I have my memoir finished and have had quite a few requests for my proposal and full mss. One agency asked if I'd be willing to have some work done with a collaborator or at least some heavy editting. They thought the story was excllent but... Curious to learn more about collaboration. Where can I read more about this topic...cost, ghost, split etc? Thanks
Collaboration???
- Thread starter Scott LeRette
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What kind of agencies have you been contacting?
Ask how they work. The minute they mention you paying them for a service, end the call.
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Hi Scott,
Welcome! Congratulations on completing your memoir.
I also ask which agents you are contacting. Always check them out at Preditors and Editors . If an agent or publisher ever asks you for money, run the other way and don't turn back.
If any agency says your work is excellent, why do they want you to work with a collaborator (I wonder if this is another word for freelance editor) or do some heavy editing? It seems to me if they were interested, they would tell you what they want edited and ask you to do it.
In any event, good luck with your project.
Welcome! Congratulations on completing your memoir.
I also ask which agents you are contacting. Always check them out at Preditors and Editors . If an agent or publisher ever asks you for money, run the other way and don't turn back.
If any agency says your work is excellent, why do they want you to work with a collaborator (I wonder if this is another word for freelance editor) or do some heavy editing? It seems to me if they were interested, they would tell you what they want edited and ask you to do it.
In any event, good luck with your project.
They say that my "story" is gold, but the overall arc needs some help. They did not ask me nor suggest anything regarding money. They just think that having this fixed would make it exponentially better. I admit they are probably right. This is all new to me. That is why I ask about collaboration. I need to educate myself. For example... how does it work if I have the mss completely done (like I do) vs collab from the ground up? I guess I need more information on what they feel needs amended. So, is there a good source to learn more about collaboration, editting etc? Thanks.
I think you need to ask for more information.
It's not terribly unusual for memoirs to be ghostwritten, or to have help from a collaborater or paid editor. The person with the amazing life story may not always be the best at telling it. But do find out details. And I'd suggest checking out other writers of memoirs to see how they handled it.
It's not terribly unusual for memoirs to be ghostwritten, or to have help from a collaborater or paid editor. The person with the amazing life story may not always be the best at telling it. But do find out details. And I'd suggest checking out other writers of memoirs to see how they handled it.
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Glad you recognize this. The world of new writers is a favorite target of scamsters. Yes, there are real, talented people out there who can help you, but there are many, many scam artists, too.
Get acquainted with writing groups like this one. Read about the world of memoir. Get to know people and read one another's work. If you need professional help (and not everyone does), you'll be able to find it in an informed way.
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