Comments on: Top Ten Things NOT To Say To A Writer: A Handy Safety Guide http://www.ninc.com/blog/index.php/archives/top-ten-things-not-to-say The international organization of multi-published novelists Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:44:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Loren Coleman http://www.ninc.com/blog/index.php/archives/top-ten-things-not-to-say/comment-page-1#comment-3188 Loren Coleman Sun, 30 Aug 2009 22:55:46 +0000 http://www.ninc.com/blog/?p=3354#comment-3188 Ms. Resnick, Your list is excellent, and applies to nonfiction authors such as myself too. Number 8 is the one I'm ask the most, and the question that is most upsetting, still, 40 years after getting my first work published. It amazes me people can be so insensitive. Another one for your list is, "Could you give me one of your books so I can see if I like your work?" Of course, this one is hard to believe on several fronts. To assume that my labor is something I wish to give away freely is hard to fathom. Secondly, why people think that authors have a warehouse of all of our books stashed away in a supposedly extra back bedroom floors me. LOL! Good list and thank you for pulling it together, Loren Ms. Resnick,

Your list is excellent, and applies to nonfiction authors such as myself too.

Number 8 is the one I’m ask the most, and the question that is most upsetting, still, 40 years after getting my first work published. It amazes me people can be so insensitive.

Another one for your list is, “Could you give me one of your books so I can see if I like your work?”

Of course, this one is hard to believe on several fronts. To assume that my labor is something I wish to give away freely is hard to fathom. Secondly, why people think that authors have a warehouse of all of our books stashed away in a supposedly extra back bedroom floors me. LOL!

Good list and thank you for pulling it together,
Loren

]]> By: Marilyn Brant http://www.ninc.com/blog/index.php/archives/top-ten-things-not-to-say/comment-page-1#comment-3147 Marilyn Brant Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:54:29 +0000 http://www.ninc.com/blog/?p=3354#comment-3147 LOL, Laura! These are fabulous and so, so true. Thank you :). LOL, Laura! These are fabulous and so, so true. Thank you :) .

]]> By: Laura Resnick http://www.ninc.com/blog/index.php/archives/top-ten-things-not-to-say/comment-page-1#comment-3145 Laura Resnick Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:34:10 +0000 http://www.ninc.com/blog/?p=3354#comment-3145 Deb, in truth, while -some- "questions NOT to ask a writer" are just bad manners ("How much money do you make?), a lot of them are perfectly friendly questions--and it's not the questioner's fault that we've heard that question so many times that we're by now ready to GO POSTAL on them. Ergo, the suggestions for a phrasing of the question that's a little safer to pose... Laura Deb, in truth, while -some- “questions NOT to ask a writer” are just bad manners (“How much money do you make?), a lot of them are perfectly friendly questions–and it’s not the questioner’s fault that we’ve heard that question so many times that we’re by now ready to GO POSTAL on them. Ergo, the suggestions for a phrasing of the question that’s a little safer to pose…

Laura

]]> By: Deb Carr http://www.ninc.com/blog/index.php/archives/top-ten-things-not-to-say/comment-page-1#comment-3144 Deb Carr Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:01:04 +0000 http://www.ninc.com/blog/?p=3354#comment-3144 I love this article. I am sometimes guilty of Number 9, and appreciate the suggested line "What is your latest release?" I am a new writer/old writer, and can appreciate that question and the appropriate responses. I am a NEW (unpublished) Romance Writer, but I have been a Technical Writer for years. However, no one has read my published writing projects unless they have purchased power tools or industrial cranes, or taken an AutoCAD class at the school where I teach! Deb I love this article. I am sometimes guilty of Number 9, and appreciate the suggested line “What is your latest release?” I am a new writer/old writer, and can appreciate that question and the appropriate responses. I am a NEW (unpublished) Romance Writer, but I have been a Technical Writer for years. However, no one has read my published writing projects unless they have purchased power tools or industrial cranes, or taken an AutoCAD class at the school where I teach!
Deb

]]> By: Chris Marie Green http://www.ninc.com/blog/index.php/archives/top-ten-things-not-to-say/comment-page-1#comment-3143 Chris Marie Green Sun, 16 Aug 2009 17:28:22 +0000 http://www.ninc.com/blog/?p=3354#comment-3143 LOL--ten bullseyes on a row! Good work, Laura. LOL–ten bullseyes on a row! Good work, Laura.

]]> By: Maddie http://www.ninc.com/blog/index.php/archives/top-ten-things-not-to-say/comment-page-1#comment-3142 Maddie Sun, 16 Aug 2009 11:19:58 +0000 http://www.ninc.com/blog/?p=3354#comment-3142 The write my story idea and split the income sounds just like corporate america :-) The 'big picture person' expects the glory for having the idea, while the 'rank and file' do the bulk of the work to execute it. You need both. A great story idea without execution doesn't work nor does a bad story idea with great execution. Actually, I think I would prefer the great execution and watch a great writer make a bad story idea better! Thanks for the thought provoking article Laura. The write my story idea and split the income sounds just like corporate america :-) The ‘big picture person’ expects the glory for having the idea, while the ‘rank and file’ do the bulk of the work to execute it.

You need both. A great story idea without execution doesn’t work nor does a bad story idea with great execution.

Actually, I think I would prefer the great execution and watch a great writer make a bad story idea better!

Thanks for the thought provoking article Laura.

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