tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443765296489868573.post6105403838869043992..comments2023-11-02T05:29:57.954-04:00Comments on From the Heart: What are the odds? by Terry BurnsAndy Scheer, Hartline Literaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09010440105558099014noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443765296489868573.post-26480987601255761542012-03-09T12:02:09.191-05:002012-03-09T12:02:09.191-05:00Thanks Cheryl, the large number of submissions tha...Thanks Cheryl, the large number of submissions that do not make it can sound discouraging until we realize that most that are not making it are not going to conferences, are not in critique groups, are not taking writing courses or doing other things to learn and grow their craft. That means the dedicated writers are only up against those other writers that are working to learn their craft. Those odds are pretty good.Terry Burnshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14526255183090554401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443765296489868573.post-66149341571024153622012-03-09T11:55:30.522-05:002012-03-09T11:55:30.522-05:00Fabulous post. Love the quote. They are talking ab...Fabulous post. Love the quote. They are talking about queries over at the Books & Such blog this week too, and while I am not encouraged by the news of how few writers actually make it, I am encouraged by the dedication of the agents. Though they are often referred to (negatively) as the "gatekeepers," I appreciate that not everything flowing through their doors makes it to print. I appreciate that they take the time to help their clients' mold their work to make it more marketable. <br /><br />Thanks for another dose of helpful reality.Cherylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03470069911115912344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443765296489868573.post-26514548169086861392012-03-09T10:05:15.101-05:002012-03-09T10:05:15.101-05:00Thanks for the honesty in this post, Terry!Thanks for the honesty in this post, Terry!Heidi Chiavarolihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02372293274825733131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443765296489868573.post-58484858916337899032012-03-08T12:55:54.527-05:002012-03-08T12:55:54.527-05:00Ditto on LOVING the quote, Terry!
Thanks for shari...Ditto on LOVING the quote, Terry!<br />Thanks for sharing these numbers--now I'm even more in awe that I not only have a super fantastic agent (Hmm . . . who could that be?) but that I also have a contract. Glad I didn't see these numbers a few years ago!<br />Naw--I would have kept going. Thanks!<br />Aloha! --CherylCheryl Linn Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18304465472148231422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443765296489868573.post-36577889538093603802012-03-08T12:34:44.292-05:002012-03-08T12:34:44.292-05:00I like to compare the publishing process to what h...I like to compare the publishing process to what happens with salmon. Of the millions of eggs released somewhere upstream, the chances are tiny that any one of those will hatch and the fish will make it to the ocean, thrive and grow for a few years, then swim back upstream to where it was hatched. Yet each year, despite the odds, a few hardy, determined, and fortunate fish complete the process.Andy Scheernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443765296489868573.post-1122399941262593232012-03-08T12:33:48.550-05:002012-03-08T12:33:48.550-05:00Truthfully I don't know if Scotch can go bad e...Truthfully I don't know if Scotch can go bad either, but that was the quote. At any given time a project may only fit at one place in the entire industry - later it may be the same, but now it is at a different place. By definition that means a lot of being told the fit is not there even when some serious targeting is taking place.Terry Burnshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14526255183090554401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443765296489868573.post-17303870866595877362012-03-08T12:23:07.727-05:002012-03-08T12:23:07.727-05:00Love the quote! And since I didn't know Scotch...Love the quote! And since I didn't know Scotch could go bad, I appreciate the milk paraphrase. =) I'm suddenly feeling like getting a book mainstream published is like trying to get the main part in the next Disney movie. Me and thousands of other kids are trying out and we may all be able to dance and sing and act and stand on our heads, but they're looking for one kid with blond ringlets and a dimple in her left cheek.<br />Oh well, a whole lot of companies told Justin Beiber no because he didn't have a platform, so I guess we just gotta keep working at it!<br />Thanks for the reality check; it was well given.Kimberly Raehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08648393867226454489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443765296489868573.post-17261078848555911202012-03-08T11:21:40.605-05:002012-03-08T11:21:40.605-05:00Well paraphrased :-)Well paraphrased :-)Diana Flegalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11373354354968232390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443765296489868573.post-31079980334613646142012-03-08T11:20:20.383-05:002012-03-08T11:20:20.383-05:00Elmer is gone now, of course, and the reason I par...Elmer is gone now, of course, and the reason I paraphrased was he made the comparison with a quart of Scotch, but that isn't really appropriate for a Christian agent so I changed it to milk, which makes more sense to me anyway.Terry Burnshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14526255183090554401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443765296489868573.post-10611964350537231132012-03-08T11:18:06.961-05:002012-03-08T11:18:06.961-05:00Thank you Terry for helping others see what we are...Thank you Terry for helping others see what we are all up against. <br />Elmer Kelton gets a thumbs up from me for that quote.Diana Flegalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11373354354968232390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443765296489868573.post-41230095100206195552012-03-08T10:54:36.693-05:002012-03-08T10:54:36.693-05:00Here's another interesting number. My submissi...Here's another interesting number. My submissions log totals the number of words on projects submitted. Not all entries in the log have such numbers as some don't provide word count but of the ones that have provided it I have had 143 MILLION words submitted to me. No, I haven't read all of those. Paraphrasing what noted western writer Elmer Kelton once said, "You don't have to drink a whole gallon of milk to find out it has gone bad."Terry Burnshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14526255183090554401noreply@blogger.com