Writers Meeting Readers

[Dan Coleman]

Okay, I've said it before here, but it was avoided, nobody admitted giving a rat's, or was afraid to jump in, for whatever weak reason. Aside from the schmoozing, which is a big part, I agree, the main purpose for clicking in here is for readers of crime fiction, especially(and non-fiction), is to find good novels, and for the authors of such novels to find readers who worship them.

That said, could you posit ideas as to what we might do to increase the number of good books and the readers who buy them? Review systems, writing/publishing programs, etc.? I mean, be creative, yet realistic. I mean, can we be the best source for crime writing and readers anywhere in the world? If we can't, why are we here?

Number ONE is the only One.

[B.R.Stateham]

Dan, it seems to me we writers are somewhat behind the eight ball in this matter. I don't know if you believe in the 'gatekeeper' concept lit agents and publishers have when it comes to what is going to to be published--but I think there is a measure of truth in this.

As a writer I might (in my own opinion) believe I have written a brillantly entertaining novel of deductive reasoning. But the truth is, if I want it to see the largest mass of readers it possibly can, it has to be published by a medium or major publishing house. THEY are the ones who decide if it is brilliant or not.

And that's where we are behind the eight ball. As long as agents and publishing houses limit the variety in this genre, readership and quality are going to suffer.

[Dan Coleman]

True. But somehow we must wrest this kind of control from the publishers, don't leave it all to them, create another avenue on which can be found legitimate and respected sources, discoveries.

I hate it when some else has that kind of control over what I do.

[Thomas Grant Bruso]

I hate it when some else has that kind of control over what I do.


Then, Dan, you're in the wrong business. Once you sell your manuscript to a publisher, it becomes their property. At that point, you have no control.

[Jon Loomis]

Well, you do if your editor is a decent human being. They may call the shots on publicity, cover, print-run, etc., but what goes between the covers is pretty much up to us as writers, at least in my experience. I've had more trouble with hyper-zealous copy-editors than with my actual editor, who's been great about letting me write the way I write.

[John McFetridge]

I was just about to say the same thing. I've now dealt with two American and one Canadian publisher and every time the process has been very good.

On the other hand, I just worked on a TV show and, well, let's just say it's different than publishing ;)

[I. J. Parker]

Ditto. And I use "stet" frequently and without qualms on copy editors' changes. While they are useful, they do NOT know better than I.

[Clay Morgan]

Stet!!!! You are my hero!

[John McFetridge]

Free samples.

There could be a section on Crimespace where people post their work and we could discuss it.

I imagine we'd be very supportive and probably overly polite (unless Loomis posts something, then we'll tear it to shreds ;) but there could be some kind of anonymous (but Crimespace member only) point system. We'd see what kind of writing gets the highest ratings, see if there are any patterns emerging, that kind of thing.

Personally I'm with Geoge C. Scott in that ther shouldn't be competition in the arts which is why I hate all the awards stuff (it has nothing at all to do with me not getting nominated - nothing at all) butthis could be more like a kind of peer review.

It's pretty well known now that Stuart Neville (whose excellent novel The Ghosts of Belfast has just been published) was discovered by an agent who found one of his short stories in a webzine. There's a good chance that Crimespace itself could become a small part of that 'gatekeeper' stuff B.R. is talking about. If a writer gets great reponse on Crimespace, agents and editors might be more inclined to take a look.

[Dan Coleman]

Exactly. That is what I'm suggesting. Maybe after mulling it over a while, we can come up with something here for initiating just such a system.

[minervaK]

I think part of the difficulty is that Nings aren't really set up for that sort of thing. Yeah, we could ask Daniel to set up a critique and/or book review room, but the format would be like the rest of the forums here. I, personally, wouldn't post unpublished work for critique, or review published books, for a lot of reasons.

I think the best way to increase the number of good books is to write more of them. In terms of increasing readership, well, same answer.

MK
www.minervakoenig.com

[Dan Coleman]

No, I would never suggest that works be viewed publicly before publication. Would have to be privately.

[Jon Loomis]

I'm mostly here for to argue with IJ. But I do like the idea of setting up a Crimespace webzine: we'd need an editor or two, we could run contests for Crimespace members, interview authors, that kind of thing. I think there are some potential pitfalls to an open critique forum: the possibility of hurt feelings, a few writers/critics dominating, factions/cliques, work by regular posters gets tons of praise while work by newbies gets ignored, etc.: that's not something I'd be likely to participate in. But a 'zine--that sounds like fun.