Comments on: [essay] Drawing a Line in the Sand: Literature and Today’s Market http://fictionwritersreview.com/essays/essay-drawing-a-line-in-the-sand-literature-and-today%e2%80%99s-market fiction matters Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:02:27 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: John S. Davis http://fictionwritersreview.com/essays/essay-drawing-a-line-in-the-sand-literature-and-today%e2%80%99s-market/comment-page-1#comment-2406 John S. Davis Mon, 04 May 2009 15:46:59 +0000 http://fictionwritersreview.com/?p=3078#comment-2406 I've been writing for over 40 years but never submitted anything to a publisher or magazine until 20 years ago. Some of my stories have been rejected twenty times or more, but I don't care. I have treasured the few personal rejections I've received because the helpful comments and suggestions. I actually sold several poems to Weird Tales magazine and was thrilled by that. I write because I have to. My day isn't right if I haven't spent some time at the keyboard, used to be typewriter, before that was a legal pad and pen. I think being part of a writers group might be helpful if I actually got comments and suggestions. But the market? Nah! The poems I've sold all rhyme and have meter, and that's apparently what the market is looking for. But I have to write, and I write what I feel, and I don't care if it's what the market wants. I’ve been writing for over 40 years but never submitted anything to a publisher or magazine until 20 years ago. Some of my stories have been rejected twenty times or more, but I don’t care. I have treasured the few personal rejections I’ve received because the helpful comments and suggestions. I actually sold several poems to Weird Tales magazine and was thrilled by that. I write because I have to. My day isn’t right if I haven’t spent some time at the keyboard, used to be typewriter, before that was a legal pad and pen. I think being part of a writers group might be helpful if I actually got comments and suggestions. But the market? Nah! The poems I’ve sold all rhyme and have meter, and that’s apparently what the market is looking for. But I have to write, and I write what I feel, and I don’t care if it’s what the market wants.

]]> By: HelenQP http://fictionwritersreview.com/essays/essay-drawing-a-line-in-the-sand-literature-and-today%e2%80%99s-market/comment-page-1#comment-2401 HelenQP Sat, 02 May 2009 01:05:20 +0000 http://fictionwritersreview.com/?p=3078#comment-2401 This is so helpful. Thank you! Sitting at my desk day in and day out, writing away, sending stories out into the ether, 7 years and counting on a novel, sometimes all the Market Monster has to do is raise a slick eyebrow--a quarter inch or so--and my scrawny little Muse dives under the desk, her chiton barely enough for her shivering body, and she crouches there all scabby knees and elbows, muttering and chattering like a half-wit: They're right, this one reeks, she'll never, the height of uncool, she knows no one, no one knows her, she was already old for a writer when I agreed to take her on... Honestly, I believe this is possibly the single issue that can make or break a writer. What else matters but to keep going? This is so helpful. Thank you! Sitting at my desk day in and day out, writing away, sending stories out into the ether, 7 years and counting on a novel, sometimes all the Market Monster has to do is raise a slick eyebrow–a quarter inch or so–and my scrawny little Muse dives under the desk, her chiton barely enough for her shivering body, and she crouches there all scabby knees and elbows, muttering and chattering like a half-wit: They’re right, this one reeks, she’ll never, the height of uncool, she knows no one, no one knows her, she was already old for a writer when I agreed to take her on…

Honestly, I believe this is possibly the single issue that can make or break a writer. What else matters but to keep going?

]]> By: Fiction Writers Review » Blog Archive » FWR’s latest features http://fictionwritersreview.com/essays/essay-drawing-a-line-in-the-sand-literature-and-today%e2%80%99s-market/comment-page-1#comment-2398 Fiction Writers Review » Blog Archive » FWR’s latest features Fri, 01 May 2009 22:25:34 +0000 http://fictionwritersreview.com/?p=3078#comment-2398 [...] too much about the marketability of your fiction? Well, stop it. And read this thoughtful essay, “Drawing a Line in the Sand: Literature and Today’s Market,” by Wifeshopping author Steven [...] [...] too much about the marketability of your fiction? Well, stop it. And read this thoughtful essay, “Drawing a Line in the Sand: Literature and Today’s Market,” by Wifeshopping author Steven [...]

]]> By: Robert G. McBrearty http://fictionwritersreview.com/essays/essay-drawing-a-line-in-the-sand-literature-and-today%e2%80%99s-market/comment-page-1#comment-2391 Robert G. McBrearty Fri, 01 May 2009 01:22:11 +0000 http://fictionwritersreview.com/?p=3078#comment-2391 I found this commentary very perceptive. I had two points that I wanted to comment on. One, I wondered why the other writer, the one so obsessed with the market, became so defensive. What difference did it make to him if Mr. Wingate viewed things differently? I have no objections if that writer wants to focus on the market, but I see no reason why he insists that other writers agree with him. Secondly, Mr. Wingate really strikes home with his concern about young writers starting out solely focused on the market. Maybe a few - a very few - may ride this approach to some sort of commercial success, but most will neither succeed commerically or grow as artists. My own writing career has been limited in terms of commercial success, but I have no regrets about the path I have chosen (admittedly, any checks that come my way are most appreciated), but I suspect if I had set out to be a commercial writer, I would have been unsuccessful at it anyway and would also have plenty of regret. I found this commentary very perceptive. I had two points that I wanted to comment on. One, I wondered why the other writer, the one so obsessed with the market, became so defensive. What difference did it make to him if Mr. Wingate viewed things differently? I have no objections if that writer wants to focus on the market, but I see no reason why he insists that other writers agree with him. Secondly, Mr. Wingate really strikes home with his concern about young writers starting out solely focused on the market. Maybe a few – a very few – may ride this approach to some sort of commercial success, but most will neither succeed commerically or grow as artists. My own writing career has been limited in terms of commercial success, but I have no regrets about the path I have chosen (admittedly, any checks that come my way are most appreciated), but I suspect if I had set out to be a commercial writer, I would have been unsuccessful at it anyway and would also have plenty of regret.

]]> By: Rus Bradburd http://fictionwritersreview.com/essays/essay-drawing-a-line-in-the-sand-literature-and-today%e2%80%99s-market/comment-page-1#comment-2386 Rus Bradburd Wed, 29 Apr 2009 04:43:34 +0000 http://fictionwritersreview.com/?p=3078#comment-2386 This is a smart take on a topic that seems to get discussed regularly around New Mexico. No surprise that it's well written: Wingate's book of short stories is a gem - and it's literature AND marketable. This is a smart take on a topic that seems to get discussed regularly around New Mexico. No surprise that it’s well written: Wingate’s book of short stories is a gem – and it’s literature AND marketable.

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