Thursday, September 17, 2015

awkward writer situations

Saw this post this morning by Janet Reid about the weird ideas muggles have about how authoring works.

The scenario is both funny and familiar to me, though I haven't had to deal with it in a while. I'm grateful for all the years I went to writer's groups and small local cons and especially being a vendor/cosplayer at Planet Comicon​ because they gave me ample opportunity to build a catalog of awkward-diffusing phrases and responses.

Awkward sitch #1: Someone wants you to write their idea and you split the profits.
Response: Oh, thanks, but I don't do collaborations. I like to have complete control of a project.

Awkward sitch #2: A beginning writer wants you to critique their manuscript.
Resp: Sure, I charge $80/hour for professional editing services. (These days I just say I don't have time, which was true. I do, of course, have an established writer's group and we reciprocate reading/editing favors.)

Awkward sitch #3: A friend of a friend asks you to edit their raw wound of a manuscript that they wrote during therapy and offers to pay you ridiculous amounts of money to make it sellable.
**WARNING: No good can come of this. Do not succumb to temptation.**
Resp: I'm flattered, but I simply don't have time. You want to find a professional editor who can do it justice.