I enjoy going to writers’ events. It is such fun being with likeminded people—all sharing favorite book suggestions or writing techniques. It’s the best!
What I don’t love, however, is always running into that one guy (sorry, it’s almost always a guy) who is absolutely CLUELESS.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with being clueless, clueless. We’ve all been there, weren’t born with a “Writer’s Digest” magazine under our arm, were we? We’ve gone to these things and felt like fish out of water plenty of times. But, because the writing community is so wonderful, along the way, we were fortunate and met supportive, seasoned authors who kindly educated us on a myriad of topics from “what is a query letter” to “the difference between indie and traditional publishing.” So clueless, clueless is fine. Go ahead and be it, and ask all your questions, even those you think are dumb, especially those you think are dumb.
But please, please, please, don’t be CLUELESS—the all-the-way-around ignorant person who in spite of knowing diddly-squat manages to still be an arrogant jackass.
Please, don’t act like God’s gift to the literary world. Because no!, reputable agents and publishers aren’t out to steal the first draft of your first-ever novel. Because the authors you’re talking to have likely been published and have written more manuscripts than you. Because those same folks may possess just the info you need to answer all your pressing, publishing questions. Because, most likely, you’re not as good as you think you are and have a lot to learn, and acting like an arrogant “I have a manuscript that everyone will trip over to publish” ass isn’t going to get you far. So just don’t!
End of #BitchyPost.