This post is about the helping hand writers give each other. In the comments on The Varuna Moment post Katherine Charles put it well when she said, “There’s a bit of a myth that writers are competitive and unsupportive of one another, but it couldn’t be further from the truth.” Every writing event I’ve been to, most authors are pleasant and interested and generally have their own tales of how they were helped along when starting out, and how they now help others in similar ways.
In the late 90s I wrote a fan letter to author Graeme Hague about his crime and horror novels. He wrote back and we began an email friendship.
He offered to read and critique bits and pieces of my writing, and I read an unpublished manuscripts of his, and after a couple of years he sent my work to his agent who took me on. Graeme didn’t have to do any of that and I am both grateful that he did and fortunate to have been able to help a few other authors in the same way since.
I was talking this morning with my girlfriend about how would-be authors sometimes seem to think that there is a secret cabal of writers and if only they would pester one of them enough they would be given the magic key that would allow them entrance. It’s interesting behaviour when many authors would be happy to help out if approached in the right way.
One year at the Byron festival a woman sidled up to me and asked how she would go about getting an advance from a US publisher so she could quit her job and write this extraordinary story she had in her head. I explained a little of how the system worked then asked what genre the book would be. She wouldn’t tell me a thing about it – she said the subject matter was simply too fabulous and she knew as soon as I heard it I’d steal it for myself.
There are other ways to help as well. On my website I post links to peoples’ sites and mention and/or review books I’ve enjoyed. In a recent post on this topic American author and blogger JA Konrath suggests that blogging writers interview fellow authors. And hey, here’s another way to help: sharing informative and interesting websites. JA’s site is called A Newbie’s Guide to Publishing and though his advice is not to everyone’s taste it certainly makes you think. Another one I visit often is Murderati (more suited to crime writers, obviously) and yet another, chockful of interesting reviews and articles (and not about crime), is Vulpes Libris.
So tell me, Alumni: who helped you and how? Were you able to ‘pay it forward’? Do you have ideas for how we can help each other, and what are your favourite sites?
11 Comments
June 9, 2009 at 10:16 am
One person who’s helped me recently is David Ryding, the Director of the Melbourne Emerging Writers’ Festival. He invited me to be a panellist this year, and seeing I’m so new to Melbourne, it was a great opportunity to interact with the wonderful writing community here. I’ve known David for a looong time (he hails from Perth too), and he’s such a wealth of information and so supportive of the arts. He works so tirelessly that I think few people realise what a truly talented writer he is.
I think sites like these are often the starting points for writers helping each other in a myriad of ways
Some of my favourite sites include Literary Minded, GingaTao, Overland, Red Ravine, Charlotte’s Web, and Theatre Notes.
June 9, 2009 at 11:22 am
I got quoted! Yay!!! (Cue running around waving my arms in the air like Kermit the Frog).
As someone having their debut novel published in August I’ve been amazed and humbled by the already established authors who have agreed to read it, not knowing me from a bar of soap.
I think authors know that if they support other writers than they will be supported in return. It’s very “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours”, but with a genuine feeling of goodwill and encouragement. I always use my own blog and Facebook to talk about what I’m reading, and I make a point of buying debut fiction rather than getting it from the library as new authors need that first initial boost to their sales to kick-start their careers. I wish I could do this for established authors too but if I bought every book I wanted I would have to eat them afterwards because my pantry would be empty. Cue sad, hungry face.
June 9, 2009 at 3:07 pm
She’s pretty unassuming about it all, but I have to say again that Charlotte (Wood, who else?) has been a fantastic unofficial mentor and all round super cool sounding board since we met last November. That’s been as priceless a lesson for a beginner like me as anything she could say about the writing itself (thank you, Charlotte).
I should also mention writer and agent Gaby Naher, who passed on an earlier version of my manuscript, but did so via a long phone call that was full of free advice. It was gutting being knocked back, but Gaby’s feedback was so incredibly useful. She didn’t have to take the time, but she did.
I figure if I just try and follow their lead, I can’t go far wrong in repaying these debts of wisdom and goodwill.
June 10, 2009 at 11:58 am
And blogging friends – other writers and/or readers I wouldn’t know but for discovering their blogs and having them discover mine – have been such a surprise support network. Blogging friends are awesome, I absolutely love mine.
June 10, 2009 at 1:07 pm
One word: Charlotte. I remember distinctly having a mid-structural edit meltdown and sending her a garbled panic-stricken email. Her reply was so generous, intelligent and just plain right. It made a world of difference.
And here’s a confession of my own, about falling short in the support department: Kathy your lovely proof is on my desk but I just can’t get to it. My deadline is looming. My head is exploding. I just don’t have space for one more word. Best of luck, though I’m sure you won’t need it.
June 10, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Oh wow! I feel elated that it’s even in your house. I look forward to your thoughts once you have the headspace for it. I adored Addition.
June 10, 2009 at 1:37 pm
Help toward getting a work published is wonderful. So is simple emotional support. On this note I would like to thank a few people:
My sister, Alice Major (a Canadian writer) who tells me to concentrate on what you can control—the work itself, not the publishing industry.
Charlotte Wood (again) for saying to me that she is tired of people saying that writers are fragile people. Who else would work for years on end, receive constant knock-backs and still keep on at their craft? (This makes me feel less neurotic.)
Katerina Cosgrove for being an appreciative audience.
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. I read this when I am feeling blue and laugh and laugh and laugh.
June 10, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Sheesh you guys! Give it a rest! I blush. And Carol I too LOVE Bird by Bird, especially the bit where she has that neurotic fantasy about her agent and editor getting together behind her back to snigger at how crap her writing is. Gotta love that.
June 10, 2009 at 4:17 pm
You started it!
June 10, 2009 at 8:04 pm
Great comments people!
Charlotte, you so totally deserve all that lerrrrve
I’d like to mention Peter, for his sense of humour and presence!
Is it Bird by Bird that has that poem which begins something like “we your friends have decided to neither give you the love you crave nor let you go”? And how did I go there with the ‘thats’ and ‘which’ – 3 out of 3??
June 11, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Peter is a champion.