time to the business end of writing? Where’s your personal line on the division of your time? Answers on those things go back to your own vision of success and your personal circumstances and skills. If you charted your existing skills on all three sets, where on a bar graph do you fall on each one? How much time and effort would be required to elevate your skills to a level you consider sufficient to achieve what you want to achieve? Do you want to make that investment or hire it? It’s your call.
But I digress. Point is, these things are germane and should factor into the author’s decisions. It’s important stuff, defining success for yourself and understanding your strengths and weaknesses, not just in the writing but also in those other skill sets. There are many other factors to consider as well, but that’s the topic for another post.
In this post, I wanted to make the point that the model has changed, authors do have more options now than at any other time in history, and that makes relevance key for all parties.
While authors have heard often what they should and should not do in author/editor and author/agent relations, we haven’t talked much about putting the shoe on the other foot, and that is equally important in non-adversarial relationships, which is a key component to everyone’s success.
So here’s a list of things editors and agents should not do to authors based on a compilation of information gleaned from authors across the writing spectrum—fiction to nonfiction, in books and articles.
Editors and agents should not:
ONE.
Fail to communicate. An author relies on the editor, his/her in-house advocate, and on the agent, his/her representative in the industry, for information and insight. In an effective alliance, all parties know the objectives, goals and status. While agents have multiple clients and editors have multiple projects, the author has a more linear and single focus and the greatest singular investment. S/he should be informed and has every right to expect to be informed.
TWO.
Fail to “say what you mean, and mean what you say.” Authors do not require coddling and do not appreciate being told one thing and watching another thing unfold without explanation, discussion and/or input. If you say you’re going to do x, then do it or let the author know why you’ve elected (or been directed) not to do it. Discovery through a third party of what is your business is not a pleasing thing to an author. It’s not just annoying, it’s putting the author in an untenable and often embarrassing situation. Strong alliance partners should never leave their partner’s backs wide open like this. We are all professionals. We all know that things change and developments arise. Don’t bury them, or dismiss them as insignificant. Discuss them openly and honestly. Only grownups should sit at the strategic alliance table. Show authors the same respect you expect from them. No sugarcoating, no ego feeding, no producing unrealistic stars in the eyes. Truth and straight talk is expected, warranted, cherished. Straight talk builds trust. Trust is a key component in effective alliances.
THREE.
Fail to recognize that contracts bind you as well as the author with whom you contract. Because of the nature of writing—it takes time to write a book—long periods of time pass from contract to completion of a project (or multiple projects) and acceptance. Time doesn’t stand still in the industry, or in the market, or in the world. Authors understand this.
Conditions change and publishers must react to those changing conditions to stay relevant and viable. To stay fiscally sound. No author wants to write for a publisher who is not fiscally responsible or sound. So if conditions warrant a change in contract terms, then discuss the necessity of those changes honestly with the author. But do it through direct communication with agent/author and straight talk, showing your grasp that your decisions affect this author (and agent) in very real and specific ways. Don’t drop this bomb with a general announcement. Your decision to alter the existing contract or to not honor the terms and conditions you agreed to well might be necessary, but your decisions have a significant impact on the author’s income. Acknowledge your awareness of it, and explain yourself. Were the shoes reversed, you would insist on an explanation—and you would not cite the information proprietorial. Confidential perhaps, and that’s acceptable—to share information under those terms and conditions. Contracts work both ways. They are backed by mutual respect and trust. If they aren’t, they should be. And if they’re not, it’d be wisest not to enter into them.
Conditions change between agents and authors also and those too require adjustments and modifications. Be honest about them, and remember that while you have other clients, the author has you as his/her main advocate. If you cease to be an advocate, that doesn’t mean you must become an adversary. Again, mutual respect and trust are paramount. You entered into this professional alliance for the combined good. If you must change the terms and conditions to retain or gain better prospects, fine. But respect your author and yourself and your association enough to be professional. Your career and your client’s rely on it.
FOUR.
Fail to create a joint strategy based on specific, realistic expectations and solid planning. Everybody has a dream. Publishers, editors, agents and authors. Unless everyone on the team is aware of not only their own dream but of the others, odds are not good for realizing those dreams. If you don’t know your author’s dreams, then you can’t structure your actions to help achieve it. That leads to an unfulfilled author and that leads to discontent—the author, the agent and the editor.
Now just for a second imagine that the three of you engage in a strategy session where everyone knows everyone else’s dream as it relates to the strategic alliance you’ve formed. Everyone is on the same page, looking out for his or her own interests and for those of the other two parties. Okay, does this increase the odds of success? Yes—and no.
Awareness is not implementation. Being aware is crucial to implementation, so it’s significant, but alone it does nothing. So have that strategy session, get aware, and then together create a strategy of specifics that work toward your combined goals.
Everyone understands achieving those goals is a process. That steps are required. That there will be setbacks and changes will be required. But working together as a cohesive unit—getting and staying on the same page—provides terrific odds for success. Collectively, strides can be made that simply can’t be made alone. Create and maintain your joint strategy seated in specific, realistic expectations and solid planning.
FIVE.
Underestimate the impact of being forthright. People are messy. All people. We bring our perceptions (accurate and inaccurate), our past experiences (good and bad), our beliefs and attitudes and senses of how things should be (right, wrong or indifferent) to the table with us.
Authors do it. Editors do it. Agents do it. It’s part and parcel of us.
Misunderstandings, misconceptions, and misstatements occur. Sometimes we step on it. Sometimes we’re tagged for stepping on it when we don’t even know what it is—or that we’ve stepped on it. If an infraction—real or imagined—takes place, or seems to have taken place, address it. Don’t brush it off—that marginalizes. Don’t pretend it never happened. Never lie about it.
Be forthright and (back to number 1) communicate. More often than not if left unaddressed these are the things that end up becoming mountains and obstacles that drain energy, effort and diffuse focus that can be crippling or downright destructive to the alliance. I’ve yet to see a crippling or destructive strategic alliance produce positive results. Have you? The two are just diametrically opposed.
Remember the old saying, “If you broke it, fix it?” Alliances rely on that and more. Even if you didn’t break it, if you see that it’s broken, fix it. If you can, great. Now the alliance can again focus on its objectives. If you can’t fix it, end it. Remember that trust is essential. Violate that and it takes monumental effort to rebuild, if ever you can. So bottom line, be forthright, clear up misunderstandings before you land at the bottom of a mountain you’re forced now to climb, and never violate trust. Your reputation as trustworthy earns you the benefit of doubt and certainty that acts in your defense.
As I write this, two decades of situations run through my mind. Not only situations I’ve encountered but those of authors, editors and agents I’ve mentored. Yet as I look at this listing of five things—none of which appear earth shattering—I realize that those situations at root level fit into one of these five.
So what’s the bottom line? Regardless of which of the three hats you wear, respect them all. Wonderful strategic alliances are possible—I know that for fact. I’ve experienced them. Not so wonderful ones are possible too. Because that’s true, here’s the one thing you should recall and embrace above all the rest:
If respect and trust are earned and honored by all, odds are really good that all will share trust and respect.
That nixes most of the annoyances, irritants, and bones of contention, which makes for better, stronger alliances. And stronger alliances negate the need for more tips on what authors or agents or editors should or should not do.
Blessings,
Vicki
© 2011, Vicki Hinze
WARNING: This is a no-edit zone…
Having written for over two decades, I thought I’d run into just about every kind of environmental impact on writing possible.
First it was writing around three kids and their schedules, then add a 120 pound dog who thought she was human and required tons of attention—and brought me lovely little gifts. Like the time I was at my desk writing on the computer and ignoring her. She whined, got ignored and so she went outside and came back in with a dead frog, which she plopped in my lap.
Then after my dad died, it was writing around three kids, the dog and my mother. My office was upstairs then, and all afternoon it was the battle of the bands below me. Mom liked country music, one son classical, and the other a blend of rock. If it wasn’t the battle of the bands, it was the battle of the televisions on competing stations.
Lesson learned? Like heat, noise rises. I wrote anyway. Tuned it out and wrote like a maniac.
Eventually, I noticed that I was writing to my emotions. So to work within that little quirk, I worked on four different projects that were in four different stages of development. That way, I could write to my mood. No snickering; odds are good you do it too. The question is to what extent. That was Lesson 2.
When my eldest son left for a stint in the Army, I was devastated. I wasn’t ready for him to go, much less to go overseas for a year. I wrote the saddest scene of my writing life and cried the whole time I was doing it. Oddly, that scene didn’t require one word to be changed from first draft to publication. (I think that’s because I was wholly invested and focused so intently on the pain. I just let it flow through me and out onto the page. Your child going into a war zone will do that to you. Yet no writer can do too much of that. It’d drive them nuts. So I pulled back, seeking balance.) Lesson 3 learned and intact.
When my Special Ops husband left for only he, Uncle Sam and God knows where, I wrote strong, strong suspense. Every fear I ever thought about having rose from my deepest recesses and spilled onto the page—and it took all four projects to distribute that much fear without overdosing the characters. Husband and son in the zone simultaneously. You bet there was sadness and fear. That heralded in Lesson 4. Characters will tell you when they need a breather, or a little comic relief, or a break in intensity. And you’d best listen to them or the characters go numb, anesthetized, and neither they nor the readers feel a thing.
When my daughter’s heart was broken, I knocked off so many guys in my books, if I hadn’t had four projects going, I’d have run out of characters. Men didn’t fare well during that heartache and healing. Truthfully, I’d still be a bit miffed, but she has a wonderful husband who adores her. The men in my books thank him often. Lesson 5 in that. You can back off and attempt to be objective, but all you are and what you think comes with you, the writer, to the project. It shows up in obvious ways—character reactions, responses to events and situations—and in subtle ones—the details the writer chooses to include, or not include.
As the years passed and the kids left to start their adult lives, I thought I’d run through all the lessons via life. But I haven’t. It’s quiet here now, and has been long enough to have forgotten the lessons learned.
At least it was until March when we began several huge remodeling projects. (They’re gorgeous and I love them). One is on one side of my office and the other one is on the other side of my office—a wall away. Those are done now and yet another remodeling project is underway. A new deck—just outside my office window—above and below. And the hammering and sawing, while making me happy because the deck is going to be fabulous, has me noting that a lot of bodies are piling up in this book.
For grins, I went back and looked, and sure enough, the count started rising when the hammering did. So I ditched what I’ve done since then and started again. Lesson 6 has been received. Even if consciously you’re not aware of an environmental impact on your writing, there likely is one.
It’s worth checking—and noting the lessons.
Blessings,
Vicki
© 2011, Vicki Hinze
WARNING: This is a no-edit zone…
The word manipulation does not carry positive connotations, and yet when the writer views it, it’s through a different prism, and it is a useful word—and writing tool.
The writer writes to make a point. S/he presents facts through the character being used as a vehicle to support the position the character takes—his or her story role. Often the writer also uses a second character and facts opposing that position. This even hand (showing both sides of the coin or issue or challenge) creates the greatest amount of tension and conflict—provided the author presents the pros and cons with equal tenacity, logic, and authenticity. A genuine respect for both sides is required.
When the writer does it, what’s happening? The writer is manipulating the facts and the reader’s emotions. At core level, the writer is pitting good against evil, right against wrong—or any opposing views on the writer’s subject/topic of choice.
This pitting of opposing views or ends of a spectrum makes for the best fiction because the author isn’t telling the story with a lopsided view. S/he is putting the good, bad and indifferent into the mix and tossing it like a salad—so that there’s a blend of good and bad in the good and in the bad. That brings not just the topic or big questions into view for consideration, but also gives the reader the opportunity to notice all the shades of gray on both sides.
The reader tends to invest more personally in the shades of gray. Why? Because s/he can relate to more in them, or see in those shades more of what s/he believes. (Remember, there are few absolutes. There is good in bad and bad in good. Unintended consequences come to mind. Think of the stopped clock. It’s still right twice each and every day.)
Readers connect with characters and stories through emotion. Writers connect with characters and stories through emotion. The writer has a purpose in writing this specific story with this specific character. S/he feels this character can best tell the story, live it, or demonstrate the reason the writer wants to tell this story. So of course, in making the point that motivates the writer to write, in choosing the character(s) s/he chooses to demonstrate/live/tell this story, the writer manipulates.
S/he manipulates everything from the details included to the setting, the mood and tone, the secondary characters, the opposing characters—everything. Every single element, even those that are in direct opposition to the goal s/he has for the novel, is manipulated. (The bad guy loses. You might relate to some of his shades of gray, but not so much you want him to win.) Even what isn’t in the book is evidence of writer manipulation. What s/he elects not to include, not to address, impacts the overall story conclusions.
So writers, when you think of manipulation, don’t think of it as the dirty word it is too often in life. Think of it as massaging your story and characters so that they become the best vehicles and means to convey the message that first motivated you to write the book.
Manipulation is not always a dirty word. Sometimes it’s the blessing that brings your message into stark relief where it can be grasped, understood and embraced by others. That’s, in my humble opinion, a hardworking tool for writers.
Blessings,
Vicki
WARNING: This is a no-edit zone…
Relevance and the Math Business
© 2011, Vicki Hinze
Most writers aren’t fond of math. We’re into words. And yet in our industry many are all about the math. Math over content often decides what gets published, and that simple truth makes it imperative that writers start getting into the math business whether or not they’re fond of it. Why? Because it isn’t just publishers and agents who need to stay relevant, authors do too.
The industry is in the middle of a revolution. Ebooks have come into their own and turned the “normal” paradigms on their ears just as a few years ago electronically tracking sales turned the selections for publication process on its ear.
There was a time when the decision on whether or not to buy a book was a subjective, gut-instinct editorial decision. Both the author and the editor were made or broken depending on the outcome in actual sales. Because the sales tracking took a good six months to get a firm handle on a project’s performance and even longer to know for fact, publishers took chances on authors. Built authors over three or four books provided the author’s sales showed progression.
When the electronic reporting went active things changed. Gut instinct was balanced with reporting and marketing decisions. More publishers began buying by committee rather than on editorial instinct. And now hearing that the editor loved and wanted to buy an author or a project and couldn’t get it through committee is a common refrain uttered by many across genres, across the market.
A similar thing is happening now with publishers on ebooks. And because authors have the option of becoming publishers, publishers are put into the position of determining relevance. For the first time, authors are asking, “What can you do for me that I can’t do for me?”
Publishers can do things that authors can’t—at least, today they do. Tomorrow? Who knows? Things are changing on nearly every front with lightning speed.
A few years ago an agent saw this coming and started an ebook arm that helped his clients get their rights/backlist up in ebook format. I’ve spoken to a few of those authors and found none who were not happy with the way the arrangement has worked out for them. But back then the agent took a lot of heat from other industry professionals, including other agents. Now some of those agents who gave the visionary heat are also setting up similar programs.
What that first agent saw that the others didn’t or elected not to act on until now was that as more avenues opened for authors to become independent publishers, like publishers, agents need to stay relevant in the process or lose the income for not staying relevant to the process.
Now some will say authors, acting as their own publishers, don’t need agents. Some will say agents are needed more than ever because agreements and licenses and secondary licenses are still there and are global and they require trained eyes and comprehension. That a literary attorney might review and comprehend and explain but if the author isn’t trained to comprehend and implement, challenges to the author can occur. That there are retail programs within retailing programs agents can access for their authors that aren’t accessible to authors on their own, or aren’t as readily assessable to authors on their own. Same holds true for publishers.
A case can be made either way—with or without an agent/publisher. A critical consideration in the assessment should be the author’s skill level and awareness/familiarity of licenses and opportunities. The lower the author’s skill level, the greater the author’s need for a skilled agent and/or publisher. Another critical consideration is time. It’s an investment. Time spent competently meeting business end requirements is time spent not writing. Not writing produces no product. No product equals nothing to sell. So there are different things to look at in making your personal call.
In the future, I expect that agents will become more like business managers and brokers. Aiding and assisting in licensing but also in areas physically impacting publishing. Coordinating a core group of associates who do specific things that need doing to take a book from manuscript to print/eformat. People like editors, copyeditors, cover artists and those who code the work for specific formats. Perhaps publicists and marketing professionals also because making readers aware of works is going to be the name of the game that next to content most impacts sales. There’s that math again!
In the future, I expect that publishers will become more like marketers and publicists. Their primary job, aside from getting the book “out there” will be making sure readers and industry pros know the work is out there. In other words, to elevate awareness. Why? Again, next to content, awareness will most impact sales. And again, there’s the math.
Authors can get the books to market in eform and in print. But unless readers of that type work know the works are available and buys them, the works are not going to sell. It is true that selling direct requires the author to sell far fewer copies to earn the same money as with an agent/publisher. It is also true that in an author selling direct there are no advances and there are upfront expenditures. Look for more retailers to develop their own programs where they do offer advances and/or to cover initial prepublication expenses. That’s happening already and I believe it will become more widespread. In these expectations are pros and cons that are directly relatable to the individual author and impact decisions on what the author will do and how s/he will elect to do it. Authors and their specific situations are independent. One size doesn’t fit all.
So an author must do a full-scale assessment of his/her specific situation and goals, and then do the math. Not just for a body of work, but perhaps also on specific projects within the body of work. And based on that assessment, the author then must decide what route s/he wants to take based on the specifics revealed in thorough, practical and realistic evaluation (both personal and relative to the work or body of work).
One thing I have not touched on that I probably should. I didn’t speak to it before now because it was rumor. But it’s happened in multiple places with multiple people now and authors should be aware of it because it can have a direct impact on them.
Before now few authors had the luxury of publishing their own work. They were more or less at the mercy of the publishers or they had to put a ton of money and effort into forming their own traditional publishing company. That gave authors far fewer options and alternatives. The author wrote, submitted, and then prayed. A lot and often. Much of the division of power in the strategic business alliance—whether it was agent/author or publisher/author—was weighted in the agent or publisher’s favor.
The downside for the agent: Time is money. Every author acquired required time. With every submission, an agent risks his/her reputation. The upside for the agent: S/he has other clients, so the risk factor is diffused more so than the author’s. The author has all his/her eggs in one basket—the agent’s.
The downside for the publisher: It risks its reputation in taking on an author/work. If the author/work doesn’t perform well, it reflects and impacts the publisher’s credibility and fiscal stability. The editor who acquired non-performing author/work risks current and future employment prospects. The publisher takes risks, putting its resources and reputation behind the author/work. The upside for the publisher is that it has many authors and many works and that diffuses its risks. If one project tanks and other exceeds expectations, the publisher’s version of income-averaging investing comes to its rescue and aids the health of the publisher overall.
The author’s risks are not diffused. If the project tanks, the author tanks and that’s that on that project and beyond. Numbers and sell-through follow an author, so the next book becomes more difficult to sell. Bear in mind that the author takes these risks with no idea what s/he will earn, how his/her work will be packaged, marketed or distributed. Most authors don’t even know in what form a work will be sold. (That’s often the case for most new authors. Those authors higher up the chain get consultation rights and input and can split and define formats and such in the contract. But while the author has input, the final decisions are still the publisher’s, including even titles of the works. It’s rare that this is not the case. Publishers feel they take the lion’s share of risks so it’s fair and right that they retain the lion’s share of say. Some are reluctant to even tell the author what the print run will be on a project. (There’s that math again.) I’ve never understood that beyond the obvious of a publisher not wanting to announce to its competition its numbers so therefore considers it proprietary information on that basis. But withholding that information from the author creates challenges for the author. Math challenges.
The author can’t budget or do the most basic math projections without specific expectations. While more and more publishers expect the author to promote and market, the author can’t do either rationally because s/he doesn’t have essential information to make the best or wisest decisions. That hurts both author and publisher—agent, too, for that matter. Yet this is how things have are/were/have been. And again, this strategic alliance has benefits and risks for both publisher and author. The publisher’s risks are more diffused. The author’s got all her eggs and reputation and next-work potential in that one basket.
Do note that none of this, or the other tangents applicable in the author/agent or author/publisher relationship, make the relationships adversarial ones. Far from it. In these strategic business alliances all parties have a vested interest and a common goal: to make each work the most successful work possible. Each party has to do the math.
So to stay relevant or establish your relevance, should you go the traditional route for publishing your work? Do it with or without an agent? Do both? Publish both? I can’t answer that for you. There are too many variables in every single author’s case/work(s) to make a simple deduction. Oh, I could line up authors, say: “You, yes. You, no. You do a hybrid. You need an agent. You don’t.” But that’d irresponsible because it’d be based only on my subjective opinion. It’d be arrogant and I’d certainly be wrong. Since you and not I will live with the results, it should be your decision, not mine. You make it. You’ll be accountable for it and you’ll enjoy the success and failure. Remember, we all have different definitions for success and failure. Mine are likely different than yours. The author’s bottom line: Use your math, make your call.
What I can say responsibly is this: In today’s publishing climate, authors need to look at all options and then weigh and consider those options as they relate to the specific author and the specific project at this specific time and under the author’s specific current circumstances, and then make the call for him/herself.
Any decision made by the author most impacts the author. It should be based not on another’s opinion but on the author’s assessment of his/her relevance, and to determine that, s/he must do the math.
Blessings,
Vicki
WARNING: This is a no-edit zone…
In the race for topping the list in rankings, many authors are reporting dirty tricks being played against them. These tricks are purportedly playing out in a variety of ways and authors naturally are concerned about them.
Here are a few hard and fast facts:
- Reviews are subjective and everyone is entitled to an opinion and to express it, whether or not it’s an informed opinion and whether or not their opinion is expressed in honest assessment or in nefarious activity. Since opinions are opinions and not facts, there are few tools for determining the true basis of said opinion.
- It’s always wise to be slow to accuse and err on the side of benefit of doubt.
- Not everyone will like any given book. (This is a plus. If they did, we’d need one book and one writer.)
- There are those who consider it legitimate to negatively review a book to kick it down a few notches on a list so that a book they want to move up will move up. Morally and ethically it is not legitimate, of course. But we all know that works-in-progress are not limited to books, they extend to people too. And some just haven’t yet learned the lesson that when you set out to harm another, you harm yourself. Take heart. They’ll learn, and you’re strong enough to withstand the onslaught or it wouldn’t be happening to you.
- It’s pretty evident to readers who read the reviews that these destructive types are at work. Some will blow off their negative reviews. Some will be angered by them. Some will pray for people who feel it’s okay to do something so underhanded, corrupt and destructive. And some will be repulsed and will take on a negative opinion of the reviewer that will stick like glue for a long time to come.
When reports started coming in on this taking place, I did some research. It became pretty evident who was panning a book because it just wasn’t their kind of book, and who was panning a book because they had an ulterior motive. So the bottom line advice I have on this to trust your readers.
Readers are bright. Some just won’t like a book. But they’re slow to post really awful reviews on books much less free books, particularly if they’re authors. Maybe it’s because they know the work it takes to write a book, or maybe they refrain because they know being destructive on subjective opinions is, well, subjective and destructive. Or maybe they’re smart enough to know that a book not suited to their tastes might just be someone else’s dream read.
Readers do read reviews. And when they see a bad one, often they’ll check the reviewer’s profile. If that reviewer has reviewed a half-dozen books and all of them have been free books and all of the reviews have been bad ones, how much weight is that reader going to give that review?
Similarly, if a book has a ton of good reviews and in then suddenly in a span of a day or two days gets a slew of bad ones, and then when those reviewers other reviews on different works are examined and one discovers the one book reviewed and praised is two slots down on the list, well, how much credibility do you think the reader puts on these reviews?
Here’s the thing. When manipulations are being made, it’s pretty obvious to readers. They are not mindless twits but intelligent human beings with excellent taste—as is evidenced by their choice to be our readers. J So give them credit for spotting this nonsense, because they can and do spot it.
A tidbit revealed over the years I want to share that might be of interest to those impacted by this nonsense:
As a writer, you must understand that some readers will love your book and some will hate it. Either is valid and both are good. Good because you touched something in them. In a utopian world, everyone would love our books as much as we do. But we live in the real world, and here, some will love them, some will hate them. Then there are those who read and shrug, “Whatever.” That indifference is the worst. Yet it too will come. Because we’re different, our tastes are different, our hot and cold buttons are personal and different, and people who read react differently.
Some who love it will say so, some won’t.
Some who hate it will say so, some won’t.
Some who are indifferent to it will say so, some won’t.
That’s a successful book.
Some plotting to zap you off the top of the list so they or their friend can climb… well, you can’t legislate common sense or wisdom, so why feed it good energy? We all know that in the end the truth comes to light and you reap what you sow. We also know payback can be hell. No one escapes it indefinitely.
About a decade ago, there were a ton of “hit and run” reviews. Short-term it caused authors problems. Sales of Tums no doubt went up and “Stock in Kleenex is on the rise” became code for I’ve just gotten smacked down by a hit and run review. But then a computer glitch occurred and these anonymous reviewers’ identities were revealed. Notorious for “hit and run” reviews that slammed authors, their works—in cases, their editors and even their cover art—these people who intended to tear others down to elevate themselves instead were exposed. Their reputations were shred, their ethics and absence of integrity were evident and the stains they created on themselves by conducting themselves as they had follow some still today. What goes around does indeed come around…
Remember too that there are many wonderful reviewers and much wisdom and insight to be gained from their feedback. Like in every other facet of life, you guard your mind. You don’t take in just anything from anyone. You assess the value of it and take in what you deem good and constructive and ditch the rest. Readers are discerning. They check reviewer profiles and they spot fakers and those with similar tastes. Give them credit. From the feedback I’ve gotten, I can tell you, to many it’s due.
As I said earlier, readers are bright. Trust them to look at these reviews and, before they grant them validity or weight, to determine that they’re worthy of validity and weight in their own eyes. (Remember, our eyes are different, too.)
One thing often overlooked by writers but never missed by readers is that writers review like writers and readers review like readers. It shines through.
Lastly, let me share this. I’ve been hit-and-run by the best. It’s not fatal. It can be frustrating, annoying and irksome, but it’s short-term. Often these hit-and-runs aren’t about the book at all and have nothing to do with manipulating rankings. Sometimes it is a reaction to the writer. A personal reaction. Let me share a specific that makes my point really clear.
I’m a fiscally conservative female with a strong code of ethics who speaks out on issues in public forums like Twitter. I try to be fair but I don’t bite my tongue. I contact representatives and hold their feet to the fire often enough that I’m regularly canvassed by them or their staff because they know they’re going to hear from me anyway. And I quiz potential candidates hard. I hate spin and hypocrisy and don’t condone it. I’m not politically correct, never have been, and I don’t apologize for it. I exercise my rights. I have children and grandchildren impacted. It all matters. To me, exercising rights is not a privilege but a duty of citizenship. It’s that simple. Needless to say, some disagree and some take exception. But when attempts to argue are met with, “On this, I respectfully agree to disagree,” and then I’m done, it’s not always done. Sometimes it is done with mutual respect. But other times retaliation takes place. And on more than one occasion the victim isn’t me personally but one of my books. It’ll get a Class-A zap. Yet in the big scheme of things, a zapped book is a little thing.
I shared this so that when you view these hit-and-run reviews on your work, or notice them on someone else’s, you don’t despair or worry overly and so you are or become aware that often it’s a strike back by someone frustrated about something unrelated to the work.
Like your readers, you need to be discerning and determine the value of the review.
Oh, one more thing. (Sorry, I forgot it until just now.) One of you mentioned that you were going to start hitting that “Abuse report” button on Amazon. (For those unfamiliar, this is a way to report the reviewer/reviews for some serious infraction.)
I wouldn’t presume to tell anyone to do that or not to do that. You’re a responsible adult and make your own decisions. That’s as it should be since you’ll be held accountable for them. But if you’re tempted to hit that button, I would caution you to be extremely judicious, and to be able to back up with hard evidence any complaint you elect to make. Leave no room for dispute.
Personally, I wouldn’t waste the energy unless it was flagrant abuse that impacted my ability to earn a living and I could prove it. I trust my readers. For over twenty years, they’ve had my back.
I do realize this sort of thing can take an emotional toll. But you decide how much of one, and that’s the truth. A long while ago, I did a post called WHEN WRITERS HURT WRITERS. Those of you who’ve written me on this subject might want to visit the ON WRITING blog archive on my vickihinze.com site and read it. You’re not alone. Many other writers have been on the receiving end of dirty tricks and they’ve survived. So too will you.
In the mean time, let’s all seek to turn this into a constructive opportunity. Let’s elevate the standard on ethics and moral integrity by living it. Leading by example, so that personal conduct and treating others with dignity and respect is the norm. Now that, IMHO, is worthy of our energy… and our respect.
I hope this helps.
Blessings,
Vicki
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