This one hurt

DeviatedDavid

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I don't want anyone entertain the notion that I haven't been on this board for a while because of a few sophomoric (yes, it's probably spelled wrong) slights and silly asides. The board was down, and I didn't look at it for a while.

I certainly do seem to detect a high level of cattiness out there. Some people alleged that I was oblivious to the fact that film studios hire people to read manuscripts to hunt for material. Other people alleged that I had the temerity to allege that some people in the publishing world may have at some time stolen material.

We live in a world rife with crime and corruption and malfeasance. (Take a look at the shnook occupying the White house). Lawyers have been liars (John Mitchell, Roy Cohen), doctors have been killers (Mengele), and priests have been perverts. (Witness the plethora of priests playing with young boys.) Are we to assume that men in the publishing industry are virginal and bereft of all sin.

Also, I didn't allude to Marxism to be edgy. I have been attracted to it, with some reservations, for years. And this attraction is not some pseudo radical, parlor-pink, 60's ish, affectation. I have represented socialist organizations in federal court. (Hell, my family came to this country because they were afraid the Tzar would send Uncle Morris to Siberia for his revolutionary proclivities.)

I never intended, and do not intend, harm.
 
mccardey

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DeviatedDavid said:
I don't want anyone entertain the notion that I haven't been on this board for a while because of a few sophomoric (yes, it's probably spelled wrong) slights and silly asides. The board was down, and I didn't look at it for a while.
Click to expand...
Oh, bless you. The thing about AW is that if you're gone for more than about 20 minutes people forget you were ever here. Until your next post, when they forget you ever left.

Damned writers. Never notice anything.
 
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be frank

be frank

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mccardey said:
And thank you, Frank, I am in fact virginal and bereft of all sin.

:Sun:
Click to expand...

:D

I was debating whether the assumption was simply that women couldn't possibly get up to no-good (because we are indeed all angelic), or whether it was assumed that we're living in 1957 and there ain't no womenz in publishing -- that's a man's business, don't ya know?

Also, I really need a new username...
 

popmuze

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Imagine my shock when I found out about the movie Me & Max Minsky. It's the closest my own published novel (Houghton Mifflin), Me, Minsky & Max, has ever come to fame and fortune (although the former movie was a complete obscurity, based on an even more obscure book, with a similar title I'm too lazy to look up.
 
P.K. Torrens

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[troll]
I’m just gonna point out that I can get medical care without paying anything or even mentioning a book... Because I don’t live in the USA. Now, that’s Marxist.
[/troll]

Also, this thread made me laugh. Evil agents stealing ideas from books and making them into movies... Tehehe. Imagine if it was that easy!
 
Woollybear

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You can read it in PK's thread if you want.

Back to the OP:

That really, really sucks. On the positive, it sounds like you have a great story. It seems that the publishing world involves a lot of moving around. Maybe your agent was in a bad space and had to .... move. In any event, I am sorry.
 
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P.K. Torrens

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Okay. That’s a lot to take in.

When you say that you have a “great pedigree,” what do you mean by that? To start a research group, you usually have to have a PhD, followed by years of post-doc work where you produce good research. No one funds people with good ideas to carry out scientific research. Gas-fixing bacteria aren’t a novel idea - in fact, they exist in nature.

Anyway. I think the idea of a girl seeing gases is cool. It’s not a story though. You have a premise and now develop a cool story around it. Write it well. If you write it well enough to make agents and editors think people will spend their money to read it, then they will buy it. As far as I’m aware, no one cares what you look like in the publishing world.

I do get where you’re coming from about sexism and ageism in science. Too right.

Patty said:
I'm not giving permission here, but.

I have no idea how I am going to get my book published. I'm not trained in writing.

My plan? I planned to run a research group into the biological mechanisms (think bacteria) that pull down methane (a powerful greenhouse gas.)

No one wants me. Doesn't matter that I have a great pedigree.

What matters? I'm short, female, and old. Are those the reasons? Who knows? (Hint, I do, as do several others I've talked with, ones 'who made it.'.) Young, tall, sexy females are fine. Hell, change any of the three attributes and you may be fine.

Short, female, and old? Not a chance at getting your own research group even when studying a fundamental problem like the PLANET'S CLIMATE.

So - the reason I cannot do what I was trained to do, which is to understand the biological mechanisms of sinking a powerful greenhouse gas, comes down to ... stupid human prejudice. Years spent trying, nada. (Maybe we deserve Cat5 hurricanes and the rest.)

You know what? I still want to save the G*d*mn planet. So I turn to science fiction. Got no training, no connections, ... and no other option. (Well, there's teaching, but please don't get me started on the state of teaching in the US.)

At this point, if someone stole my story (And I would sue like bloody hell so don't get any ideas) I would think to myself that at least ... the idea of being able to see the sh*t that pours out of every G*d*mn tailpipe you see every day on the road, would be out there on the big screen. And maybe people would realize that invisible pollution is still pollution.

Now, no serious author (Hi serious AW members with famous books) wants my company - I'm a nobody with no credentials in writing. And, it's insulting to you that someone who trained to be one thing has the gumption to come along and try to do your thing.

Wasn't my intent. Just trying to help - for the next set of kids - scientists and writers among them.

How does a person save the planet if no one wants you to? I've been trying my whole freaking life to make the world a better place. I'm now at a complete loss.

I just came back from a workshop where we shared queries with one another. Mine? described as "Broccoli wrapped in broccoli." I was given the suggestion to write a query about "Elves and dragons" so that I could .... "get what it is that people want to read."

if a studio stole my idea and made a movie about a girl who could see CO2 and methane? (I'd sue like bloody hell and) - - It's a damn sight better than writing another derivative story about dragons. (No offense, and McCaffrey is a fave of mine.) Anyway, if a studio stole my idea (and I would sue like bloody hell) the part of my brain that cares about the planet would acknowledge that at least the idea of seeing the GHGs (greenhouse gases) would be ... out there for general consumption.

/rant

/derailment

Back to the OP:

That really, really sucks. On the positive, it sounds like you have a great story. It seems that the publishing world involves a lot of moving around. Maybe your agent was in a bad space and had to .... move. In any event, I am sorry.
Click to expand...
 
Woollybear

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Damn straight. It's a hell of a lot to take in. PK, you are male. And I think I follow you on twitter, and I think you are super cool.

But after derailing I went back to the OP. Maybe there's a bug, so I will try again.

/rant
/derailment

Dear OP, we return you to your thread.

I am sorry your book was not picked up. I cannot get over the vagaries of human nature. Sometimes people have a rough day. Keep at it, chin up.
 
PastyAlien

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Patty said:
I'm not giving permission here, but.

I have no idea how I am going to get my book published. I'm not trained in writing. Me, neither. But you don't need any formal training. Just write a good book and a good query. That's how you get published.

My plan? I planned to run a research group into the biological mechanisms (think bacteria) that pull down methane (a powerful greenhouse gas.)

No one wants me. Doesn't matter that I have a great pedigree.

What matters? I'm short, female, and old. Are those the reasons? Who knows? (Hint, I do, as do several others I've talked with, ones 'who made it.'.) Young, tall, sexy females are fine. Hell, change any of the three attributes and you may be fine.

Short, female, and old? Not a chance at getting your own research group even when studying a fundamental problem like the PLANET'S CLIMATE.

So - the reason I cannot do what I was trained to do, which is to understand the biological mechanisms of sinking a powerful greenhouse gas, comes down to ... stupid human prejudice. Years spent trying, nada. (Maybe we deserve Cat5 hurricanes and the rest.)

You know what? I still want to save the G*d*mn planet. So I turn to science fiction. Got no training, no connections, ... Who does? And even if you did have connections, the most that would likely get you is a quicker query-read by an agent. You'd still have to have a killer book. and no other option. (Well, there's teaching, but please don't get me started on the state of teaching in the US.)

At this point, if someone stole my story (And I would sue like bloody hell so don't get any ideas) I would think to myself that at least ... the idea of being able to see the sh*t that pours out of every G*d*mn tailpipe you see every day on the road, would be out there on the big screen. And maybe people would realize that invisible pollution is still pollution.

Now, no serious author (Hi serious AW members with famous books) wants my company - I'm a nobody with no credentials in writing. And, it's insulting to you that someone who trained to be one thing has the gumption to come along and try to do your thing. Patty, WTF are you talking about? Why would established authors give two shits whether newbie authors with no writing credentials try to do their thing--try to write? Most of the writers I read (or writers I see on here) have other, non-writing careers/jobs.

Wasn't my intent. Just trying to help - for the next set of kids - scientists and writers among them.

How does a person save the planet if no one wants you to? I've been trying my whole freaking life to make the world a better place. I'm now at a complete loss.

I just came back from a workshop where we shared queries with one another. Mine? described as "Broccoli wrapped in broccoli." I was given the suggestion to write a query about "Elves and dragons" so that I could .... "get what it is that people want to read." Did you put your query up in QLH? They'll tell you whether it's broccoli (which I took as meaning preachy--force feeding something unpalatable but "good for you" to readers). Hell, I'LL tell you, if you put it up. Just ping me.

if a studio stole my idea and made a movie about a girl who could see CO2 and methane? (I'd sue like bloody hell and) - - It's a damn sight better than writing another derivative story about dragons. (No offense, and McCaffrey is a fave of mine.) Anyway, if a studio stole my idea (and I would sue like bloody hell) the part of my brain that cares about the planet would acknowledge that at least the idea of seeing the GHGs (greenhouse gases) would be ... out there for general consumption. Ideas are a dime a dozen. No, they're more like pop can tabs--.000003 cents a dozen. It's the EXECUTION that counts.

/rant

/derailment

Back to the OP:

That really, really sucks. On the positive, it sounds like you have a great story. It seems that the publishing world involves a lot of moving around. Maybe your agent was in a bad space and had to .... move. In any event, I am sorry.
Click to expand...
Patty said:
Damn straight. It's a hell of a lot to take in. PK, you are male.

Just in case you didn't know. ;)

And I think I follow you on twitter, and I think you are super cool.

But after derailing I went back to the OP. Maybe there's a bug, so I will try again.

/rant
/derailment

Dear OP, we return you to your thread.

I am sorry your book was not picked up. I cannot get over the vagaries of human nature. Sometimes people have a rough day. Keep at it, chin up.
Click to expand...
Patty, I know you deleted your post, but I wanted to address this. I feel your frustration, and I am truly sorry if how you look has ANYTHING to do with your career/research. But the great thing about being a writer is no one cares how you look. The only thing readers, editors, publishers, and agents care about is the writing. So I'm going to make some suggestions. I've read some of your SYW posts, and if your query is anything like your novel opening, I think I know where the broccoli comments are coming from. You care so passionately about climate change (which is GREAT), that you are trying to force feed readers your message (the "good for them" broccoli). Readers don't want to be force fed or lectured. You can get your message across waaaay more effectively by giving them a good story and SHOWING them what might happen because of climate change. They will then come to your conclusions willingly. So I suggest you put your query up in QLH and we'll tell you whether you've got any broccoli in there. :)

- - - Updated - - -

mccardey said:
derail/

Can I just take a quick moment to tell everyone to go and read Harlequin's flash fiction piece called "GOOD" because omg it really is.

/endderail
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+1 :Thumbs:
 
Woollybear

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I'll put it back on QLH. We'll see. last version went 48 hours with no comments - so I deleted.

I'd also love some betas on the full manuscript

/get the damn train back on the track

Dear OP - All yours.
 
mccardey

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Patty said:
I'll put it back on QLH. We'll see. last version went 48 hours with no comments - so I deleted.
.
Click to expand...

48 hours is not very long. Better to leave it a bit longer so people have a chance to get to it. (Also deleting threads is something we don't usually do because of squirrels getting their little hands stuck in the wheels or something.)
 
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