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Tuesday, November 17, 2015

November 2015: links.

Business Musings: Getting in Touch:  Kris Rusch points out that if someone cannot reach you, then they may not be able to [a] pay you [b] offer you money for something you've already done [c] just discuss a business deal or even meet you.

And if it's your high school pal, your editor, your agent, your fan, a future business partner, or any combination of those... then you failed.  

It's even worse if you happen to be an author whose assistant decides to "help" by denying you those messages.

Consider the folks who want to give you an award, one that you'd love to have -- the Newbery or the Hugo.  Do you really want to be That Author, the one no one can reach for anything?  Really??

Keep in mind that "pay you" part.  That isn't the be-all and end-all of having email where you can be reached by certain people.

It's pretty damned important, however.


I should point out that when I was Steve Brust's p.a., I didn't block people.  He read his own fan mail.  People mostly contacted me about conventions.  Some of Steve's editors did write me, and often I took care of things with his agents, but only certain things.

BTW, Kris's post has made me realize I need a Comment Form of my own.  Expect one to show up sometime in the near future.


Monday, November 9, 2015

Editing costs.

It's interesting how people vary from the "But -- this just takes you reading it, right?" to the "I want you to catch all the things in my writing!" mindsets.  With, of course, variations all along the range there.

This includes editors too.  I have had editors who thought I just took a few moments to copyedit, that it wasn't a process that involved much time at all.

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Cats...

We have yard kittens.

This is good in that the home owner is deeply allergic and we cannot have indoor pets. And as a guest [also with allergies] pointed out, this is the best of both worlds -- cute cats whose dander does not affect the watchers!