Writing on spec

I'd make a list of potential places to shop this story to. When I began working on mine, I had a general idea of where I thought it could/should/might have a home.

I also battled the idea that I might be wasting people's time or, worse yet, getting people's hopes up that it would be published. The whole thing probably took longer than I wanted and I'd say 10-percent of that wasted time was due to procrastination due to imposter syndrome/insecurity. It's a risk you take with something like this. There are a lot of movies/shows/documentaries where people get interviewed and the project never sees the light of day.

 

I’ve been thinking about writing a book about a tangential figure in a sport outside the big four. It’d involve interviewing a few bigger names, and that’s a mental obstacle I’m working through — I think the topic has potential but I suck at pitches and last thing I’ll want to do is waste others’ time.

 

UPDATE

Without getting too much into for fear out jinxing/whatever, the story that I worked on in my spare time and had published in June has resulted in a production company and a filmmaker reaching out to me and inquiring about turning it into a documentary or something similar. One sent a contract for a shopping agreement over a couple of weeks ago that we have lawyers ironing out currently.

I ramble about this as a way of saying if you have a story like this that you want to tell, take the plunge. You never know what can happen. I thought 500 people would read mine and X out of it and that would be that.

 

Congrats, sir. Quite worthy of this:

 

WLAT: The Harris Years.

Congrats man!

 

Thank you both. Still not at the finish line yet but we’ve picked up way more yardage than I ever expected

 

Update: My girlfriend had a chance encounter with a literary agent and pitched the idea to her. The agent liked the idea and gave her her contact information, which she will not let me have because she doesn’t want me to talk myself out of it.

She said just write the first chapter and let the agent see it and make the call on if it’s worth publishing.

I told her, with the newspaper/website writing I do now, I know it’s going to be published and I know I’m getting paid for it. That’s the way I like it.

She dismisses this with a wave of the hand.

I’m really too risk-averse to do this, but she’s really putting me on the spot. I hate being put on the spot.

 

What ever happened with this?

 

PM sent.

To give the Readers Digest version on here - it's progressing.

 

So should I just go ahead and write the first chapter since I’m apparently committed to it whether I want to be or not?

 

Write the chapter and submit it.

If she says no, you're a chapter ahead and don't worry about her. If she says yes, meet with her to discuss it and see if you want to move forward.

I like to be paid for my work, just like anyone. But don't fuck up this opportunity by being stuck in 2007. It's one chapter. The agent has opened the door. See what happens.

 

+1