Editor Attacked On AW

Marla Miller, Marketing the Muse fell victim to the bullying culture at AW when she advertised her editorial services there. This is a typical case of how the bullies do a pile-on to virtually everyone who offers publishing services. They are immediately accused of being a scammer and unqualified. Only the major publishing houses, and top agents, are treated with respect. Nobody else counts. In fact, the very fact of their existence is taken as an insult, for it proves authors aren't obeying AW's golden advice. Namely, query top agents only. And if you aren't accepted by one after several years of trying, write another better book. That's it.

Now that might have been appropriate advice 20 years ago, but it's now woefully out-of-date. Traditional publishing is going the way of the dinosaur, and authors who follow that path today are faced with lottery odds of getting an agent.

However, even if our AW inspired author does snag an agent, after years and years and years of trying, there's still only a 50-50 chance of selling the book to a publisher. That process is likely to take years and years also. For a first time author, it's probably going to be a midlist publisher who won't expend all their resources behind the book. As a result it won't make much money. By the time the agent takes his cut, there won't be anything left. So the author is back to square one again with the added handicap of a book that didn't sell.

But by all means, keep querying agents for years and years and years, and meanwhile, write another better book. :-) Or, you can move with the times and self publish. That way you'll never have to give away the rights to your book, and will remain master of your own destiny. It's your choice.

Cheers

http://www.donotlink.com/http://accrispin.blogspot.ca/2011/10/agenda-of-write-agenda.html

Now we get down to the real reason Marla was attacked. Typical AW snobbery. She wasn't a real editor. Not like Old Hack, who works for the 'big trade publishers.' You'll notice how the 'big trade publishers' are worshipped as the yardstick of excellence at AW. If you're not associated with them then you must be a scammer.

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showpost.php?s=63f0680d3abcb51af0ce05d0ccec6205&p=9053501&postcount=10