Writer Sends Lottery Ticket with Submission

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Theo81

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RCW's Sam Copeland and Darley Anderson's Madeleine Buston have both reported via Twitter (here and here) to being sent a Lottery ticket with a submission.

Anybody want to admit to it being them as sent it? ;)


I'm surprised by the level of Ms Buston's, ahem, enthusiasm for it.

According to the Twit stream, the lottery had a link to the subject of the MS.

What do we all think, good idea or bad idea?
It's got the agents attention, which is good. These two tweets regard it as having done so positively, which is good. It's unlikely to be misconstrued in a creepy way, which is good.
However, agents are going to know which other agents have got it, which I'd regard as a bad thing, although I can't imagine the author has sent out 50 of the things.

I do foresee a trend of people sending stuff to try and get agents' attention now, though.
 

Plot Device

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Sending along gifts such as flowers or Yankees tickets or whatever in order to bribe an agent or a publsiher or (in the case of the film/TV industry) a creative executive into reading/considering one's submission is nothing new. In fact, I'd be willing to guess that it was probably MORE common 15+ years ago backs when all sumissions were done via smail mail. I don't approve of it, and it's my understanding that most industry professionals find it mildly creepy. The higher the value of the sent item, the more disturbing the action becomes.

Meanwhile, I kinda like that the bribe in this instance (a lottery ticket) had a very direct link to the plot at hand. Makes the whole undertaking seem less like smarmy, underhanded desperation, and more like nothing more than a very clever and humorous AND HARMELSS gesture. And the fact that it was likely well less than $10 in value (a Lotto ticket or a MegaMillions ticket is always a trifling $1) defuses the creepy desperation factor even further, swinging it off more comfortably into the realm of harmless humor.
 

Libbie

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My first thought: "What a dork."

Second thought: "Any agent who would act enthused over this might be shooting herself in the foot. Even a lottery ticket could be seen as a bribe."

Third though: "Oh, it's related to the plot of the book? Hmmm...I can get behind that."
 

kaitie

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I can't really get behind it even if it's related to the plot. It's still too close to a bribe, IMO. If there wasn't monetary value there, then maybe I could see it, but with the potential for a winning ticket, that changes things.

I also think it's gimmicky. I assume there's a reason agents have always stated directly never to send extra things with the submission and have lists of the craziest things they've received. Personally, I'd rather just send the sub out and let it stand on its own. After all, the gimmick isn't going to get you any requests, the work will. If your query sucks, no lottery tickets or anything else will help, and if it rocks, you don't need them and risk annoying people at best and it will look like a bribe at worst.
 

Maryn

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I'm with kaitie. No gimmicks, no bribe, not even if the item ties in. The work has to stand on its own legs.

Maryn, firm on this
 

Wayne K

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Another writer who feels the book isn't good enough to stand out
 
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Second thought: "Any agent who would act enthused over this might be shooting herself in the foot. Even a lottery ticket could be seen as a bribe."
I thought, "How many exclamation marks were needed in that tweet?"
 

Wayne K

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Also, when you show attention to gimmicks like this, you get gimmicks like this

Writer Mark Davis Fakes Kidnapping then sent an e-mail to a wide variety of agents. It began: “By the time you receive this, I will have already kidnapped your child.”"
 

Cyia

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If they wanted to use it as a "prop" tied to the plot, but not have it inch close to "bribe" territory, then they could have used a gag ticket rather than a real one.
 

Wayne K

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Imagine what erotica writers will start to send
 

Susan Coffin

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My first thought--a real lottery ticket?

I have a feeling the author did use it because it tied into the subject of their book, and perhaps the author did not think it would come across as looking like bribery. It does, though.

I'm glad it got some tweets and interest, though.
 

thothguard51

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I send Dragon eggs with all my queries. They can only learn how to hatch the egg if they read my manuscript.

So far, there have been no reports of dragons sightings, or my books.
 

Kitty27

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I think gifts are a no-no. They give off the funky stench of utter desperation or insanity.

Besides,I have to keep all my grip for myself. Four inch platform boots aren't cheap.
 

CAWriter

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Did the tweet say if it was an unsolicited manuscript, or was it from an author with whom they have a relationship? I know of authors who have put together proposals with 'props' (if you want to call it that) for everyone at a pub board meeting when the book goes to committee, and the editors who've been part of the process have been favorable toward it.

I can see where they wouldn't want every author in the slush pile finding a gimmick to go with their proposal, but it's not completely unheard of (or frowned on) for established authors to submit something of the sort.
 

mccardey

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RCW's Sam Copeland and Darley Anderson's Madeleine Buston have both reported via Twitter (here and here) to being sent a Lottery ticket with a submission.

What do we all think, good idea or bad idea? .

Better than sending it without the submission ... ;)
 

seun

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I agree with this, but don't you want a little added advantage over all the other submissions? As long as it isn't construed as a bribe, I find it OK.

Make that advantage by producing your best work, not by sending a little gift. No matter how quirky or meaningful the gift is.

The other issue to bear in mind is just because the writer didn't mean it as a bride, there's no guarantee the agent/publisher will see it the same way.
 

aruna

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“I went on as many Internet writers’ boards and chat rooms as I could, as Perno Morris, and vented about how unfair the publishing business was,” he said. “Then I told them I had a plan, and started a countdown to when I would reveal it. That sent a lot of traffic to my website xxx, where I had posted the first three chapters of the novel.”


Hmmm. Did that author post in AW? If not, why not? As the biggest writers' board out there it seems like a huge ommission -- if his story is true.
 

DanielAnuchan

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“I went on as many Internet writers’ boards and chat rooms as I could, as Perno Morris, and vented about how unfair the publishing business was,” he said. “Then I told them I had a plan, and started a countdown to when I would reveal it. That sent a lot of traffic to my website xxx, where I had posted the first three chapters of the novel.”

That sounds like an interesting gimmick. Any publicity is good publicity. Make a loud noise and wait for the echoes.
 
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