On asking advice of published authors...

[catherineldf]

mostly specific to erotica and erotic romance, but with spillover into other genres.
Basic advice asking courtesy:
a) Do your own research first and don't expect someone else to do it for you. See previous post.
b) Have you done your research? Really? Then you won't be asking questions like "Where should I send my novel?," right? Remember that the author is aware that Google probably works on your computer too.
c) Do not ask them to read your unsolicited first draft manuscript, particularly if said author is a total stranger to you. They want to see it, they'll ask.
d) Are you starting off your email or letter with the phrase, "I'm not familiar with you or your work..." or any other variant thereof? Are you even thinking it?
STOP. Back away from the keyboard before hitting Send. Ask yourself the following question: "Why am I asking a complete stranger whose work I can't be bothered reading for advice?" Hint: there is no sensible response to this that involves you hitting the Send button. Really.

Okay, deep cleansing breaths. The alternative situation: you are contacting someone for their expertise. You are conversant with at least some of their work and you have taken the trouble to introduce yourself via email or note or at a conference or a workshop or Facebook or LJ or something. You have a question they may be able to answer that you have been unable to answer for yourself (see above). Bear the following in mind:
you are asking for a favor. Behave accordingly. Keep it simple and thank them for any response that they give you, short of them calling you an idiot in very clear and certain terms. And if that happens, just leave them alone.

Best all time example of how to do this: a year or so back, a fellow author who had contacted me previously asked me for market information and related info. I pointed him toward several resources that he was unaware of and made specific suggestions for his body of work that he found useful. I got a thank you note AND he bought one of my books. So he gets anything he needs from me down the road because he is smart and polite and filled with the awesome.

The other end of the scale: I've responded to any number of advice and related requests at length, taking time from my own work and life to do so for which I have received no acknowledgment whatsoever. I don't expect spectacular, but saying "Thanks for doing this and wow, was this useful" is reasonably important (even if you're not going to use it. Lie.). This means that Catherine doesn't do this anymore unless she has good reason to (see above) or has oodles of free time (which does not happen). Also known as "This is Why We Can't Have Nice Things."

Bear in mind that a little common sense and courtesy goes a long way toward making you memorable in a good way, and is far more likely to help you achieve your goals.
 

Comments

[deakat]

All of this should be common sense. Silly humans.

[rachel-swirsky.livejournal.com]

I had failed to grok that you had books.

Which of your collections do you feel is stronger? I mean, I know it's all probably close to your heart, but I guess I'm asking if you feel estranged from the stories in collection 1, or something like that.

I'll pick one up.

[jasondwittman.livejournal.com]

Have you read this (by the scriptwriter of _A History of Violence_)? (Warning: not worksafe.)

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/archives/2009/09/i_will_not_read.php

[catherineldf.livejournal.com]

This is perfect - thank you! :-)

[catherineldf.livejournal.com]

You would think and yet I see these emails with great regularity. Seeing as I am small potatoes in the larger world, I can only begin to imagine what it's like further up the food chain. Oiy. :-(

[catherineldf.livejournal.com]

Which end I greatly appreciate. :-)
That said, my favorite would have to be "Crave," seeing as that has the most blood and sweat sunk into it. "Night's Kiss" has more BDSM and vampiric content though, if that's appealing. Both and my first edited antho (no stories by me though), "Haunted Hearths and Sapphic Shades" are all available via the usual channels, plus Kindle and ebook out at Allromanceebooks.com.
If lesbian erotica is not your thing, I do have a fair number of nonerotic short stories around and about and hope to have a fantasy novel done and being shopped about real soon now (in Catherine time). And I will be posting a new anthology call soon, which I will happily nudge you about if you like. :-)

[rachel-swirsky.livejournal.com]

Erotica in general is not really my thing? But i'm curious, or I wouldn't have said something. ;) I'll pick up "Crave."

I'll check out your Farrago's Wainscot piece. Looking at your bibliography, that's the only online magazine I recognize. Are any of your other non-erotic short pieces online?

Feel free to nudge me about anthology calls... I don't have a whole lot of free writing time, but if fortunes coincide, I always like that sort of thing.

[catherineldf.livejournal.com]

Thanks! :-) And I'll be sure and check out your Aqueduct collection (which truthfully, I was going to do anyway.)

Not so much on line - mostly nonfiction. For fiction,apart from Farrago's, I've got a piece up at Khimairal Ink http://issuu.com/bedazzledink/docs/khimairal-ink1-08?mode=embed&layout=http%3A%2F%2Fskin.issuu.com%2Fv%2Fcolor%2Flayout.xml&backgroundColor=ccccff&showFlipBtn=true.

I've also got 2 stories out at AnthologyBuilder, a story out in "Time Well Best" which is a new anthology of GLBT alternate history, just released from Lethe Press and a story in "So Fey: Queer Fairy Fiction," which also includes stories by Holly Black, Christopher Barzak and other folks who will be no doubt familiar to you, plus misc. forthcoming.

[rachel-swirsky.livejournal.com]

Just read them both! The Farago's piece has a great underlying concept. Interesting way to illuminate the woman in the refrigerator (http://www.sfnovelists.com/2009/11/16/a-womans-place-is-not-in-the-refrigerator/) (which you've probably already read, but I figured why not drop a link?) ;-)

[catherineldf.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :-) I have read the original Gail Simone piece (after I wrote the story) but the original inspiration was sitting through the bloody awfulness of the film, "The Prestige." All the of female characters end badly (suicide, dumped, alcoholic, etc.,etc.). I was fairly livid by the time I left the theater.

[kyellgold.livejournal.com]

That's what I immediately thought of too--I was going to include "if you are asking an author to read your unpublished work-in-progress, generally, don't."

John Scalzi posted his corollary to the above article: http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/09/15/on-the-asking-of-favors-from-established-writers/

advice

[tagwn.livejournal.com]

Even as a very small potato in the literary world I get this sort of thing for poetry. I try to be polite, but it can be maddening. I usually just point them to the Writers Guide at their local library and wish them luck. If I'm feeling sadistic, I tell them about all the poetry journals in the periodicals room at the U of M and suggest they do some reading. Someone once wanted me to critique their work in the bathroom, just before I was going on to read. I said: "No," and stared till they went away.

Re: advice

[catherineldf.livejournal.com]

Oooh, the dreaded bathroom approach! I haven't had this one yet. :-)
Most of mine are via email, thus far. But yes, it does boggle the mind.

[catherineldf.livejournal.com]

True. The Scalzi article nails it as well. Nice to know we can all share some level of the annoyance factor. Insert eyeroll here.