An addendum to Sandra's post

I'm going to add a coda to what Sandra wrote... One reader wrote to us and argued, "You CAN do something about it. How would you feel if those of us who read this blog would just dump it in our slush pile and get around to it in a couple years? Do unto others, my dear. I just dumped chipmacgregor.com into my slush pile."

Um... here's my response: That's a stupid comment. It suggests we OWE the writer something. You're a writer, I'm an agent, and therefore I owe you a reading. That's just not true. This is a business, and I'll read the writers I think have a potential to do a good job, sell books, and make money. This is not a free editorial service or career guidance office. So put away the thoughts of entitlement and grow up already.

Look, if you read this blog regularly, you probably profit from it. I offer three decades of experience, and I give it away for free on my blog. But do you notice I've never monetized this site? I don't make any money from it. I'm full up with authors, so I don't use it as a recruitment tool. I use this blog to give back to people, since experienced folks invested in me when I was starting. That doesn't make me a hero, but neither does it make me a villain just because I don't give someone what they want.

So...you may want us to read faster, or to get to your proposal in the slush pile, but your wanting it doesn't make it my priority. We're doing the best we can to discover great writers and help them become successful in the industry, and we've got a long track record of succeeding at that task. This blog is a way to try and share some of the experience, for free, with writers. If that's not good enough for the writer of that email... um... I guess you can toss us into your slush pile. I won't lose any sleep.

Oh -- and we DO have a reader, by the way, who helps us work through the slush pile. Amanda is my assistant, and she's GREAT at spotting talent!

Comments

[chip responds]

Here's something funny: The writer of that email just wrote me to say, "AND YOU CALL YOURSELF A CHRISTIAN!" Right... My telling you to grow up proves I'm not really a Christian. Excellent point. I agree -- you'd do well to go elsewhere.

[Sonja Hutchinson]

I read everything you post on your blog, and I THANK YOU for offering--for free-- the info, advice, and good sense you always include. Chip, you're an excellent example of a Christian: giving away what you can when you can, and doing the best with what God's given you in time, energy, and talent.

[Lauren Sylvan]

A tad sharp there, Chip, considering that there will always be people out there in the process of maturing. Let 'em figure it out on their own -- the solution is on its way.

[Laura Droege]

Ditto what Sonja said. I've learned so much from you and Sandra by reading this blog. Sure, it's hard to wait while my writing sits in an agent's slush pile. But why--besides my own impatient nature--would I want you to "hurry up" and race through that pile? It takes time, energy and an alert brain to find the gems amidst all the rocks. I certainly wouldn't want my proposal/query/etc. to be overlooked simply because the agent or editor was more focused on getting through all the queries than on taking the time to read it carefully. Kudos to you, Sandra and Amanda for all your hard work and generosity with your expertise.

[chip responds]

Hmm... You're right, Lauren, a bit sharp, at least in my comment. Sorry about that.

[AimeeLS]

God and I have talked a lot about what Jesus did when He humbled Himself to become human. In recent years (with a husband, young child and home to care for - oh, and also writing a book) it's become apparent to me that one of the very greatest sacrifices He made was to take on our physical limitations.

There IS only such much time in a day. There IS only so heavy a load any one person can bear. And there IS a Christlike, loving time to say "no". That's why God gave us HIS priority list:

1. God
2. Spouse
3. Children
4. Ministry / Christian Friends
5. Work / Non-Christian Friends

Yes, that is in order. If you want the list of verses, email me (there's a link from my name below).

We all have limitations. I've found following God's priority list is not only the most satisfying, but it also just plain works.

Keep HIM in mind and it won't matter whose slushpile you're on (or not on). He'll work the rest out.

[Gene Jennings]

I want to AMEN Sonja too. Chip, you and I spent a few minutes together at the Blue Ridge Conference last May. Your passion for the Lord, writing, and writers oozes out of you. I think you are quite amazing and love your blog insights. Your quick wit and sharpness is appealing to me too. We have a lot in common that way.

Thank you for the important contributions you make to those of us who are trying to figure out this crazy business.

[patriciazell]

Reality is reality! You do not owe me anything at all. However--and I think this is a real problem--many would-be authors have had their hopes raised by all the writing conferences and critiquing groups. In the twenty years that I have been writing, I have seen statement after statement that a writer just had to be persistent and patient in order to get a contract to write a book. That is not true anymore. There are just too many people who want to be published, too few publishers, and too few people who buy physical books.

Somehow we need to go beyond the paradigm of the need to publish a book in order to be successful. Especially for Christians, opportunities to have our voices heard abound on the internet. Maybe it will come to a point where most writers will not even bother to submit queries and manuscripts and to the point where agents and publishers will have to go looking for clients.

[Kay Dew Shostak]

All it takes is to meet you once and it's evident you work as hard as possible, being the best agent you can be. You've said often to attend conferences and meet agents there. And it is a wonderful way to get one's foot in the door and beat the slush pile. That advice worked for me and let me get to know some of the agents I might want to work with.
I appreciate your honesty - Sandra's, too.

[Tricia]

Well said, Chip. I don't think you were too sharp, but just sharp enough to get through to the person. And being a christian doesn't mean flowery language and walking on eggshells when defending yourself.

I have zero expectations about landing an agent. I've heard nothing but sad, bad, and otherwise no good about the literary market these days. I will not give up, but I will understand if my query doesn't get the attention it deserves. I don't like it, but I get it.

[Jan Cline]

The mature Christian here is the one who after much thought and deliberation discerned that it was time to stop killing themselves trying to meet everyone's expectations by keeping a slush pile that was too big. The immature one is the one who lashed out because they couldn't get their own way. You guys are great, and I appreciate reading your blog - whether you dump the slush pile or not! I hope to be in your slush pile someday, but if you end up dumping me too - so be it. God is in control.
Thanks to you both.

[Susan K. Stewart]

As I read the person's comment, I think "grow up" was somewhere in the back of my mind. Along with, this person isn't really to the level of professional yet.

The problem that the digital world has brought to the world of publishing is that everyone who has a computer with a word processor thinks they are a writer. Hmmmm .... I have a car, does that make mean I should demanding to be in the Indy 500?

As an editor of a magazine, I get many submission that aren't even English 101 quality. Unless I think the article has even huge potential, I just don't have the time to nurse every writer to publication. Like Sandra said, "Sorry." That's the way it is.

No one in the publishing world owes me anything (except a check when I've performed my end of the contract). I owe others a good product. To bring that product to agents, editors, or publishers, I have to continually learn my craft.

I know have I so much more to learn. I know that I can improve. I appreciate Chip's blog as one of my learning tools.

[Mkpelland]

Very disappointed in this exchange - attitude is everything. For me, dissension never warrants bandying about the word "stupid." It's a most offensive word, especially when the context is - "you called me out, therefore you are stupid."

Writer - agent is a business arrangement. No one owes anyone anything unless and until a contract is negotiated. Writers may choose to submit whatever they want to whomever will allow it over the transom. Agents are free to read or to not read. Personally, I'm puzzled by the animosity that seems to be there between the two groups. Is it a battle?

If an agent decides not to read anything that comes across her desk this week, and set fire to it all, cool. Do it. How does that indicated some lack of prowess on the part of writers?

If a writer chooses to submit dreck under her name, how does that say anything about other writers?

I shake my head in confusion when this perpetual argument of good agents vs. bad writers sparks. It's like the silly argument about whether bad writers would work at KMart or go ahead an write for content mills. There is no right answer. Both are just arguments that make great fodder for articles.

mkpelland
www.ontext.com

[Rhonda M]

I know as a free-lance editor I receive lots of emails from people who say things like, "I've written 5000 words of my first novel and I'd like to take advantage of your free sample." I offer a free 500 word sample of my editing to show potential clients what I do. Why would I want to take the time to complete a sample for someone who doesn't have a potential job for me. 5000 words - nowhere near a finished manuscript. The sample is a on opportunity for you to try out my service. At 5000 words - are you thinking about hiring me? No, so is that a good use of my time? Does it make me less of a Christian not to give it away? Please. I'm with you Chip.

[Lynn Mosher]

Chip, As one still reaching for that seemingly elusive golden cord of publication, I rely on your posts. Of the numerous writing newsletters and posts that I receive, yours is one of the few that I am able to read on a regular basis. I deeply appreciate your passion and your help. Thank you!

[JTronstad]

Humm, I'm new to these posts, but I have to agree with the comment that we as writers can have false impressions about what is owed to us in this business. And it doesn't stop with 'if only some editor of agent would read me, my dreams would come true' -- once you're published it's easy to feel entitled to having a second book contracted; once you have a second book, it seems like they owe you a third. The truth is that nothing is guaranteed. We can want something really, really bad and not have it come true. This can be made more difficult by the prevaling cultural theory that if you push hard enough at something you will succeed. The only way to succeed in writing is to become a better writer, not just better than you used to be but better than everyone else who is submitting to publishers or agents. It's a very competitive business.

[Steve Laube]

May I suggest a book which might also serve as the title of this post? The title, authored by Elaura Niles, is SOME WRITERS DESERVE TO STARVE: 31 Brutal Truths about the Publishing Industry. (http://snipurl.com/u425m)

Steve
The Steve Laube Agency

[Sharon A Lavy]

Some writers still don't get it that the author/agent combo is a relationship. You aren't going to marry just anyone who asks you no matter how wonderful they are.

We all want someone who will really love us. If they don't we shouldn't whine and beg.

[chip responds]

I genuinely appreciate the thoughtful comments. (And I'm always happy when my friend Steve Laube shows up.) As for my starting with the words "this is a stupid comment," that clearly is taken by many to mean "and therefore the author is stupid." But that's not what I mean, of course. I have frequently said stupid things, though I wouldn't consider myself stupid. But if someone sends in a comment that is genuinely stupid, I'm not sure what to do... search for a better descriptor, I guess. "That's an uninformed comment" doesn't really capture what I want to say. I didn't find the comment absurd or nonsensical or ridiculous -- I found it to be really dumb. The author is basically saying to Sandra, "You're not being honest! If you really wanted to help out an author, YOU'D READ MY WORK. So I'm not going to read YOUR work until you do. In fact, I'm going to hold my breath until I turn blue..."

I nearly started my response with the words, "Grow up." But that seemed too dismissive, so I simply said what I was thinking -- that his was a really stupid comment. I could be wrong. I'm certainly not above criticism. I've ticked off people in the past with my words, though I genuinely never intend to (that is, I'm not sitting in my office wondering, "How could I tick off some folks today?"). So I guess I"ll keep working at this. I appreciate the comments.

chip

[Rachel Hauck]

I can understand the frustration of the woman who "flushed" your blog, Chip. She's not right. She's unwise and biting off her nose to spite her face. But I hear her undertone.

Publishing is like dealing with any big business or politics. How do I make my frustrations heard?

Delta gives terrible customer services. Airlines charge insane fees for a simple ticket change. Like stuff doesn't happen to mess up a person's schedule or flight? But they charge $150 plus airfare difference and there is NOTHING we can do about it.

What, boycott Delta? They don't care. Scream at the service rep? Sure by now we've only made another person's existence miserable and changed nothing.

The slush pile feels like that corporate/political wall we cannot scale.

BUT, in publishing, there is a way around it. But it takes time, dedication and effort.

It's called working hard. Studying the craft. Getting involved with writer's groups - national and local. It means going to conferences and taking workshops. It means letting others read your work and ACCEPT their feedback.

Dumping Chip's blog buys you nothing and cost you more than you know. He provides a ton of information and guidance, not to mention humor.

To be an author begins with being teachable and controling your emotions. Because the slush pile is only the beginning of all the "unfairness" in this industry.

Trying being published and watch new authors, or authors who write Amish pass you by like you were standing still.

Or your publisher backs and promotes a newer author because what he is writing is something they can promote and market easier than your work.

How about being dropped by your publisher while a new author shouts from the rooftops they just signed with said publisher.

Publishing is not universally fair. All you have is hard work and luck, and the GRACE and FAVOR of God.

[Timothy Fish]

I suppose we all do have a slush pile for the blogs we choose to read. Mine is in Google Reader. At least once a day, I scan down through the list and if something catches my eye I read it. There are a few I will read almost everyday because the blogger has a history of writing worthwhile posts. But for other blogs and when a favorite blogger has a guest, I may skip that post and let it disappear into the oblivion of the previously read items.

[Sandra]

In spite of the risk of perpetuating a topic we should clearly have put to bed (along with me given that it's after midnight) I would like to add one more thought:

Perhaps some of you can take comfort in my admission that I'm 100% certain I missed some opportunities when I pitched my pile. I know it. Chip knows it. And now, you, dear future-best-selling-authors know it too. And I'm not being sarcastic here.

I'm being serious. We miss opportunities. It happens ALL THE TIME. I know I'll get more efficient as I progress, so I take comfort in hoping that those people I passed by now feel liberated from waiting on me. I actually think it was polite of my to let people know they could stop waiting on me.

Okay. I said one thought. But here's another:

Sometimes turning up the volume is the surest way to not be heard.

[Sandra]

or should that be "the surest way not to be heard."?

Pesky words, anyway...

[Keith]

I have to agree with Sonja here: Even though the heart of what he was saying is accurate, Chip's use of the word "Stupid" was probably ill-advised. its a brutal business out there right now and being a Christian organization just doesn't make it any less so. But, being a Christian makes us more responsible for what we say and/or type. Also. I think it needs to be said that there are many people out there who have submitted time after time to every agency in the book and have never gotten anywhere. I have a friend in just such a place, and he read this blog and contacted me and ask me to read it. He is as angry as the person who said she dumped this blog and he feels like those people who blog might not understand people who feel they are lead to God to write feel when they are repeatedly rejected and then hear such harsh words from those who rejected them. I feel for my friend and understand exactly where he's coming from. In his eyes such words sound conceited and uncaring. Writers are facing increased competition for a shrinking number of publication possibilities and they get nervous. Then they start hearing that people are dumping their slush piles and they get panicky. Then when they blow off some steam (in admittedly bad form) they are called "stupid." My friend feels like "the gate-keepers," as he calls editors and agents, are full of themselves and really don't understand what writers are going through. This kind of response doesn't help. By all means point out how rough the business is right now, but also—PLEASE— give him/them/us more clues on how to break through. I hope this post is received in the spirit in which it was intended.

[Chip MacGregor]

Wait a minute, Keith...
First, I didn't call the person "stupid," I said his comment was stupid.
Second, saying that all agents and editors "don't understand what writers are going through" is a HUGE leap. You know this how... because an agent didn't read your stuff? I made my living as a writer for years, for crying out loud. I know what it takes.
Third, claiming all those agents and editors are "full of themselves" doesn't really help you. Your evidence is... because they don't want to read your work? That makes them full of themselves? Maybe it makes them busy. Or full up. Or maybe, JUST MAYBE the writing isn't all that good, and it's the author who is full of himself.
Fourth, you ask for "clues on how to break through." Good GRIEF, man, do you read this blog? It was set up to do nothing else! Spend a half hour looking over the posts, for goodness' sake.

[Keith]

Resubmitting: Apparently it didn't go through the first time. I'm new to this and must have made a mistake.

First allow me to say (again) that I am not writing this for me. I have not written a novel and therefore have never sent one to you or anyone else. I am I am simply repeating what my friend said to me when he asked me to read your post. The words were a repeat of his feelings and not meant in any way as an accusation. More than anything else I was simply saying that the tone and the use of the word "stupid." might not have been the best choices.
This was the second time I have ever read your blog (I admit) but I will read it from now on, in hopes that my friend's words are unfounded. Although I must say the tone of your response isn't helping there.
Also I have reread my first entry and see where I did say you called the other person "stupid." That was an unintentional oversight, and for that I apologize.

If the original post I wrote shows up (the one that is one is meant to replace) please feel free to delete this one.

[Courtney Walsh]

Sure am glad I broke out the bucket o' popcorn to read this exchange! Such controversy!

Personally, I get Sandra's post. You can't read everything and can't represent everyone that sends you a query. I thought you made it clear in the post that you knew you may be missing the next best thing. I didn't find that offensive at all.

I didn't find your use of the word "stupid" offensive either. While I don't allow my children to use this word, sometimes it's justifiable.

:) OH, and AMEN, Chip!