Sharing your work
Someone asked me recently whether I could point her toward a blog or article to benefit her friend, who hesitated to share her work with others for fear that her ideas would be stolen. Since I know she's not the only one (every once in a while a writer refuses to follow submission guidelines because they fear this very thing and want us to sign waivers et. al. before they'll give us a look at their project) I thought I'd use the topic for today's blog.
Most writers I know have more ideas than time to write them, so they're certainly not looking to steal from others. In fact, the most dreaded conversation starter for a writer is "I have this idea, maybe you want to write it," because, of course, the writing and execution are the most time and energy intensive parts of creation. (Just added to this post on 3/31: link to an article by Book Marketing Floozy that covers this as well.) Not that brilliant ideas necessarily grow on trees. How many times have you seen a show or read a book and thought, "Darn, that was MY idea?" Well, it really is true that there are no absolutely new ideas under the sun. What makes a novel or series unique is the way that ideas are combined and voiced. Which is why one superpowered hero flying around in cape and tights doesn't cancel out all others. And what a writer will gain by sharing their work with others and getting feedback is absolutely invaluable.
Likewise, agents and editors receive so many queries that if we don't love something we read, we instantly move on to the next. Novels and series have to really blow us away for serious consideration. We're working at hyperspeed day after day just to critique and hone the projects we're already committed to; we're not looking for more work with novels that didn't fire us up enough to represent.
Most writers I know have more ideas than time to write them, so they're certainly not looking to steal from others. In fact, the most dreaded conversation starter for a writer is "I have this idea, maybe you want to write it," because, of course, the writing and execution are the most time and energy intensive parts of creation. (Just added to this post on 3/31: link to an article by Book Marketing Floozy that covers this as well.) Not that brilliant ideas necessarily grow on trees. How many times have you seen a show or read a book and thought, "Darn, that was MY idea?" Well, it really is true that there are no absolutely new ideas under the sun. What makes a novel or series unique is the way that ideas are combined and voiced. Which is why one superpowered hero flying around in cape and tights doesn't cancel out all others. And what a writer will gain by sharing their work with others and getting feedback is absolutely invaluable.
Likewise, agents and editors receive so many queries that if we don't love something we read, we instantly move on to the next. Novels and series have to really blow us away for serious consideration. We're working at hyperspeed day after day just to critique and hone the projects we're already committed to; we're not looking for more work with novels that didn't fire us up enough to represent.