tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7814771751990061325.post183943506230130970..comments2023-11-26T01:21:35.860-07:00Comments on Mormon Mommy Writers and Friends: "Can I Read It?"Marianne (Mare) Baker Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03663143060069193124noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7814771751990061325.post-59339175645375977582013-12-13T05:05:20.555-07:002013-12-13T05:05:20.555-07:00I'm with Evie. When it's published. Havi...I'm with Evie. When it's published. Having loved ones look at my stuff has not been helpful. People who don't KNOW me have to want it and read it. That means getting published.Mare Ballhttp://adventuresintheballpark.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7814771751990061325.post-37063157893234206622013-12-13T05:04:08.979-07:002013-12-13T05:04:08.979-07:00I'm with Evie. When it's published. Havi...I'm with Evie. When it's published. Having loved ones look at my stuff is not really helpful. People who don't know me have to like and and want to read it. That means I get it published first.Mare Ballhttp://adventuresintheballpark.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7814771751990061325.post-58854335636622458972013-12-06T06:12:46.173-07:002013-12-06T06:12:46.173-07:00I’ve had a lot of people tell me they want to read...I’ve had a lot of people tell me they want to read my stuff when it’s finished, and I don’t mind sending it to them (once I feel like it’s good enough to be read and not a slapped-together mess of a first draft!) But I will do so with the understanding that many of them probably won’t read it, and that’s okay. I won’t take any personal offense to it, because for me I didn’t write it so that they could read it and tell me how great I am (though that would certainly be awesome). Once it’s done, I know that to them it’s just another book and they can read it or not read it. I will just stay focused on getting it out there so that it can become whatever it is meant to become! :-)Kaseynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7814771751990061325.post-54332946153381234982013-12-05T22:52:24.104-07:002013-12-05T22:52:24.104-07:00My response is usually "When it's publish...My response is usually "When it's published." I have had too many well-meaning people ask to read and then not read. Its not helpful and in the end, what I gave them might not even be what ends up published (if i get published, so they'll just have to read it all over again, which they might not do because they've already read it, and wouldn't it be worse for them to only read the earlier crappier version?). I know who I trust to read my manuscript and give good feedback. And those are the people who'll read my manuscript (probably the fourth or fifth draft after I've done a few rounds of my own revisions).Evienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7814771751990061325.post-787152627868484142013-12-05T18:31:14.939-07:002013-12-05T18:31:14.939-07:00Exactly, Anna. We write to be read, and critiquing...Exactly, Anna. We write to be read, and critiquing and reading other people's work is just a part of that process.Katy Whitenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7814771751990061325.post-70765240012792569962013-12-05T18:18:42.103-07:002013-12-05T18:18:42.103-07:00My sister is my cheerleader. When I'm writing ...My sister is my cheerleader. When I'm writing a new draft I send her a chapter with the understanding that she is to cheer me on and only say good things. If she's not a good cheerleader she doesn't get the next chapter!Nikki Wilsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7814771751990061325.post-26620299738717085422013-12-05T16:47:31.828-07:002013-12-05T16:47:31.828-07:00Preach on, sister. I think I'm going to do exa...Preach on, sister. I think I'm going to do exactly what you suggested here. CP's and betas who write. Otherwise, you can buy the book if you really want to read it. :)Katy Whitenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7814771751990061325.post-35867240132269004912013-12-05T16:30:02.423-07:002013-12-05T16:30:02.423-07:00Oh, and I tell them they can read it when it's...Oh, and I tell them they can read it when it's published. If they say anything about knowing me before I'm famous or before I make the NYT Bestselling list, I ask them if they know who's on the list now.mrschristinetylernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7814771751990061325.post-58578131048878528132013-12-05T16:28:08.530-07:002013-12-05T16:28:08.530-07:00Yup.Yup.mrschristinetylernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7814771751990061325.post-37576826606236384182013-12-05T12:57:28.832-07:002013-12-05T12:57:28.832-07:00None of my family and friends have ever seriously ...None of my family and friends have ever seriously asked to read my work and I hadn't really thought anything of it. Once it's published it's there for them to buy if they want to, and generally they don't, in droves. I've been okay with that really, because I'm quite embarrassed about people who know me well reading my stuff. There's too much of me invested in it, and I'd prefer it to be for anonymous readers out there. <br /><br />But now my husband and a good friend have read my current WIP and liked it, and that felt so good! And my daughter just picked up my third novel from the shelf and is currently reading it, and she likes it, and that feels good too. Oh, and a work colleague bought one of my books and left a fabulous review on Amazon. That was wonderful! So maybe I would like my friends to read my books after all.<br /><br /><br /><br />Now it's my turn to be that "can I read it" person. My neighbour confessed that she has self-published her first book. I told her I'd love to read it and she said she'd email it to me. A week later, when she hadn't, I bought it on Amazon and I've started reading it already. We authors know that we write to be read, not just for people to make encouraging noises about our efforts.<br /><br /><br />Now this comment is longer than the post, and Gina's comment!Anna Buttimorenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7814771751990061325.post-57348300465484940972013-12-05T12:14:10.301-07:002013-12-05T12:14:10.301-07:00I knew I would love this post.
You and I have t...I knew I would love this post. <br /><br /><br />You and I have talked about this so much before, but I stand by it: I never let anybody outside the writing community read my stuff anymore. Never. I gave my book, in one of the early draft forms, to my sister. She's another that reads a book every two days, love fantasy, loves fairy tales, etc. That was ten months ago, she still has not read it. <br /><br /><br />But... she's managed to tell her husband, her in-laws, and all of our mutual friends and acquaintances that I wrote this book she doesn't care to read. <br /><br /><br />And IT HURTS. <br /><br /><br />I rely on my CPs, I look for new CPs, I look for new betas, but I don't go outside the community anymore. It hurts too much. They don't understand the way it works and so they just end up hurting us. <br /><br /><br />Now I suspect this comment is as long as the post. <br /><br /><br />#SorryNotSorry.Ginahttp://ginadenny.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com