tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post9099353256160125888..comments2023-10-30T15:13:22.680+00:00Comments on Strictly Writing: The Slush-Pile ExperienceDThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11803989273524731892noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-5326567901494847532010-02-17T20:48:31.369+00:002010-02-17T20:48:31.369+00:00Hello all.
I work for Slush Pile Reader, Press a...Hello all. <br /><br />I work for Slush Pile Reader, Press a publisher in San Francisco. And much like Authonomy, we allow authors to upload their manuscript so members can read and vote for their favorites; however, we go a step further with a promise-to-publish for the highest ranked manuscripts across all genres. All of this, with no charge to the author - ever.<br /><br />As writer and author forums and online communities abound, so does the level and breadth of support and significance for writers and their craft. Fictionaut is another great resource, for short-story writers, with an elite group of writing communities embedded within the site to hone and sharpen one's craft. The stereotype of what one expects to find online and in the slush pile, online and off, is vastly changing.<br /><br />Many have been rescued from the slush pile, and many, many more have been lost within it. Just makes me wonder what we're missing. <br /><br />Cheers and thanks...From California.<br />Vincent ChandlerVincent Chandlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02432583690290558418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-70631213743170215702009-01-25T15:31:00.000+00:002009-01-25T15:31:00.000+00:00It's staying with me, too, Caroline. In far too mu...It's staying with me, too, Caroline. In far too much detail. I'm still in shock.Jane Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03411253302725735470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-32886531478233420602009-01-25T15:08:00.000+00:002009-01-25T15:08:00.000+00:00Have just popped back and see that there are new c...Have just popped back and see that there are new comments - thank you all very much!<BR/><BR/>That's really interesting, Jane. A pornographic cricket match? Yikes! That image will stay with me for some time, I fear.Caroline Rancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17866488027565592671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-7911839935298572942009-01-24T15:11:00.000+00:002009-01-24T15:11:00.000+00:00I've had first-hand experience of the slush pile a...I've had first-hand experience of the slush pile and it's dreadful. 90% is not only unpublishable, but almost unreadable in its badness: if you can write a coherent sentence and punctuate accordingly, then you're automatically in the top 10%.<BR/><BR/>A big, big problem was that so many writers submitted without checking the sorts of things we published: so even if their work was potentially publishable, I'd have to reject it because we just didn't publish in that area. <BR/><BR/>An excellent example of this found me a couple of weeks ago, when I started my new collaborative fiction blog: it's for flash fiction, and aims to be literary. And yet some banana sent me a piece that was over 7,000 words long, and told the story of a pornographic cricket match. Which was SO far away from what I'd asked for that I did actually read part of it, hoping I'd see why it had been sent to me. Alas, I didn't, and deleted it from my hard drive. <BR/><BR/>I shall bookmark this blog, which I've enjoyed very much: and I hope to see some of you over at my place one of these days. Thanks for the laugh!Jane Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03411253302725735470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-87464948331523276502009-01-10T19:59:00.000+00:002009-01-10T19:59:00.000+00:00go caro! xgo caro! xslippingthroughtheworldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06131941977247826324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-39844402202135165982009-01-08T21:56:00.000+00:002009-01-08T21:56:00.000+00:00Brilliant post,Caro!Brilliant post,Caro!Geraldine Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01575892095296317266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-66349241392274238692009-01-08T13:01:00.000+00:002009-01-08T13:01:00.000+00:00Just to address the YWO/Authonomy issue, it's simi...Just to address the YWO/Authonomy issue, it's similar to a crate of mushrooms in Tesco. About 90 per cent of the mushrooms are good quality, while there are a few rotten ones at the bottom.<BR/> One of the top ten rated books on YWO entitled 'bwic-bo' was a finalist in the Daily Mail/Transworld comp 2008, so they can't all be bad.Gillian McDadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02758782108258244355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-25556363712736540352009-01-07T17:17:00.000+00:002009-01-07T17:17:00.000+00:00Ah, Anonymous, well you ought to have a look at Wr...Ah, Anonymous, well you ought to have a look at WriteWords where a fair number of authors do workshop completed novels. Obviously whole novels are not uploaded at one time, but often writers there upload the chapters sequentially, of the whole of the first draft and then upload chapters of the rewrite.<BR/><BR/>Interesting what you say, though. There are obviously some less effective sites out there.Administratorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13894920115299109640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-12780491959036213222009-01-07T17:13:00.000+00:002009-01-07T17:13:00.000+00:00This comment has been removed by the author.Administratorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13894920115299109640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-28575080375419514232009-01-07T16:41:00.000+00:002009-01-07T16:41:00.000+00:00"I suppose, Anonymous, any writers's website where..."I suppose, Anonymous, any writers's website where unpublished work is uploaded will give you a good taste of the slushpile."<BR/><BR/>Not in my experience, Samantha, since the majority of writers in writing communities have not completed a whole novel, but, rather, flit around with opening chapters of quickly abandoned wips, and short stories based on a dream they had the previous night :-) <BR/>YWO and Authonomy are two exceptions, although I'm sure there are others I'm not familiar with.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-32979357671500881902009-01-07T14:42:00.000+00:002009-01-07T14:42:00.000+00:00Excellent post, very funny.Excellent post, very funny.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-8275805835426017522009-01-07T14:02:00.000+00:002009-01-07T14:02:00.000+00:00Thanks everyone for such a great response! I'm rea...Thanks everyone for such a great response! I'm really glad so many people have enjoyed this post.<BR/><BR/>I completely agree that there is excellent stuff in the slush piles too. There has to be, because (unless YWO and Authonomy become the norm) anyone who wants to get published - good, bad or crackpot - has to dive into the current system and hope for the best. This does at least let everyone start off on equal terms, and there's more chance of work being judged on merit than there would be if it were all about being best buddies with the agent's cousin.<BR/><BR/>I can't decide which is more comforting - the idea that the slush pile is 90% rubbish (so competent work will get a chance eventually), or the idea that it is mainly of a high standard (so it's easier to accept rejection when up against excellent competition). Maybe that's an idea for another post!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-85861891939140473432009-01-07T13:03:00.000+00:002009-01-07T13:03:00.000+00:00I suppose, Anonymous, any writers's website where ...I suppose, Anonymous, any writers's website where unpublished work is uploaded will give you a good taste of the slushpile.<BR/><BR/>I know that work i have uploaded in the past to my writing site could certainly be classed as that!<BR/><BR/>We're all learning.Administratorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13894920115299109640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-51035196975787501722009-01-07T12:27:00.000+00:002009-01-07T12:27:00.000+00:00"Oh God, please not the first chapter of Prid..."Oh God, please not the first chapter of Pride & Prejudice under a different title again" - ROTFL!<BR/>Really funny post, though I was taken off the slush pile myself.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-39273493064144761832009-01-07T12:24:00.000+00:002009-01-07T12:24:00.000+00:00What a fantastic idea! Feedback is so important, ...What a fantastic idea! Feedback is so important, how do we know where we go wrong without it?<BR/><BR/>Glad I found you - via Woman's Weekly website.<BR/><BR/>Crystal JigsawAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-4002469898716327772009-01-07T12:05:00.000+00:002009-01-07T12:05:00.000+00:00A really engaging read Caroline! And funny too! I ...A really engaging read Caroline! And funny too! I must admit I'd love to be a reader for the day. I get the chance to read press releases every day - which I suppose is a quarter of the way towards being a slush pile reader! ;) <BR/><BR/>Gillian lolGillian McDadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02758782108258244355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-36920491950615217672009-01-07T11:17:00.000+00:002009-01-07T11:17:00.000+00:00If you want a taste of the Slushpile experience go...If you want a taste of the Slushpile experience go to YouWriteOn or Authonomy - and those are the 'good' ones.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-49222319536180461982009-01-07T09:42:00.000+00:002009-01-07T09:42:00.000+00:00Very funny post, Caro. You are so good at this!I h...Very funny post, Caro. You are so good at this!<BR/><BR/>I have to stick up for slushpilees though. I am one of those who staunchly believe there must be good stuff in the slushpiles - partly because I know a lot of good stuff that has been sent to them. I think that it must be hard to devise a good system for going through them though and I imagine there are people who resubmit and resubmit as well. It is the sheer amount that gets sent in that is so boggling - it must be hard to deal with.<BR/><BR/>It would be good to know from publishers that do see unsolicited submissions as an important option how they cope with them and if they have any different methods for finding the stuff they want to publish.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-63697385367262584952009-01-07T09:03:00.000+00:002009-01-07T09:03:00.000+00:00Great post, Caroline!I would love to be a slush-pi...Great post, Caroline!<BR/><BR/>I would love to be a slush-pile reader for the day and see how the majority of authors tackle cover letters and synopses.<BR/><BR/>What an idea - let's hope an agent reads this, LOL!<BR/>Sam xAdministratorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13894920115299109640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-70965785898059992662009-01-07T09:02:00.000+00:002009-01-07T09:02:00.000+00:00Hilarious, Caroline - and probably so true.Have an...Hilarious, Caroline - and probably so true.<BR/><BR/>Have any authors thought about including a mutltiple choice response form with their submissions?<BR/><BR/>a. Oh dear. You are sad and delusional if you imagine you can write <BR/>b. Don't give up the day job<BR/>c. Not bad but learn to use a spellcheck<BR/>d. Good writing, useless idea<BR/>e. Might be OK with some major reworking, etc...<BR/><BR/>And there'd definitely have to be a slot for 'your name is the same as my crappy ex-boyfriend' - love it!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-33409820297674082202009-01-06T23:16:00.000+00:002009-01-06T23:16:00.000+00:00Brilliant!Brilliant!Nik Perringhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07426321804560400335noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-29981352487560983442009-01-06T22:55:00.000+00:002009-01-06T22:55:00.000+00:00Brilliant - and so true, I've no doubt!The only co...Brilliant - and so true, I've no doubt!<BR/><BR/>The only comfort is that so much is utter dross, green ink and obsessive sexual deviancy, something lively, competent and imaginative really does stand out...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-68466125846185276092009-01-06T22:27:00.000+00:002009-01-06T22:27:00.000+00:00Brilliant post! Very very funny. Oh dear, think my...Brilliant post! Very very funny. Oh dear, think my computer might be broken when it comes to being my turn..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-45196548445306273082009-01-06T22:21:00.000+00:002009-01-06T22:21:00.000+00:00Very funny post! Insider info: it is absolutely tr...Very funny post! Insider info: it is absolutely true that people enclose photos of family members, pets etc / drawings their kids have done in their submissions. (Um, this is true of children's book slush piles, in any case.)E.G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04739450222683170149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725342624231517088.post-24624877293376580932009-01-06T22:16:00.000+00:002009-01-06T22:16:00.000+00:00Brilliant. I've love a peak at a real life slush p...Brilliant. I've love a peak at a real life slush pile.Emerging Writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06539530495238043923noreply@blogger.com