Comments on: In Which Jill Goes Out Of Her Way To Raise Our Blood Pressure, Or You Too Can Write A Book In Three Days http://booksquare.com/in-which-jill-goes-out-of-her-way-to-raise-our-blood-pressure-or-you-too-can-write-a-book-in-three-days/ Dissecting the publishing industry with love and skepticism Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:52:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Erica Orloff http://booksquare.com/in-which-jill-goes-out-of-her-way-to-raise-our-blood-pressure-or-you-too-can-write-a-book-in-three-days/comment-page-1/#comment-121849 Erica Orloff Fri, 05 May 2006 13:19:19 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/archives/2006/04/25/1929/#comment-121849 Well, between my jumbo cup of coffee and this post, my blood pressure is through the roof. These types of things that prey on naive, desperate-to-be-published writers are just sickening. I've published 20 novels with big houses from Penguin to MIRA to Red Dress Ink, and I can spot poor writing, cliches, and books that haven't a prayer of selling as well as anyone (I was a book editor for 15 years before selling my first novel). BUT, I cannot give anyone some magic "it's ALL so easy" formula. No one can. It's a subjective business full of vagaries; hardwork and persistence and honing craft are important, but there's also an element of luck and timing that no book can tell you how to conquer. God, this is pathetic. E Well, between my jumbo cup of coffee and this post, my blood pressure is through the roof. These types of things that prey on naive, desperate-to-be-published writers are just sickening. I’ve published 20 novels with big houses from Penguin to MIRA to Red Dress Ink, and I can spot poor writing, cliches, and books that haven’t a prayer of selling as well as anyone (I was a book editor for 15 years before selling my first novel). BUT, I cannot give anyone some magic “it’s ALL so easy” formula. No one can. It’s a subjective business full of vagaries; hardwork and persistence and honing craft are important, but there’s also an element of luck and timing that no book can tell you how to conquer.

God, this is pathetic.
E

]]> By: Nicole J. LeBoeuf-Little http://booksquare.com/in-which-jill-goes-out-of-her-way-to-raise-our-blood-pressure-or-you-too-can-write-a-book-in-three-days/comment-page-1/#comment-121535 Nicole J. LeBoeuf-Little Tue, 02 May 2006 19:40:54 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/archives/2006/04/25/1929/#comment-121535 90,000 words in 3 days? 90,000 <i>publishable</i> words? No no no no no. OK. I'm a fairly quick typist with a fairly good grasp on the language, such that occasionally I get paid to write. Right now what I get paid to write most are work-for-hire non-fiction PDFs based on an outline from the editor. I am also a fairly bad procrastinator. All this backstory is to say, <b>I can write 15,000 publishable words in 24 hours.</b> BUT. a) It was non-fiction, b) I had an outline, and c) I don't want to have to do it <i>ever again.</i> So. 90,000 publishable words in 3 days? Pardon my skepticism, but I Don't Think So! 90,000 words in 3 days? 90,000 publishable words?

No no no no no.

OK. I’m a fairly quick typist with a fairly good grasp on the language, such that occasionally I get paid to write. Right now what I get paid to write most are work-for-hire non-fiction PDFs based on an outline from the editor.

I am also a fairly bad procrastinator.

All this backstory is to say, I can write 15,000 publishable words in 24 hours. BUT. a) It was non-fiction, b) I had an outline, and c) I don’t want to have to do it ever again.

So. 90,000 publishable words in 3 days? Pardon my skepticism, but I Don’t Think So!

]]> By: Lauren Dane http://booksquare.com/in-which-jill-goes-out-of-her-way-to-raise-our-blood-pressure-or-you-too-can-write-a-book-in-three-days/comment-page-1/#comment-121362 Lauren Dane Thu, 27 Apr 2006 22:04:01 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/archives/2006/04/25/1929/#comment-121362 Helpful writing charts are free and readily available all over the web if you want to try organizing your WIP like that. But it's not like it does the work for you. Snort (if only! I could eat brownies and watch soaps all day long while I spent three days a month and wrote a novel!) It makes me furious to see people take advantage of other peoples' dreams like this. There are no shortcuts. There are no magic beans. There's no formula other than a lot of hard work and effort. Helpful writing charts are free and readily available all over the web if you want to try organizing your WIP like that. But it’s not like it does the work for you. Snort (if only! I could eat brownies and watch soaps all day long while I spent three days a month and wrote a novel!)

It makes me furious to see people take advantage of other peoples’ dreams like this. There are no shortcuts. There are no magic beans. There’s no formula other than a lot of hard work and effort.

]]> By: Booksquare http://booksquare.com/in-which-jill-goes-out-of-her-way-to-raise-our-blood-pressure-or-you-too-can-write-a-book-in-three-days/comment-page-1/#comment-121353 Booksquare Thu, 27 Apr 2006 03:39:16 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/archives/2006/04/25/1929/#comment-121353 Tina, I checked out your book and reviews, and still believe I'm correct. Your publisher isn't what I'd call a a major player and, given the fact that it will take 4 - 6 weeks to order your book from Amazon, I'm guessing it's a print-on-demand type publisher. I am not opposed to small houses, self-publishing, or POD-type arrangemetns, but I am opposed to implicit promises that mislead people. Completing and publishing a novel is a commendable trait, and I always encourage people to carefully weigh their publishing decisions, whatever they may be. You made your choice with this publisher, and I believe you made the right choice for you. As you can see, this "offer" is generating some heat from people who have worked hard at their craft and careers. They know writers cannot achieve the goal of a publishable novel in 3 days. And the sad truth is that there are a lot of people who want to achieve their dreams so badly that they will believe this. You've been around this industry long enough to know the truth. You will probably will get takers on this offer, but I will discourage people from paying $197 for a secret that doesn't exist. There is no formula (sorry, Diana, I don't believe this, though I understand what you mean). There is no secret. It's hard work, talent, and, yes, luck. There's no shame in taking courses and asking for help, but there is no magic formula. Tina, I checked out your book and reviews, and still believe I’m correct. Your publisher isn’t what I’d call a a major player and, given the fact that it will take 4 – 6 weeks to order your book from Amazon, I’m guessing it’s a print-on-demand type publisher. I am not opposed to small houses, self-publishing, or POD-type arrangemetns, but I am opposed to implicit promises that mislead people. Completing and publishing a novel is a commendable trait, and I always encourage people to carefully weigh their publishing decisions, whatever they may be. You made your choice with this publisher, and I believe you made the right choice for you.

As you can see, this “offer” is generating some heat from people who have worked hard at their craft and careers. They know writers cannot achieve the goal of a publishable novel in 3 days. And the sad truth is that there are a lot of people who want to achieve their dreams so badly that they will believe this. You’ve been around this industry long enough to know the truth.

You will probably will get takers on this offer, but I will discourage people from paying $197 for a secret that doesn’t exist. There is no formula (sorry, Diana, I don’t believe this, though I understand what you mean). There is no secret. It’s hard work, talent, and, yes, luck. There’s no shame in taking courses and asking for help, but there is no magic formula.

]]> By: Tawny http://booksquare.com/in-which-jill-goes-out-of-her-way-to-raise-our-blood-pressure-or-you-too-can-write-a-book-in-three-days/comment-page-1/#comment-121351 Tawny Thu, 27 Apr 2006 01:48:26 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/archives/2006/04/25/1929/#comment-121351 Oh yes, very interesting. I am not normally a catty type of person but this steams me up. Formula? Puh--leeze, Tina or Morgan! You're not helping anyone by selling lies to hopeful authors. You're taking their money and stealing their dreams. You have no proof that this "big secret" works. The book you are referring to didn't sell for big dollars to a reasonably respected publisher and it's ranked #427,928 in Books on Amazon. You want to make money, Tina? Do it honestly. Want to sell books? Work hard, write a great book and sell it to a publisher who'll pay. Don't take advantage of people who are looking for answers in the wrong places. And to those who are thinking of buying this crap--don't believe a word of it. There are plenty of *best selling* (NY Times, USA Today) authors with real credentials who'll tell you the "secret" for free. And the first thing they'll tell you is there is NO FORMULA. You can't write a book by filling in the blanks, like Mad Libs. Oh yes, very interesting.

I am not normally a catty type of person but this steams me up. Formula? Puh–leeze, Tina or Morgan!

You’re not helping anyone by selling lies to hopeful authors. You’re taking their money and stealing their dreams. You have no proof that this “big secret” works. The book you are referring to didn’t sell for big dollars to a reasonably respected publisher and it’s ranked #427,928 in Books on Amazon.

You want to make money, Tina? Do it honestly. Want to sell books? Work hard, write a great book and sell it to a publisher who’ll pay. Don’t take advantage of people who are looking for answers in the wrong places.

And to those who are thinking of buying this crap–don’t believe a word of it. There are plenty of *best selling* (NY Times, USA Today) authors with real credentials who’ll tell you the “secret” for free. And the first thing they’ll tell you is there is NO FORMULA. You can’t write a book by filling in the blanks, like Mad Libs.

]]> By: Ann Jacobs http://booksquare.com/in-which-jill-goes-out-of-her-way-to-raise-our-blood-pressure-or-you-too-can-write-a-book-in-three-days/comment-page-1/#comment-121350 Ann Jacobs Thu, 27 Apr 2006 01:07:01 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/archives/2006/04/25/1929/#comment-121350 Hilarious is right! It's also sad, because If I don't miss my guess, Ms. Adams will make more money selling her "formula" at $197 a pop than she ever will, selling a nonerotic romance book e-published with a publisher not recognized by Romance Writers of America. Fame and fortune? How can she promise this to her customers when she obviously hasn't acquired it for herself? You see, there's a fool born every minute, in the words of the late P. T. Barnum. And hope reigns in the heart of every unpublished author that someday they'll find that magic formula and sell their book. I'm sure at least two or three will succumb to Ms. Adams' hype and shell out their hard-earned money to get the "inside secrets" of how to write and sell romance novels. They'd be better off to WRITE, hone their craft and develop a voice that will make them stand out from the herd of wannabes. Hilarious is right! It’s also sad, because If I don’t miss my guess, Ms. Adams will make more money selling her “formula” at $197 a pop than she ever will, selling a nonerotic romance book e-published with a publisher not recognized by Romance Writers of America. Fame and fortune? How can she promise this to her customers when she obviously hasn’t acquired it for herself?

You see, there’s a fool born every minute, in the words of the late P. T. Barnum. And hope reigns in the heart of every unpublished author that someday they’ll find that magic formula and sell their book. I’m sure at least two or three will succumb to Ms. Adams’ hype and shell out their hard-earned money to get the “inside secrets” of how to write and sell romance novels. They’d be better off to WRITE, hone their craft and develop a voice that will make them stand out from the herd of wannabes.

]]> By: Cynthia http://booksquare.com/in-which-jill-goes-out-of-her-way-to-raise-our-blood-pressure-or-you-too-can-write-a-book-in-three-days/comment-page-1/#comment-121349 Cynthia Thu, 27 Apr 2006 01:05:43 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/archives/2006/04/25/1929/#comment-121349 Tina, my hat is off to you for publishing your novel but please--you wrote an approximately 90,000 word book in three days? By your own admission, you were writing 18 hours a day so were pouring out about 1666 words per hour--and this is after not having done a book before. I've very willing to believe that you are talented and that you did indeed write this book. I'm even willing to believe that you plotted it out and wrote a good potion, maybe 10-20% of it during a 3-day marathon. But a whole book? And if this is so easy, why aren't there more? --Cynthia Tina, my hat is off to you for publishing your novel but please–you wrote an approximately 90,000 word book in three days? By your own admission, you were writing 18 hours a day so were pouring out about 1666 words per hour–and this is after not having done a book before.

I’ve very willing to believe that you are talented and that you did indeed write this book. I’m even willing to believe that you plotted it out and wrote a good potion, maybe 10-20% of it during a 3-day marathon.

But a whole book? And if this is so easy, why aren’t there more?

–Cynthia

]]> By: Kirsten http://booksquare.com/in-which-jill-goes-out-of-her-way-to-raise-our-blood-pressure-or-you-too-can-write-a-book-in-three-days/comment-page-1/#comment-121348 Kirsten Thu, 27 Apr 2006 00:53:39 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/archives/2006/04/25/1929/#comment-121348 omg, this is hilarious! She should team up with that outfit that automates query letters . . . omg, this is hilarious!

She should team up with that outfit that automates query letters . . .

]]> By: Tina Adams http://booksquare.com/in-which-jill-goes-out-of-her-way-to-raise-our-blood-pressure-or-you-too-can-write-a-book-in-three-days/comment-page-1/#comment-121345 Tina Adams Wed, 26 Apr 2006 21:21:21 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/archives/2006/04/25/1929/#comment-121345 I'm Tina Adams. You've never met me, but I can assure you, I am a "real" person. I have too many kids not to be. :-) I found this thread through my statistics program for my website writearomance.com I am a published romance novelist. The title of my book is REDEMPTION, written under the pen name Morgan Leshay, ISBN 0-9754533-8-6. It is available from LBF Books, Amazon.com, Borders.com, Chapters Indigo.ca, and Tower Records as well as directly from the publisher (www.lbfbooks.com). Your local bookstore, if they don't have it on their shelves, can special order it for you if you'd like. There are reviews of the book posted at Amazon.com, and also on Morgan's website (www.morganleshay.com) if you're interested in what people are saying about it. You can double-check the reviews by going to the sites of those who reviewed it. Thank you. I’m Tina Adams. You’ve never met me, but I can assure you, I am a “real” person. I have too many kids not to be. :-) I found this thread through my statistics program for my website writearomance.com

I am a published romance novelist. The title of my book is REDEMPTION, written under the pen name Morgan Leshay, ISBN 0-9754533-8-6.

It is available from LBF Books, Amazon.com, Borders.com, Chapters Indigo.ca, and Tower Records as well as directly from the publisher (www.lbfbooks.com). Your local bookstore, if they don’t have it on their shelves, can special order it for you if you’d like.

There are reviews of the book posted at Amazon.com, and also on Morgan’s website (www.morganleshay.com) if you’re interested in what people are saying about it. You can double-check the reviews by going to the sites of those who reviewed it.

Thank you.

]]> By: Bill Peschel http://booksquare.com/in-which-jill-goes-out-of-her-way-to-raise-our-blood-pressure-or-you-too-can-write-a-book-in-three-days/comment-page-1/#comment-121343 Bill Peschel Wed, 26 Apr 2006 21:01:36 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/archives/2006/04/25/1929/#comment-121343 I always thought the formula was simple: 1. Characters fall in love 2. But something keeps them from reaching their happy ending 3. Until the end of the book See? Simple. All you need to do is fill in the words. You owe me $197. I'll even throw in the shipping for free. I always thought the formula was simple:

1. Characters fall in love
2. But something keeps them from reaching their happy ending
3. Until the end of the book

See? Simple. All you need to do is fill in the words.

You owe me $197. I’ll even throw in the shipping for free.

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