tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post8722753035256646299..comments2023-06-12T17:08:36.320+01:00Comments on How Publishing <i>Really</i> Works: Centralising The Slush PileJane Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411253302725735470noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-32123877589572027822009-05-11T13:49:00.000+01:002009-05-11T13:49:00.000+01:00As usual, Emma Darwin has come up with the most be...As usual, Emma Darwin has come up with the most beautiful and appropriate analogy. Thank you, Emma!<br /><br />(And yes, Buffy, Blogger might well be inept sometimes, but I am inepter.)Jane Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03411253302725735470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-25281855695739380062009-05-09T23:44:00.000+01:002009-05-09T23:44:00.000+01:00Eh, well, Jane, blogger is hopelessly inept too!Eh, well, Jane, blogger is hopelessly inept too!nonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00415222406280230021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-73983056590567780942009-05-09T23:14:00.000+01:002009-05-09T23:14:00.000+01:00That's as I suspected, Jane - I can't see any agen...That's as I suspected, Jane - I can't see any agent or publisher going for it, and with good reason! (Even if I do like emma's analogy - UCAS for aspiring writers. That made me chuckle.)Daniel Blythehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07487799866651688342noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-79925084743479558292009-05-09T19:33:00.000+01:002009-05-09T19:33:00.000+01:00I think it comes from people who see being publish...I think it comes from people who see being published as some kind of degree, or qualification: you work hard enough, you eat your greens, you do the revision and then you'll pass the exam. Whereas even the process is odd, and counter-intuitive, and rules are said and then turn out not to be rules (like the one or two agents who've said, "Oh, it only says we're not taking submissions to keep the slushpile down. We do read them". All except the sensible, well-mannered people who did their research and took the statement at face value). And that's before you've considered the fact that one man's fictional meat is another woman's memoir poison...<br /><br />If the booktrade WAS tidy, and all parts of it knew what they wanted, wanted the same qualities as everyone else did, and could tell you about it, a UCAS for aspiring writers would work. But, actually, they don't know what they want till they see it, and they need to be able to make the decision themselves. It's basically the equivalent of every single person who wants to go to university having to have a personal interview with every single department they want to enter. No wonder the slushpiles are huge. But as aspiring writers, we do just have to be prepared to get on the train...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-7948754618289553152009-05-09T17:32:00.000+01:002009-05-09T17:32:00.000+01:00Buffy, I don't think I did anything to the posts w...Buffy, I don't think I did anything to the posts which moved themselves to my drafts folder: they just went there one day all on their own (I could be wrong, though, as I am hopelessly inept). <br /><br />As for the centralised slush pile: I can't see it working at all as the readers for it couldn't possibly know what everyone wanted, or if they were looking for anything at that time: it's just too big a job. And who would fund it? Pah. I also don't like the way it would absolve the writers from researching agents and publishers, or the way it removes that element of choice from writers.<br /><br />As for who suggested this idea: I've seen variations of it ALL OVER. On blogs, writers' message boards, even on a few news and opinion websites. Not on any publishers' blogs, or agents' blogs, though: you know, the people in the industry who know how the submissions process actually <I>works</I>. Which is quite telling.Jane Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03411253302725735470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-80264419931415145122009-05-09T17:05:00.000+01:002009-05-09T17:05:00.000+01:00It seems a daft idea. Has anyone with any influenc...It seems a daft idea. Has anyone with any influence seriously suggested it?Daniel Blythehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07487799866651688342noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5519912440753252776.post-55250747269165211152009-05-09T10:55:00.000+01:002009-05-09T10:55:00.000+01:00If you edited the post, then clicked "Save" rather...If you edited the post, then clicked "Save" rather than "Publish Post", that might have sent it back to the drafts folder.<br /><br />If there were generally-agreed standards about what makes good and bad writing, this might work. But there aren't. Admittedly the readers might be able to perform a simple redirection service--sending books to publishers who actually publish that kind of book, for example. But that's about it.nonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00415222406280230021noreply@blogger.com