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Get in the Game
by Julie Anne Lindsey
For every thoughtful commenter on this board, there are probably more than 50 regular lurkers. I know this because I was one of them. While there is value in lurking, there is also a season for it. Eventually though, the time comes to get out of the shadows and get involved.
Initially, lurking allows new writers to learn. We learn about the publishing culture, about ways to succeed or fail, how to write a query, and how to research an agent, and then stalk them successfully. Those are all valuable lessons for a writer, but the problem comes when we eventually learn every nuance, fear and dream of our favorite agent crush, but they never learn a single thing about us.
Imagine that you are an agent reading hundreds of queries day after day. It would become very difficult to really think about the people on the other side of those queries, though I’m sure that agents do try. Now, think about this, the agent could get to the bottom of your query and see your name, and a light bulb could go on. What if she recognized it? That agent could say, “Awesome Aspiring Writer, I know her. That’s the writer who regularly adds profound inspiration and insightful comments to my blog posts,” or “Awesome Aspiring Writer, I’ve seen her blog. That girl just makes me smile.” Now, the agent may be inclined to give the practically anonymous query one more read, maybe even with a bias towards a personality that she already knows she could work with. This is a wonderful side effect of a good web presence. Wouldn’t you like to have that scenario unfold? I would.
You see, there is a time for lurking, and learning, but there is also a time to step out and make a name for yourself. So, I ask you, “Isn’t it time to get in the game?” Speak out Fridays at Wow! is just one fabulous opportunity for unpublished authors speak up. So, whip up a post for consideration here, take a deep breath, and send it. Take a chance. You’ve earned it. Get in the game.
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Julie Anne Lindsey is a wife, a homeschooling mother of 3, and all around caffeine addict. She is an unpublished author, avid reader and obsessive writer. Julie is blogging her journey to publication at Musings from the Slush Pile, where she also shares personal experience, book reviews and opening chapters from her works.
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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!
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Great piece - and good advice - very timely for me
This is a great piece of advice! Getting noticed does matter, I'm convinced.
Thanks ladies! It can be pretty intimidating to send anything out for judgment. Submitting here is an excellent way to take that leap. There's lot of love on Wow! All ladies, all in our situation, and all rooting for you!
This IS great advice. I've been doing a lot of lurking lately, but not a lot of commenting or blog posts. This is a reminder to get back into the routine. Thanks!
Hi Julie,
Excellent post! For some reason, the thought never quite occurred to me, and you put it so well. It's true, all of us bloggers, whether an agent or not, blog because we want feedback. We write to engage in conversation with our readers. And agents who blog are rare, but more and more they are getting out there. It's a great opportunity for writers to get to know them when they might not otherwise. I admire those agents like Janet Reid, Kristin Nelson, Jenny Bent, Kathleen Ortiz, and others who blog.
Another great way to get their attention before the query is by entering contests they are judging...like WOW's (wink).
Thanks so much for speaking out this Friday! And hello to all the lurkers out there. ;)
Ang
Yes! There are so many fun ways to get out of our heads and into action. Thank you to Wow! for giving women writers so many opportunities to speak out.
Also, spot on about the writing contests with agent judges. If anyone reading hasn't entered yet, there is still time to enter the Summer Flash Fiction here on Wow!