16 Responses to “Guest Author: Zoe Winters”

1. spyscribbler Posted: Jul 14th, 2008 at 4:36 am

   1 It’s a frustrating path, for sure! And it’s different for everyone. I know the education one gets on the internet and in writing organizations is great, but I will be forever glad that I spent the first four or so years writing in a bubble, with only one writing friend and my tiny pubs. I’d say always to keep your own counsel, and make sure the internet is turned down enough that you can hear yourself think. At least, that’s where I am.

2. Samantha Posted: Jul 14th, 2008 at 7:31 am

   2 I’m in the “reach for a higher level of quality and marketability” phase, but it’s very early stages. Lately, I’m finding it difficult to write just because I love to do it. Not just because I’m focused on publishing, but for other reasons as well, some you mentioned. So, thanks for the pep talk .

3. Jill Sorenson Posted: Jul 14th, 2008 at 8:09 am

   3 ~credits include not quite having an erotic short story published, and almost having an agent like her novel~ Ha! I wrote five books before I got my first publishing offer and probably would have continued indefinitely because writing is awesome! I’m fulfilled by it in ways I can’t even describe. But my main goal is to entertain others, not just myself. I’m not one of those who doesn’t care about sharing my work with the world.

4. Zoe Winters Posted: Jul 14th, 2008 at 1:30 pm

   4 Thanks for having me Dionne! Spy, hey, yeah, I didn’t start even getting into the internet side of things until maybe a couple of years ago, tops. And I was writing a long time before that. hehe Samantha, you’re welcome. I think when we start getting focused on goals like publication we start worrying about things like what the market will accept, and what people will think of us if we write this or that, or is this character too much like that character. And sometimes all that saps the joy out of it. I think it helps to not have any specific goal in mind for a project until it’s finished. Some things you write just for you and that’s okay too. Hey Jill, yeah, I have no coolness to promote so I have to really work the lame-ness angle. Absolutely, congrats on getting to that next step!

5. Edie Posted: Jul 14th, 2008 at 3:23 pm

   5 It does get you down, but then you think that even J.K. Rowling got rejections for the first Harry Potter. That gives you incentive to keep on going. At least it does for me. And in the meantime, we’re writing that next brilliant, exciting book that’s going to be a bestseller.

6. Zoe Winters Posted: Jul 14th, 2008 at 5:14 pm

   6 hehehe Edie, well somebody has to be the next bestseller. Five years from now there will be several authors that everybody knows who they are, who nobody knows right now. I’m not saying I’ll be one of them, but people act like there is “no room” to get published or if published to succeed to almost brand name levels. And yet, total unknowns today will be known tomorrow. So clearly there always is room for just one more. And you might be that one more.

7. Liz Kreger Posted: Jul 15th, 2008 at 8:03 am

   7 Good points, Zoe. I could never envision giving up. Just wasn’t in the cards as far as I’m concerned. Personally, I haven’t gotten the impression of “quit, you’re no good” over the internet, but then I don’t spend all that much time on it beyond reading email.

8. Zoe Winters Posted: Jul 15th, 2008 at 1:28 pm

   8 Thanks Liz. Oh, it’s just certain corners. It’s become almost fashionable to create sites and blogs about quitting writing or the enormous odds etc.

9. Sarah Posted: Jul 15th, 2008 at 3:27 pm

   9 Had a read at your site Zoe and thought it was cool. 3 wishes post was a hoot!

10. Zoe Winters Posted: Jul 15th, 2008 at 9:02 pm

    10 Hi Sarah, Thanks for visiting, glad you liked it.

11. Lorelie Posted: Jul 16th, 2008 at 2:38 am

    11 Who said that to you? Want me to beat ‘em up for you? But seriously, I’m not sure where you’re traveling along the intertubes, but I’m glad I’m not stopping there. Everyone I read/talk to has been very kind, funny, and very supportive. But then I’m a bitch. If anyone ever gave me that attitude I’d avoid them like the plague and then work that much harder to make it.

12. Zoe Winters Posted: Jul 16th, 2008 at 4:15 am

    12 Hahaha Lorelie! There are some dark corners of the interwebz. muahahaha. In the offline world, in a bookstore I was buying some writing magazines a few years ago, and the kid behind the counter took it upon himself to tell me it’s hard to get published and its unlikely I’d ever “make it.” It was like: “Well thank you for that completely unsolicited advice.” In hindsight I think he was probably a writer himself and got discouraged and gave up, and somehow thought it was his civic duty to enlighten me and save me from myself.

13. heather (errantdreams) Posted: Jul 16th, 2008 at 8:32 am

    13 I think that if someone wants an honest appraisal of their chances at publication, it’s reasonable to give them one, even if it’s to say, “sorry, but right now I don’t see it happening.” And yeah, when someone has the attitude that all they have to do is set pen to paper and they’ll produce literary gold that no one had better naysay, it can be tempting to try to rid them of the attitude. That said, I think the folks that go around being as vicious as possible and taking glee in pounding the life out of people’s dreams are fooling themselves when they say it’s for the would-be writer’s own good. They’re doing it because they want to hurt someone, plain and simple. I’ve never liked either extreme—people who tell every writer that she’s a genius, or people who slam folks just because they can. Neither helps the would-be writer, and neither accomplishes anything useful.

14. Zoe Winters Posted: Jul 16th, 2008 at 5:54 pm

    14 Hey Heather, Yeah, I think it’s one thing to say: “Here are the odds. Here is the journey.” But it’s not okay or even accurate for anyone to determine who will and who won’t make it. I’ve seen some truly horrible writers become really good over time. It’s a growth process. We all sucked at one point (and I might still be at the suck point lol) The difference is, I think it’s so much easier for people to share writing now before it’s really ready. Due to increased technology. On the odds thing, once a writer gets to a certain level of proficiency, they aren’t competing with “every other writer out there.” They’re competing with the other top 5-10%. I think the goal should be to get the quality up, not look at all the people not yet ready to publish as “the reason you’ll never get published.” And I’m totally with you on the genius thing. I think the only proper time to tell someone their writing is stunningly amazingly fantastic is when it’s already in print and it can’t be changed.

15. LeaF Posted: Jul 17th, 2008 at 4:12 pm

    15 Zoe; Your sound advice with respect to your approach to writing and the issue of getting published is really appreciated. The proliferation of the internet certainly has its good (Dionne’s website as an example of the good) and bad points. There are those walk (and type) amongst us who I think can be equated with the “school yard bully”, and they essentially “get their rocks off”, by maligning the work of others, no matter what that work happens to be. It’s really quite sad, and their problem really, which is best left to the psychiatrists of the world to deal with. So I guess the best course of action is to ignore this type of behaviour and for a committed writer to get on with their dream of getting published. At this point I write for myself, and don’t have any “delusions of grandeur”, about getting published. Maybe I will test that murky water some day but right now in answer to your question, “Would I write if I was the only person who ever saw it?” Most definitely. Yes. Thank you again.

16. Zoe Winters Posted: Jul 18th, 2008 at 3:08 am

    16 Thank you LeaF for the very thoughtful reply. It means a lot.