Comments on: It’s All About Collaboration

By: travertine tiles sydney

travertine tiles sydney — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 11:20:36 +0000

Links…

[…]Sites of interest we have a link to[…]……

By: fontanna czekoladowa

fontanna czekoladowa — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 05:26:22 +0000

Superb website…

[…]always a big fan of linking to bloggers that I love but don’t get a lot of link love from[…]……

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:17:00 +0000

>I disagree with what you said about self-published authors not being collaborative. I am getting my book self-published for the simple fact that I don't want to lose the rights to what I have pain stakingly put out. I collaborate extensively within my circle of friends and professionals that I have had the pleasure to meet. They help me point out flaws or ways to improve my writing – essential to any good writer! I also have a working staff to help with cover style and design as well as editors that look over every detail.

I think too often literary agents and the like sell people like me short. There is this misperception that if you are self-published you are somehow unworthy of publication at all. I'm assuming those people don't appreciate the success of "The Shack" or other successfully self-published ventures?

I'm just saying…God calls people to do all sorts of things, and going the self-published route was exactly the path that He set before me. I am a full time mom, I work two part time jobs and cavorting at conferences and going to seminars, though not the preferred option, is not an option for me. I'm just saying…I appreciate what you do, but give us little guys a break.

His, lambb@bellsouth.net

By: Rowenna

Rowenna — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:44:37 +0000

>Most of the collaborative process excites and interests me. A book that's only as good as I can make it isn't as good as it could be, period. There are very, very few changes or ideas that someone could suggest that I would disagree completely with, and, honestly, if that happened, I hope that I could judge if continuing with that team towards publication was a good choice. (Plot changes to include sex before marriage would be one, for example--I'm just ethically not ok with that happening with these characters.)

The only part that makes me nervous is that I worry that some editors or designers might think that they're expert enough in the topic--I write historical fiction--to suggest changes or create covers that I'll know are inaccurate. I worry because I've seen soooo many HF book covers that are just plain wrong, and find errors in historical detail in the text all the time. I'm, er, anal like that.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 23:56:27 +0000

>Yay collaboration – until the selling part comes up. Wah wah, do I really have to start a blog, make a web page, keep up with people on Twitter and Facebook, and do all the social things that make hermits wake up gasping and choking and clawing for air? Is this why it's taking me so long to finish my book?
(What a whiner I am! There are scarier and more painful things than trying to share your book with the world — aren't there?)

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:47:45 +0000

>Hi Rachelle-
I love team work and collaboration. For me, I love the idea of others being a part of the team that makes my work, well, work.
I look forward to that day, right now I am in the cave mostly on my own, with an occasional break for sun and food and to talk on the phone with my editor.
Queries...here I come soon!
Stephanie

By: Skipperhammond@gmail.com

Skipperhammond@gmail.com — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:28:36 +0000

>My critique group borders on being a writing team. Frequently members go home from a meeting to puzzle over how to strengthen something in another member's writing.
And what joy we share when something works or someone's book is bought.

By: Holly

Holly — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:56:41 +0000

>I'm with Anne. My first thought was, 'she didn't include AGENT!' That made me smile. I find it a relief that there's a team effort to finish the product. Someone's gotta catch the crazy stuff that comes out of our heads before it gets out to the public!

By: Tamika:

Tamika: — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:48:26 +0000

>Rachelle before reading your blog and dreaming of publication, I was lost on the process of bringing a book to fruitation. So for your knowledge, thank you.

I am open to the entire process. The part that makes me stomach flutter above all is the querying process, the beginning to finding people other than myself who believe in my work.

Another great post!

By: Roxane B. Salonen

Roxane B. Salonen — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 05:07:48 +0000

>Actually, realizing that the birth of a book is a collaboration was very freeing to me when it came to my undeniable attention several years ago. I discovered this through the process of writing and publishing (traditional) my children's books. Even the writing part was collaborative. I had trusted readers look over my work and make suggestions. From that point on, once I accepted that I needed that input, that it was extremely valuable, I was cued in to how NOT solitary the book-writing venture is after all. Once I understood that, a lot changed. It isn't all about us, and that's a good thing. We need one another for success to come fully. So, I am really okay with it. "It takes a village…" 🙂

By: Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:52:41 +0000

>Wherever two or more of you are gathered...

If Christianity has collaboration as its heart, yeah, I'm okay with collaborating on books.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:06:20 +0000

>I've thought about it and am fine with it.
It's almost like the writer is the painter, but the agents, editors and marketers are the paints and the brushes, each one changing the work somehow but the work remains intrinsically the painter's.
If that makes any sense. I don't know because watching kids exhausts me. (yes, they're my own, LOL)

By: Kimberlee Conway Ireton

Kimberlee Conway Ireton — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:36:00 +0000

>I think readers are among the biggest collaborators, especially those who read early drafts and tell us what's working and what's not.

Before I sent my book manuscript to my publisher in 2007, I asked five reading friends to critique it. Then I incorporated their changes into my manuscript--even re-writing an entire chapter because readers thought it didn't work.

Then, when I turned the manuscript in to my publisher, they sent it out to four more readers--people they hire to read manuscripts and make comments and suggestions. These readers were immensely helpful as well, and between their comments and my editor's I ended up rewriting two more chapters and making significant changes to a third.

Because of all this reader feedback my book was much stronger. It wasn't always easy to hear that my writing wasn't resonating with readers or that they vehemently disagreed with me. But I'm so grateful for their critiques: I shudder to think how I would feel about my book if that first draft that I gave to my reader friends was the one that got published. Eek!

So here's to collaboration--especially when it makes us stronger and our writing better!

By: elizabethfais

elizabethfais — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:28:02 +0000

>Amen. It takes a village!