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Tobytwo · 29th April 2008, 02:05 PM

Yes, I completely agree. The odds only look terrible if you start with the assumption that all writers are of equal publishability. I am sure that there are a few categories that would take up a reasonable percentage of submitted material:

* rants by the paranoid, deluded, insane etc
* things which are self-evidently bad to the point of being unreadable
* ideas which are well-executed but unsuited for mass publication (I once knew a linguist who wrote a book in 3 languages)

Also, you do have to consider the attrition rate. Many people will give up very quickly, as it is pretty grim to have your masterpiece sent back by 30 agencies with the same rejection letter - no matter how good your writing is. The "million-pound deal for 1st novel" stories are freak exceptions or include terms and conditions that the story decides not to mention.

29th April 2008, 02:05 PM	#18 (permalink)
Tobytwo Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Hertfordshire Posts: 98	Re: An Author's Goals Yes, I completely agree. The odds only look terrible if you start with the assumption that all writers are of equal publishability. I am sure that there are a few categories that would take up a reasonable percentage of submitted material: * rants by the paranoid, deluded, insane etc * things which are self-evidently bad to the point of being unreadable * ideas which are well-executed but unsuited for mass publication (I once knew a linguist who wrote a book in 3 languages) Also, you do have to consider the attrition rate. Many people will give up very quickly, as it is pretty grim to have your masterpiece sent back by 30 agencies with the same rejection letter - no matter how good your writing is. The "million-pound deal for 1st novel" stories are freak exceptions or include terms and conditions that the story decides not to mention.