I was reading a forum and an author came on to say that now she has published her first novel with a big publisher and told us that she lived on a farm and then had the audacity to say "and now I've have managed to crack 'the big time' with no training! I'd love to share my tips with you." A bookseller replied that they are happy to promote Australian authors and was interesting in promoting it in her stall to which the author replied. "Have you read my book?" I get the author is excited on having her work published and in bookstore. But you don't crack the big time unless it becomes an international hit movie etc. I read the blurb and it reads similar to the plot of Australia. Is it shameless to promote one's own work on a website and then brag about giving helpful tips?
Well, on THIS forum, the cutoff would be if the author posts links to their Helpful Hints website, or to a Buy My Book site. However, anyone here can post helpful hints - we do it all the time. They're called opinions. How much credence any member places on that advice is up to that member to decide, based on what they have seen of the hinter's writing and other factors. Being published doesn't guarantee credibility. If someone says "Paolini suggests ... ," I don't imagine most people will jump on that bandwagon (apologies to any Paolini fans). Many members quote advice from Stephen King, and some proportion of the membership will consider that fairly authoritative; many others will consider the advice highly suspect because of its soiurce.
Hey Cognito, I love your site as everyone is so honest on their tips and opinions when it comes to writing. As you said "Being published doesn't gurantee creditbility..." I have seen new authors having their work published and most of the time after a year and a bit their work is in the bargin bin or at garage/carboot sales. It's just I don't want this person to feel so excited to the point they don't see that their story will likely be put into bargin bin in the near future. I am just being realistic as I can be.
You will probably find that most people who manage to get into the publishing world, or people who at least attempt to get into the publishing world, are only too happy to give advice to others. When I first began trying to get published I would have been really greatful to someone who had been previously published to give me some advice on getting published and rejected. In the end I did, and I am now expecting a child with that person. hehehe! But still, I think it is really good that published writers, even if they haven't made it big, want to give others advice. It isn't wrong for them to want to. It doesn't make a published writers advice any better than a non-published writer, but depending on how long a person has been writing, depends on how useful their advice will be. I would rather take advice from someone who has had one piece published, than from someone who has only ever attempted to write. That may sound harsh, but I would pressume that a published writer would have far more knowledge and experience than someone who has only ever attempted to write. It is a good idea to promote your work on a website and offer advice because if you don't, you aren't really going to gain much interest are you? I know many writers who have websites, blogs, etc. who are self promoting their work and offerring advice to other writers all the time. There is no harm in doing that. It is a good way to gain interest in your writing. That is my opinion anyway.
Mmm, maybe. I dont think so. I dont know about promoting, but I'd be proud if I got published and would share it with everyone here who shares the common interest. And promoting? I know that several members here have links to their works (free or for sale) in their signatures. It's just another way to stir up interest and, yes, promote. But promote need not have negative connotations. Writing is a job; it's business. Promoting is not a bad thing. As for reaching 'the big time;' is it just me, or are you splitting hairs? It's all subjective; the new author's on a high right now. Whether it's the big time or not, it's all opinion. Just like getting a promotion means a lot to a workaholic and next to nothing for the customer he serves, it's all subjective. I dont want to sound harsh or trite here, but I have a feeling he knows a bit more about his publishing process than you do. Even if you too have been published, you dont know the specifics of his contract or his situation. If he has taken the time to research a topic and write a book about it, along with signing contracts with major publishing companies, I'm pretty sure he also knows the bleak reality many authors face even if they are published. Dont worry about how that person will feel if the book is put in the bargain bin. It's not your job to put a smile on his face. He knows, just as you know, just like I know, that some of the best work goes un- and underpublished. And because that person has gone the distance to finish a book, do all of the business involved with publishing it, I assume that he also knows a fair bit more than I do about the nitty-gritty bits of publishing. Depending on how it was phrased, was the author being pompous or bragging? Maybe. Chances are, since both you and he are writers, you know if he is or not. If he is, dont worry about it. If he isnt, then dont rain on his parade.
Hmm, I don't think it's 'shameless' as such. I don't have a problem with self promotion on another site. But I do think there are ways and means of doing it, perhaps wording things better. ^^ What the author said strikes me as being a bit 'cheeky' and a bit smug. But all power to her for getting where she wants to be. It's where we all want to be in the end.
I agree.....just because you got a editor and a book deal does not mean you are intellectually accepted by all readers.....there are lots of horrible books notioced and lots of great books that go unnoticed.....we must always push for real material of substance and higher value and worth.....and no, a "writng for dummies," book is not a way to sucure your published fate.....write real words and the rest is history........
