Says it all really

[panik]

To illustrate the vale of tears you enter when you try to get anything published these days, one David Lassman sent the first chapters of some of Jane Austen's works to literary agents and publishers. Not only did they not want to publish them - in all fairness, the 200 year-old style might have put more than a few off - only one recognised the plagarism.

This does not fill one with confidence - but then I've been at this game for years and I know what it's like; I could fit a new novel on the backs of the rejections I've had - just got a bright shiny new one this morning!

Comments

[fingers.livejournal.com]

Hmm,

I think when we have our original fic (historical fantasy) all written out I'm not sure what we'll do with it...

[t-verano.livejournal.com]

Silly -- stupid -- people. (I can understand the style thing, I suppose -- but how the heck can literary people not recognize Jane Austen? ::weeps::)

And so sorry about the rejection! (Silly -- stupid -- people.)

And hoping the tonsillitis is retreating gracefully and at speed.

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

Aw - sorry about the rejection, sweetie - no fair when you're not feeling well either. I guess that's just part of being a writer, but even so - ouch.

I'll dig out a nice nekkid icon to cheer you up *g*

[gillyp.livejournal.com]

Aw rejections are my life, hon; really, I could paper the walls with them.

Oooh... Pretty! ::is easily distracted::

[gillyp.livejournal.com]

Oh... rejection is the mainstay of my literary life (o: I'm just prepping a submission for a new agent now, as a matter of fact. The last rejection came back signed 'intern 2'. ::sigh::

The thing about that story isn't that the chapters got rejected, but that ONLY ONE realised what he was reading! ::despairs::

The tonsillitis has dejenerated into a miserable cough and cold. But I has tea. I is OK(ish) (o:

[gillyp.livejournal.com]

Well the usual thing is, send it to an agent and wait for the rejection slips. (o:

[snycock.livejournal.com]

Sorry about the rejection - was that for the Cuba book?

Don't even want to THINK about the absurdity of publishers not recognizing Jane Austen....

[gillyp.livejournal.com]

Frankly, I'm not in the least surprised. Most literary agents of my acquaintance are usually drunk by lunchtime. (o:

[gillyp.livejournal.com]

Oh, yup - Cuba book, the latest one - though I have 2 that I'm pimping at the moment.

[arnie1967.livejournal.com]

There should be some kind of filter on your mail so you only get news like that when you're feeling great and don't give a damn.

::hugs tightly despite the germs:: Hope you're feeling better soon and that you get somewhere with your pimping soon.

[gillyp.livejournal.com]

LOL... My pimping has got me more interest so I guess shamelessness pays.

Thanks for the hugs ::is trying not to breathe on you::

[mab-browne.livejournal.com]

Errgghh. I've read a few books (outside of genre publishing, which is a whole different ballgame) where I wondered what the hell the publishers were thinking.

Good luck on finding someone who'll publish your work. :-)

[gillyp.livejournal.com]

"Good luck on finding someone who'll publish your work. :-)"

Thanks. I've been at it since 2000, but I live in eternal hope. (o:

[earth2skye.livejournal.com]

ust got a bright shiny new one this morning!

Oh, I'm so sorry, Gilly, even though you (at least) seem to be taking it like a true pro.

nly one recognised the plagarism.

Well, confidence in publishers aside, maybe knowing how actually incapable (or at least ignorant) many of them apparently are, it's easier to accept a rejection after having read this.

I certainly hope that, one of these days, you'll get a different answer, though, 'cause from what I've read, you've definitely earned it! ::hugs::

[gillyp.livejournal.com]

Oh, thanks honey, but it's the way it is for more than 90% of writers out there. Everyone planning to write original fic should know this before they start - and quality has nothing to do with it at all, it's all about what's fashionable.

I forget how many agents JK Rowling sent her ms to before Christopher Little took her on - and that was only a stroke of the greatest luck.

[angelvette67.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm sorry. :(

Hope your cold gets better soon, then a least you'll feel a bit better.... Is it still cold and rainy there?

[gillyp.livejournal.com]

Oh, no - don;t say sorry! I'm still waiting to hear back from another agent and I've found a nice, fresh new one to try. (o: It's the same for practically everyone who's ever written a book.

Not cold - it was sunny but now it's gone dark as night. Friends in London tell me it's like the end of the world down there, though. What is up with the weather? Are you still suffering through a heat wave?

[angelvette67.livejournal.com]

Hot all the time, with some days worse than others. It seems that the weather has gone a bit crazy everywhere though. It'll probably last till the end of October. With all the expenses we had this year, we're not going anywhere, though I did book us a converted farmhouse in Gozo for 4 days in September. It'll still be hot, but at least, it's a break.