| People familiar with the Myers-Briggs Personality test | | | | matter. Even if it is better than 95% of the books in |
| know that the writer is the INFJ. This person is | | | | print, the question an agent must face is why should |
| introverted, intuitive, feelings-oriented and judgmental. | | | | a publisher add this particular manuscript to his list? |
| So, what happens when an extroverted, intuitive, | | | | Who will buy it? After all, this writer is unknown. |
| thinking and perceptive (ENTP) inventor tries to write | | | | Then comes the cruelest question of all. Why should |
| a novel? For one thing, it takes more than 35 years | | | | I even bother to read it? Most of the time they |
| to finish. The story is never quite right; it always | | | | don't. According to Curtis Brown, on average, a |
| needs tweaking. And, lo and behold, when the ENTP | | | | known agent will get 50 to 100 queries a day. Of this |
| finally does complete a manuscript, he/she will come | | | | number the agent will read as few as one percent of |
| up with another idea, brilliant of course, which | | | | the total number of proposed manuscripts they |
| requires scrapping and rewriting three chapters. | | | | receive in an average year. Only one manuscript in |
| Unfortunately, once scrapped and rewritten, left-over | | | | three will be accepted. |
| references to long-gone characters or events | | | | The sad fact is that there are more writers seeking |
| somehow live on in the word processor's memory | | | | publishers than the total number of books ever |
| and mysteriously reappear somewhere in the | | | | published. Jay Leno's All Stars could have written |
| manuscript. It drives all readers, editors and wives | | | | many of them, but even if you have talent, the |
| especially, mad. | | | | numbers are still staggering. Potential novice writers |
| Even if the ghosts are exorcised from the page, the | | | | can find a writing class somewhere in the country |
| spouse or whoever else is doing the editing won't | | | | nearly every day of the year. If they don't want to |
| necessarily forget them. Their memories are harder | | | | attend one in person, they can always find one on |
| to erase. Only the truest of friends will be willing to | | | | the Web. Legitimate writing professionals lead most |
| read your twentieth revision, and only the most | | | | of these classes, but far too many are only meant |
| intelligent will be able to assimilate the newest | | | | to separate prospective authors from their cash. |
| additions at will. | | | | Either way they will sooner or later be looking for a |
| But somehow it finally is finished. | | | | publisher. |
| Then it turns out that finishing the novel was the | | | | So, knowing all this, why did I persist? Because I |
| easy part. Trying to get it published is another story | | | | could not do otherwise. The urge to write is as deep |
| entirely. What you hope to be an easy jaunt to the | | | | in my being as a smoker's desire for the next |
| local mailbox to find an agent turns into a Homeric | | | | cigarette or an alcoholic's for the next drink. I love |
| voyage, with hundreds of rejection letters floating in | | | | words and I love thoughts. The idea that someone |
| its wake. As every writer knows, authors are | | | | 100 years from now might read and like the book |
| uniquely at the mercy of others to bring our work to | | | | outweighs any negative criticism or public indifference |
| public attention. A painter or sculptor can usually find | | | | that I may run into in my lifetime. My advice to |
| a coffee shop or gallery to exhibit their work. The | | | | anyone who has such the same urge is simply: write. |
| diligent composer will eventually find a local quartet or | | | | Forget the odds and don't be discouraged. When you |
| civic orchestra to play his or her work. But the author | | | | have a product that you know is your best work, |
| alone must rely on the judgment of the publishing | | | | try to get it published. Finally, don't feel like a failure if |
| professionals, gatekeepers who want to know what | | | | you have to publish it yourself. Quality will tell, even if |
| makes this manuscript worthy to be included in the | | | | only your friends are aware of it. Believe me, it's |
| approximately 100,000 new books that will be | | | | worth it. |
| published in the coming year. Quality doesn't even | | | | |