Ill admit it, when I first saw this, I thought it was going to be another dread-play about how you shouldn’t quit your day job etc—but no, Its pleasantly tempered good advice and well mannered in realistic expectation of what it is like to truly live this life of a writer. 🩵
This is honest and cool. But we need more radical thinking. It just isn't true that there's some inherent value in writing just because it makes you resilient. It's a crushing industry because the workers in it gave it away to agents and PR people because they wanted prestige and they fell for classists ideas about self promotion. If anything too many mediocre writers who publish other stuff besides fiction use the other stuff to get a foot in the door of fiction but they are never going to get a big audience because they aren't risk taking big talents at fiction, they are just mildly connected and mildly talented. At some point we gotta have a conversation about excellence. How to define it, why it took a back seat in the industry, and the affect that had had.
Love this. As an author, book editor and former literary agent's assistant I concur with most of this. My own books (one a YA novel) are self-published, but I got to know the industry via interning for an agent and through some of my traditionally published clients such as Christian Picciolini (Breaking Hate). The expectations are high for new writers, and the realities usually grim.
Screenwriter here and got the shivers from this part: “Your editor will send you a Word doc full of “???” and comments like “Does this make sense?” You’ll start questioning your existence.” 😂
Thank you for sharing this, Adria! I agree - all of it builds character. This journey can be so special and heartbreaking and wild at times.
Love all of these tips, especially the end with the final words of wisdom.
Ill admit it, when I first saw this, I thought it was going to be another dread-play about how you shouldn’t quit your day job etc—but no, Its pleasantly tempered good advice and well mannered in realistic expectation of what it is like to truly live this life of a writer. 🩵
So glad you enjoyed it!
Yup.
This is honest and cool. But we need more radical thinking. It just isn't true that there's some inherent value in writing just because it makes you resilient. It's a crushing industry because the workers in it gave it away to agents and PR people because they wanted prestige and they fell for classists ideas about self promotion. If anything too many mediocre writers who publish other stuff besides fiction use the other stuff to get a foot in the door of fiction but they are never going to get a big audience because they aren't risk taking big talents at fiction, they are just mildly connected and mildly talented. At some point we gotta have a conversation about excellence. How to define it, why it took a back seat in the industry, and the affect that had had.
Love this. As an author, book editor and former literary agent's assistant I concur with most of this. My own books (one a YA novel) are self-published, but I got to know the industry via interning for an agent and through some of my traditionally published clients such as Christian Picciolini (Breaking Hate). The expectations are high for new writers, and the realities usually grim.
Screenwriter here and got the shivers from this part: “Your editor will send you a Word doc full of “???” and comments like “Does this make sense?” You’ll start questioning your existence.” 😂
😂😂😂