Writing Question

would you tailor your writing, (ie write a story just because you know it's something that the publisher is looking for) to sale a book?:money

'Fraid so. I am a literary whore.

Cheers,
aq

Depends how much tailoring and how much work it involved. I don't think I could put up with spending months writing something I couldn't stand. I'd tweek a story a bit to fit the publisher's demands, or I'd write, say, a 3000 word story to spec. It's not really a matter of artistic integrity, it's more my boredom threshold.

Absolutely. But first I seek publishers who want the sort of stuff I write -- so that it isn't a fatal compromise.

I don't think I could put up with spending months writing something I couldn't stand.

Click to expand...

Absolutely. But first I seek publishers who want the sort of stuff I write -- so that it isn't a fatal compromise.

Click to expand...

The question becomes one of degree. How much time is spent, how much integrity lost, compared to renumeration in terms of money and prestige.

If I wrote a screenplay and the producer is paying me $500,000 then wants me to change my orphan boy in reform school into a ballerina in dance class: No problem. You got yourself a ballerina.

If the editor is paying me $100 and wants me to change the word azure to blue: that is cool, blue will do.

If I have to put in a lot of work, put in a lot of time, while getting zilch pay, then the publisher had better offer a lot of prestige or be a charity I really care about.

Writing is not just a creative art: it is a business.

Writing is not just a business: it is a creative art.