Naively I used to think that the only jobs of a writer were to write and then to edit what has been written. For decades I’ve written technical and public relations material and edited the work of other writers and writing and editing were pretty much all I had to do. Since 2007, though, I’ve been working on a book with another author about a triple homicide and sometimes it feels as if writing the book is the least of it.
With nonfiction the author usually sells the book before it’s completely written. First, we are told, we need to find a literary agent interested in the sort of book we’re writing and send that agent a killer one-page query letter. Then if we’re lucky, the agent will request a book proposal. The latter contains a summary of the book (number of words, target audience, etc.); biographies of the authors capable of convincing potential publishers that we’re the right people to write the book; a marketing plan (new authors do most of the publicity leg work); and two or more sample chapters. If that goes well the agent will ask for more chapters and may eventually offer to represent us to potential publishers.
This summer, instead of obsessively writing and re-writing the same four chapters I first drafted in 2007 (I can’t edit/re-read a page without wanting to change something), I began moving ahead with the narrative. When that’s going badly, I take time out to investigate potential agents and research various styles of writing proposals. It’s hard work but we’ve got to do that too.
So what’s with the creepy critter? And when and why did we all begin starting our sentences with “So”? Regarding the former: I came upon him unexpectedly and dragged my photographer son out to capture the pic because he was so creepy. The critter, not my son. If the photo got your attention, that’s all I wanted. A streak of marketing genius! Happy writing.
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