Let him do his thing, and then you get him out. No messing with him for laughs.

Mal ,'Ariel'


Literary Buffistas 3: Don't Parse the Blurb, Dear.

There's more to life than watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer! No. Really, there is! Honestly! Here's a place for Buffistas to come and discuss what it is they're reading, their favorite authors and poets. "Geez. Crack a book sometime."


Strix - Oct 03, 2008 3:07:46 pm PDT #7683 of 28404
A dress should be tight enough to show you're a woman but loose enough to flee from zombies. — Ginger

Hmm. Really?

(God, I am such a whore for gossip.) That's interesting because everything I hear is all "LALALALA she's awesome-cakes!"

Although I admit I do have a severe prejudice against relatives of successful authors (Anne Rice, I'm looking at your fam) who would otherwise probably not get published.


Barb - Oct 03, 2008 3:17:43 pm PDT #7684 of 28404
“Not dead yet!”

Yeah, that was not a good panel, overall for a conference I'm not likely to participate in again, pretty much, ever, if I can help it.

It was during that same panel we were talking about the revisions process (it was supposed to be aimed at beginning writers) and I described how it had been for me with Adiós and Accent. (One major revision for each, just for the record.) Afterwards, this woman comes up to me and with a straight face says, "Wow, your work must have been in rough shape to require so much work. My editor only ever has me correct typos."

I looked at her name badge-- saw that she was published by one of these tiny, tiny e-pubs that does primarily erotic romance and said the first thing that popped into my mind.

"Well I guess my editor doesn't expect my readers to be distracted by their vibrators."

Which was a hugely bitchy thing to say but I was already in a foul mood.


Strix - Oct 03, 2008 3:22:50 pm PDT #7685 of 28404
A dress should be tight enough to show you're a woman but loose enough to flee from zombies. — Ginger

Hee. Oh, dear, dear. Now, I'm not saying you can't find some decent writing in a e-pub...for most the most part, it's...um. Not impressive.

And it was hugely bitchy, but she deserved it. SHE was hugely bitchy.

Every time I hear a writer brag about how they don't pay attention or don't need editors, I just think "Anne Rice! Laurell K. Hamilton! YES YOU DO, BITCHES! Writing is supposed to evolve! You do not crap out perfection, dumbass."


Barb - Oct 03, 2008 3:25:52 pm PDT #7686 of 28404
“Not dead yet!”

Now, I'm not saying you can't find some decent writing in a e-pub...for most the most part, it's...um. Not impressive.

My critique partner is exclusively e-pubbed and she writes amazing erotic romance like damn and whoa.

But for the most part? No... not impressive.

And a good editor is worth their freakin' weight in gold.


Connie Neil - Oct 03, 2008 3:27:18 pm PDT #7687 of 28404
brillig

As an editor for Drollerie, I wish I could let it go at the typos.


Strix - Oct 03, 2008 3:35:21 pm PDT #7688 of 28404
A dress should be tight enough to show you're a woman but loose enough to flee from zombies. — Ginger

I would think that an editor who only points out typos is more of a...lazy proofreader?

I've been a proofreader and I pointed out grammar mistakes and logical inconsistencies -- and that was in crappy direct-mailings.


Kate P. - Oct 03, 2008 6:22:57 pm PDT #7689 of 28404
That's the pain / That cuts a straight line down through the heart / We call it love

Oh, Barb, somehow I just put it together that you wrote Adiós [rest of title redacted] ! And to think, I bought it for my library without even knowing the author was a Buffista. I haven't read it yet, but it definitely looked good, and I know it's circulated a bunch. Anyway, cool!

Edit: Sorry, it occurred to me this morning that you might not want your board name associated with the titles of your books.


Consuela - Oct 03, 2008 8:17:49 pm PDT #7690 of 28404
We are Buffistas. This isn't our first apocalypse. -- Pix

I liked it a lot, Kate. I'd recommend it.


Barb - Oct 04, 2008 3:52:22 am PDT #7691 of 28404
“Not dead yet!”

Edit: Sorry, it occurred to me this morning that you might not want your board name associated with the titles of your books.

S'okay, Kate, I don't mind. And yay on the circulating a bunch!


Steph L. - Oct 04, 2008 7:06:58 am PDT #7692 of 28404
this mess was yours / now your mess is mine

I haven't read it yet, but it definitely looked good

It's really good, as is It's Not About the Accent. You should definitely read them both.