Calling all Sports Publishing LLC authors

JR · Oct 14, 2008

In Exile said:

As one who started very small and did a handful of books bylined and not with small publishers before moving on to much more substantive books with major publishers, such projects do one thing that has not been mentioned - they can provide the confidence to embark on a large project, and the luxury to risk screwing up while learning how to do so in relative anonymity. And there are many fine writers - including some who are routinely praised here - who despite their many accomplishments never gained that confidence, have never written a book, probably never will and will probably regret not doing so. success as a journalist does not mean one automatically has the skills needed to write a book - my agent rarely takes on a journalist who hasn't already demonstrated his or her ability on long form, and I have more than a few friends, fine writers and journalists in their own right, who can write columns and long features far better than I, but who completely break down when faced with the notion of writing 50,000 words, much less 100,000 or 200,000.

There is no training school for writing a book other than writing one, and no set path to being published or getting an agent. The first time I meet a writer who has the same path as another one will be the first time. Some work in secret anonymity and learn that way, from their abandoned pile of manuscripts that sit in drawer forever. Some write crummy books for lousy publishers, learn from the experience and move on. Some are crushed by it and never try again and probably shouldn't. Some cover badminton and learn how to craft sentences, then paragraphs and more. Some write great books no one reads. Some write best sellers the first time out of the box. Some are overnight successes after thirty years

Here's my twenty years worth of wisdom - there are no truisms in authorship beyond the fact that no book ever gets written until you shut up, stop talking about it, sit down and write it.
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Word for word.

Great post.

Smasher_Sloan · Oct 14, 2008

friend of the friendless said:

Mr Sloan,

I'll keep that my business, thanks. I have to suppose that you've never darkened the door of a legit publisher, great or small.
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I'm going to say publicly what I just said in an obscenity-laden PM: Don't ever call me a liar. If you think I'm making things up to impress people on a message board, you're out of your fucking mind.

Let me distill my point down to a sentence or three: Dealing with a publisher isn't like buying a used car. There may not be a better deal, especially if it's a small house and you're a relative unknown. So don't sit back and assume they're just "playing the game" and presume that a better deal will be coming in another week. Some of the advice that's been offered here isn't necessarily relevant to the circumstances of most people reading SportsJournalists.com.

friend of the friendless · Oct 14, 2008

Mr Sloan,

I tried to read your PM but it was so boring I didn't make it all the way through.

You insult the sj people by lowering the bar. They should try to do good books and one that sell rather than vanity projects. You must have family ties to a vanity publisher or somesuch. You are so wrong-minded that I can only presume you're in the pocket of LLC or another shyster outfit.

Being called a cocksucker by you is high praise.

YD&OHS, etc

BYH · Oct 14, 2008

JR said:

There's another thing I do agree with F0F about: if you're having trouble finding an agent, it's probably because you don't have an idea worth pursuing. Or you can't write. Or you're so objectionable that the aggravation wouldn't be worth the time or effort.
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You're right. But that doesn't mean 4.) does not exist: You've had a bad experience with agents and you'd rather deal with a small publisher 1-on-1 than deal with the bullshit of an agent who has no idea how to pitch your project and acts as if he's doing you a favor by spending two minutes a week talking to you on the phone.

Of course, I understand almost everyone's had a bad experience with agents. I'm just saying sometimes it's worth the reduced pay--and reduced aggrevation--to fly solo. Probably not a way to make a career of this, but...

Smasher_Sloan · Oct 14, 2008

friend of the friendless said:

Mr Sloan,

I tried to read your PM but it was so boring I didn't make it all the way through.

You insult the sj people by lowering the bar. They should try to do good books and one that sell rather than vanity projects. You must have family ties to a vanity publisher or somesuch. You are so wrong-minded that I can only presume you're in the pocket of LLC or another shyster outfit.

Being called a cocksucker by you is high praise.

YD&OHS, etc
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Congratulations on being the second asshole I've ever put on "ignore."

GFY, etc.

friend of the friendless · Oct 14, 2008

Mr H,

Maybe you can be sharp enough to represent yourself if you have an established relationship with an editor and a publisher, but there's no way you can engineer an auction. None.

YD&OHS, etc

slappy4428 · Oct 14, 2008

down, boys....

playthrough · Oct 14, 2008

Smasher and FofF, even though you've been essentially talking to each other on the thread, you both know (or need to know) that discussing PMs publicly is a big no-no. But if you want to continue you'll have to do it there, because we're done here.

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Calling all Sports Publishing LLC authors

JR Well-Known Member

Smasher_Sloan Active Member

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BYH Active Member

Smasher_Sloan Active Member

friend of the friendless Active Member

slappy4428 Active Member

playthrough Moderator Staff Member

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Calling all Sports Publishing LLC authors

JR Well-Known Member

Smasher_Sloan Active Member

friend of the friendless Active Member

BYH Active Member

Smasher_Sloan Active Member

friend of the friendless Active Member

slappy4428 Active Member

playthrough Moderator Staff Member

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