Getting Good Critiques Early Saves A Lot Of Time Later

Before you get about a half-mile down this self-publishing road you should stop and get about a hundred quality critiques of what you've done so far. Believe me, it can only help.

Just because you were once a kid doesn't mean you can write a really good kid's book.

Ha, ha, ha, Mike. No really. It irks me just a tiny bit that people who have written maybe 5000 words in their life think writing is so easy that they can just whip out a best-seller because, well, they're special. I've been writing for 30 years - mostly professionally - and I get pounded on every time I try to write something seriously. I completed the novel that's being released in July about six months ago. People are still going over it finding stupid things I wrote.

The only way you can speed up the experience process is to find people who will give you quality critiques. A bad critique is worse than not getting one at all. Why? Because, "Oh you're such a good writer, you should write a book,'' is going to set you back years. Mom can only buy so many books. And then you won't believe the person who says, "You Stink!''

If you've read this blog you know a book publicist recently told me I stink (I ran her comments verbatim). And maybe I do. But if I do, you (person who's only written 5000 words in your life) do, too. So find out if you have any chance at all and hire a professional to give you an appraisal. It will save a lot of time.

The publicist told me that because I was obviously a beginning I would just laugh off her critique (I didn't even though she was clearly having a bad day). But she's right, that's what beginners do. They laugh off the criticism and bask in the, "Oh you're such a good writer, you....

Michael LaLumiere
www.staggerleebooks.com