Richard Harrison's Blog - Posts Tagged "publishing"
The Writer's Group
Several years ago when I first starting writing my novel, I rang an organization in Melbourne (based in Fitzroy from memory) that purported to offer advice to aspiring authors.
I remember speaking to a rather stern and proper woman who assured me 'Well of course it's very, very difficult to get anything published.' She then went on to ask 'Is yours a literary work?
I wasn't even sure what she meant. It's a book I thought before she added 'or more (reluctantly) popular?'
'Oh popular' I replied.
'Yes. Well' she said 'Perhaps not quite so difficult then.'
I am reminded of this conversation when I read some of the negative reviews for my books.
I fear people feel obliged to criticize them for not being something they were never intended to be.
For the record my books will never impress critics and I doubt they will win any awards but if someone picks up a copy to read on the train on their way to work and reading my story helps them wile away the time and put a smile on their face then I am more than happy.
I remember speaking to a rather stern and proper woman who assured me 'Well of course it's very, very difficult to get anything published.' She then went on to ask 'Is yours a literary work?
I wasn't even sure what she meant. It's a book I thought before she added 'or more (reluctantly) popular?'
'Oh popular' I replied.
'Yes. Well' she said 'Perhaps not quite so difficult then.'
I am reminded of this conversation when I read some of the negative reviews for my books.
I fear people feel obliged to criticize them for not being something they were never intended to be.
For the record my books will never impress critics and I doubt they will win any awards but if someone picks up a copy to read on the train on their way to work and reading my story helps them wile away the time and put a smile on their face then I am more than happy.
