A week that has revolved around what...? Around getting my act into gear! That’s what...
I’ve been working on a proposal for the book. What’s that? Well, it’s what will get
me through the door of the agent. Up until last week, I was only sending off an introductory letter and synopsis (which is a summary of the book) to the agents (that are legit!) But it wasn’t really doing the book justice. Well, not in my eyes anyhow.
So, I’ve spent 3 full days working on this proposal. I had no idea just how big this would be. Nearly 20 hours of sweat has dripped into this laptop and it’s turned into a 4000 word project! I’ve been doing hours of market research about treatment for eating disorders and have been gathering statistics and using every ounce of ME so the agents will want to read my book. I’ve even suggested a sequel to this first (man, getting so far ahead of myself right now... I haven’t even got the first one on the shelf and I’m already speaking of a second book!!!)... As well, I’ve been gathering key selling points, creating the ‘blurb’ (which is what will be written on the back of the book) and have been making myself out to be something more interesting than I may be – how cheeky of me...!!! I’ve been searching for convincing words to tell them why I’m the person to write about this specific topic, why this book differs from all the rest, what others can be compared to mine and what’s good or bad about the link between these suggested 'other books'.
Man o man o man... I hadn’t a clue the work that would be involved in getting the proposal together... And the importance of what it could mean is HHHHUUUUGGGGEEEE!!!!!!
A good proposal or an outstanding proposal can be the difference between getting published or not. If the agent doesn’t like the first 3 lines of the proposal, you’re on the scrap heap and they won’t consider reading your 4000 word project, let alone the 105.000 words in the book... Man o man o man... When the first 3 lines of the proposal ARE more striking than the 200 other proposals that have been delivered in the space of just one week, they’ll agree to read the manuscript. BUT then it’s still not a question mark whether or not they’ll take you on and represent you to the publisher! Man o man o man...
How can I ever stress the importance of what I’m doing...? I don’t think I can. And at the moment, it’s frustrating me to be perfectly honest. I feel so much is riding on this proposal and I want to speak to somebody soooooooooooooooo badly who’s done the same thing! Man, I just want someone to say: “Niamh, yeah, I’ve been there and it’s tough and I totally understand how important this is”. People around me, will never understand what I go through when I sit for hours behind the computer screen absorbed in doing my book justice, by writing a ‘simple’ proposal. Because actually I’m sitting in a world that has the potential of offering my book a lifeline...
Man o man o man. I’ve got so much rage today! I don’t know... It’s p-ing me off a little! Is this me shouting silently for help? Could very well be...
I’ve worked my ass off to get this proposal as good as can be and I’ll never know if it’s good enough for the 600 agents that I’m approaching at the moment!
Right.... breathe Niamh. This is where it will happen: an author will come falling out of the sky and offer me some kind words of advice. And that will ease the frustration and the desire I have to control this whole book world in the exact manner I want!
Whhhaaaa... the control freak has now officially been let loose! Where’s the trust and safety in the unknown? Wait, wait, wait... Is the frustration subsiding and is excitement returning? Yeeeaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh................There it is... It’s appearing: the road ahead that’s clear and white... it’s a canvas and I can paint on it whatever I like! Or the world will start painting it for me and the winding road will lead to the agent, then the publisher and eventually.... the SHELF!
Okay... calm and focused again...
How can those around me ever understand what I’m doing? It’s impossible. They haven’t written a book, and even if they HAD written a book, then STILL they wouldn’t understand what’s riding on the proposal that I’m working on so as to get my foot in the door of the agent. Because up until the beginning of the week, I HADN’T A CLUE EITHER! (Yes, I knew it was important, but suddenly its alarming significance is something that’s swamping me!)
Right, I can see what’s happening. This post is helping me so much! Thank you for reading... hahha... even if it’s causing your stress levels to rise too!
My reason for sweating over it is because it’s the bridge between my book and the agent! Hallelujah! That’s why I’m so desperate for somebody to give me a pat on the back and wholeheartedly MEAN it when they say: “Niamh, I understand your sudden despair”.
Okay, I feel much better now... Calm and focussed again. I’m gonna finish the proposal and the agents will all be blown away! The next time I see you here, I’ll have flabbergasted them all and this sweating right now, will have been over... nothing...
RELAX and BREATHE.....................
Friday, February 11, 2011
Saturday, February 5, 2011
An Agent vanished...
In the end, I didn’t fall for the scam. I realized before accepting their offer, that it wasn’t legit. But, my god, I can only say how sick I felt to suddenly find out that my ‘baby’ was in the hands of a conman. I felt violated, deceived and it was like I was losing something! Wow man... How could I have let this happen? I was terrified he was going to ‘steal’ my book...
This is where the process of publishing gets complicated: Copyright. The seal that protects the writers work from being stolen or copied by someone else. Apparently, the book you’ve spent months sweating over, even if it hasn’t been published, is protected against theft, without having to go through any procedure (I find this law so confusing and so vague, by the way). But on Tuesday night I was so paranoid. I couldn’t sleep and was having nightmares. When I woke my up from the sound of my screams (yes, yes, I know, I can be the biggest drama queen there is!) I decided to follow advice I’d been given a few months ago which was to post a full copy of the manuscript to myself. According to what I’ve heard, it has to be in a stamped, sealed and dated envelope and isn’t allowed to be opened once it arrives home. It then serves as proof as my OWN WORK, should this proof be needed in the future, for whatever reason. So, this is what I did on Wednesday – just to feel like my baby was safe again...
It wasn’t until afterwards; I continued questioning... Would this ****** of dude, who is scamming 100s of first time writers, seriously sit down and read my script and then... steal it..?? One out of hundreds? Do I really think I’m THAT important? What a joke! Okay, I do love my book, yes. And it needs to be published, yes. But do I honestly think that my story stands out to such an extent, that this American guy, or any of his conning associates, would pick me to steal from? I realized that all the emails I’d received, would have been automated and nobody would have even opened my manuscript. It took the rational minds and words of a few other people, who I’ve since spoken to, for me to see that nobody would have looked at it. However, when it was happening, I did all I could do, to protect my work...
What a drama! But you know what? A day later, I wasn’t too deflated about the whole thing. Yes, I was disappointed at first, but then I was just happy for there to be so much information available, about the case that's being filed against this Mr Robert Fletcher. Websites are almost dedicated to him, all in aid of warning and protecting first-timers (and naive beings) like myself. I didn’t let it get me down and I had to get right back in the game. I found out the right sources for the professional and legit agencies. I found blogs and websites that are set-up to protect writers from fraud and I even reported this incident to the investigator of the Attorney General, in Florida. And they replied saying that there are 400 victims (and the amount is rising daily) and there’s a case against Mr Fletcher for Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices.
I learnt so much, through this ordeal. And right now, I’m so grateful for how this has planned out. It’s all apart of the process and a person must learn to grow, in whatever direction that may be. So, at the moment, the legit and professional agencies are being bombarded by my book proposal. I have to stay positive. This is only the beginning of the either long and winding or the short and straight road that will lead towards the printed book - or maybe it's a long and straight or short and winding, or average and bumpy.. Who knows! The description of possbile directions this process could take, are endless... meaning I haven't a clue how things are going to go! But it can only be good... Yes.. How exciting!
This is where the process of publishing gets complicated: Copyright. The seal that protects the writers work from being stolen or copied by someone else. Apparently, the book you’ve spent months sweating over, even if it hasn’t been published, is protected against theft, without having to go through any procedure (I find this law so confusing and so vague, by the way). But on Tuesday night I was so paranoid. I couldn’t sleep and was having nightmares. When I woke my up from the sound of my screams (yes, yes, I know, I can be the biggest drama queen there is!) I decided to follow advice I’d been given a few months ago which was to post a full copy of the manuscript to myself. According to what I’ve heard, it has to be in a stamped, sealed and dated envelope and isn’t allowed to be opened once it arrives home. It then serves as proof as my OWN WORK, should this proof be needed in the future, for whatever reason. So, this is what I did on Wednesday – just to feel like my baby was safe again...
It wasn’t until afterwards; I continued questioning... Would this ****** of dude, who is scamming 100s of first time writers, seriously sit down and read my script and then... steal it..?? One out of hundreds? Do I really think I’m THAT important? What a joke! Okay, I do love my book, yes. And it needs to be published, yes. But do I honestly think that my story stands out to such an extent, that this American guy, or any of his conning associates, would pick me to steal from? I realized that all the emails I’d received, would have been automated and nobody would have even opened my manuscript. It took the rational minds and words of a few other people, who I’ve since spoken to, for me to see that nobody would have looked at it. However, when it was happening, I did all I could do, to protect my work...
What a drama! But you know what? A day later, I wasn’t too deflated about the whole thing. Yes, I was disappointed at first, but then I was just happy for there to be so much information available, about the case that's being filed against this Mr Robert Fletcher. Websites are almost dedicated to him, all in aid of warning and protecting first-timers (and naive beings) like myself. I didn’t let it get me down and I had to get right back in the game. I found out the right sources for the professional and legit agencies. I found blogs and websites that are set-up to protect writers from fraud and I even reported this incident to the investigator of the Attorney General, in Florida. And they replied saying that there are 400 victims (and the amount is rising daily) and there’s a case against Mr Fletcher for Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices.
I learnt so much, through this ordeal. And right now, I’m so grateful for how this has planned out. It’s all apart of the process and a person must learn to grow, in whatever direction that may be. So, at the moment, the legit and professional agencies are being bombarded by my book proposal. I have to stay positive. This is only the beginning of the either long and winding or the short and straight road that will lead towards the printed book - or maybe it's a long and straight or short and winding, or average and bumpy.. Who knows! The description of possbile directions this process could take, are endless... meaning I haven't a clue how things are going to go! But it can only be good... Yes.. How exciting!
An Agent appeared...
The most recent development in the book-publishing process is one that first sent me so high I was flying, then brought me down so I was diving, and now, I’m I've risen again and find myself in between the 2 extremes – which is where I should be!
On Saturday (the 29th) I got an email from an American agency, who I approached 2 weeks ago with my full manuscript. The email was automated. However, it said they were willing to represent me! Meaning: they believed in my book, they saw its’ potential and would happily approach publishers for me! Wow, wow and one more wow! Yes, yes and one more yes!
The next step in the book-publishing process was about to get underway!! This agency, known as the WL Writers Literary Agency, would do all the work for me. They would arrange an editor, set-up a publishing deal, take care of the publicity and marketing! And I would excitedly fly to China knowing my book was being looked after and reaching the right people and audience... Right!!!! Right...??? Or maybe I was wrong...???
Still, Saturday night (the 29th). I was ecstatic by what this next step could mean. All I had to do was give them a simple ‘yes’, sign the contract and pay a small amount to have my script professionally edited. Even though I was so excited, I took a few days before making a definite decision. I had to weigh-up the pros and cons of going with this agency: they were based in America, I wouldn't get to meet anybody, they worked fast, they only sent automated mass emails to all of their newest writers. So, ultimately I wondered: did I want to go with an agent who didn’t personally put any effort into getting to know the writer, before deciding to represent their book...?? Hummm...
Monday, I still hadn’t made a decision. Tuesday, I felt it was time to take action. Would I say yes? Would I got for it, and trust these people I’d never spoken to or seen before, to bring my book to the publishers and eventually get it on the shelves? I figured I had nothing to loose at this stage and I needed to take this option, even though it happened so effortlessly or maybe, BECAUSE it happened so effortlessly...
Being so new to this book world means everything I do and every decision I make is one that will hold an element of risk...
Tuesday evening, I’d made up my mind: yes, I’m gonna go for this agent! WL Writers Literary Agency was the one to bring me all the way to America... or if not me, personally and physically, then my book! Yes!
So... still Tuesday evening. I set-out to do some more research before signing the contract. First I was reading some articles on agencies in general, written by professionals. I was starting to feel uneasy, as I realized that the way in which this particular agency set to work, wasn’t living up to what’s required from a professional agency. Oh no, I didn’t want this to be true... I didn’t want to feel uncomfortable going into ‘business’ with the only agency that had accepted my book! I felt it was my only chance but it was starting to look and feel a little bleak, the more I researched. As the alarm bells started going off, I jumped online and searched for more information. All I was seeing were big black words of warning, in capital letters... SCAM, FRAUD, CONMEN, RUN...
NO NO NO! As I jumped into several websites and skimmed across some of the pages, all I was reading was forums between first-time writers (like me) and well established writers who have been in this bookworld for many years... From the first-timers came a cry for help... They had just submitted their whole manuscript and were realizing they were being taken for a ride (again, that's me!). From the better established writers came advice and confirmation that this agency (WL Writers Literary Agency) is indeed a fraud and was never seriously going to represent the writer in question. It was an agency only scamming first timers to pay a fee for their representation, but they would never deliver the goods.
Wouldn’t anybody who’s only starting on the road to getting a book published seriously jump at the chance of paying a certain amount of money to have the script edited, if it means that the writer has an agent? If the writer has been told just how slim the chances are of being accepted by an agent, before being turned down at least 100 times, then wouldn’t such an effortless and easy option seem like the perfect solution and offer hope that the book really will get published? Some writers would jump at the chance and others would be more sceptical and question the ease of this agency’s acceptance of the script. And this one, who is currently sitting here typing this.. Did she jump? ALMOST... Did she question? EVENTUALLY... Is she now sceptical? Not really... Perhaps more alert
On Saturday (the 29th) I got an email from an American agency, who I approached 2 weeks ago with my full manuscript. The email was automated. However, it said they were willing to represent me! Meaning: they believed in my book, they saw its’ potential and would happily approach publishers for me! Wow, wow and one more wow! Yes, yes and one more yes!
The next step in the book-publishing process was about to get underway!! This agency, known as the WL Writers Literary Agency, would do all the work for me. They would arrange an editor, set-up a publishing deal, take care of the publicity and marketing! And I would excitedly fly to China knowing my book was being looked after and reaching the right people and audience... Right!!!! Right...??? Or maybe I was wrong...???
Still, Saturday night (the 29th). I was ecstatic by what this next step could mean. All I had to do was give them a simple ‘yes’, sign the contract and pay a small amount to have my script professionally edited. Even though I was so excited, I took a few days before making a definite decision. I had to weigh-up the pros and cons of going with this agency: they were based in America, I wouldn't get to meet anybody, they worked fast, they only sent automated mass emails to all of their newest writers. So, ultimately I wondered: did I want to go with an agent who didn’t personally put any effort into getting to know the writer, before deciding to represent their book...?? Hummm...
Monday, I still hadn’t made a decision. Tuesday, I felt it was time to take action. Would I say yes? Would I got for it, and trust these people I’d never spoken to or seen before, to bring my book to the publishers and eventually get it on the shelves? I figured I had nothing to loose at this stage and I needed to take this option, even though it happened so effortlessly or maybe, BECAUSE it happened so effortlessly...
Being so new to this book world means everything I do and every decision I make is one that will hold an element of risk...
Tuesday evening, I’d made up my mind: yes, I’m gonna go for this agent! WL Writers Literary Agency was the one to bring me all the way to America... or if not me, personally and physically, then my book! Yes!
So... still Tuesday evening. I set-out to do some more research before signing the contract. First I was reading some articles on agencies in general, written by professionals. I was starting to feel uneasy, as I realized that the way in which this particular agency set to work, wasn’t living up to what’s required from a professional agency. Oh no, I didn’t want this to be true... I didn’t want to feel uncomfortable going into ‘business’ with the only agency that had accepted my book! I felt it was my only chance but it was starting to look and feel a little bleak, the more I researched. As the alarm bells started going off, I jumped online and searched for more information. All I was seeing were big black words of warning, in capital letters... SCAM, FRAUD, CONMEN, RUN...
NO NO NO! As I jumped into several websites and skimmed across some of the pages, all I was reading was forums between first-time writers (like me) and well established writers who have been in this bookworld for many years... From the first-timers came a cry for help... They had just submitted their whole manuscript and were realizing they were being taken for a ride (again, that's me!). From the better established writers came advice and confirmation that this agency (WL Writers Literary Agency) is indeed a fraud and was never seriously going to represent the writer in question. It was an agency only scamming first timers to pay a fee for their representation, but they would never deliver the goods.
Wouldn’t anybody who’s only starting on the road to getting a book published seriously jump at the chance of paying a certain amount of money to have the script edited, if it means that the writer has an agent? If the writer has been told just how slim the chances are of being accepted by an agent, before being turned down at least 100 times, then wouldn’t such an effortless and easy option seem like the perfect solution and offer hope that the book really will get published? Some writers would jump at the chance and others would be more sceptical and question the ease of this agency’s acceptance of the script. And this one, who is currently sitting here typing this.. Did she jump? ALMOST... Did she question? EVENTUALLY... Is she now sceptical? Not really... Perhaps more alert
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