My mum has written a book (not smut) and asked me to help with comments etc. She is serious about getting it published.
problem is - it has no chance of getting published the way she has gone about writing it etc.
Now she wants me to help her with a cover design - title.
Should I keep humouring her or what?
No idea what to do.
I have given her constructive advice - referred her to creative writing websites etc - but she seems to have ignored that.
Also - it bloody well annoys me when someone - even my mum - send me work to evaluate and they dont even proof read the damn thing and tidy up basic errors.
I think if they cant be bothered to do that why should I help them.
But it's my mum
so?
any advice?
Send her to a website called Scribophile.
Gift her a membership for Christmas (though anyone can join for free).
It's an online (private) community built around critiquing pieces of writing - a lot of authors have built a career by using it as a foundation for stronger storycrafting.
Kindly explain that this is above your pay grade and you feel that she would benefit much more from a group of writers who endeavor to help other writers improve communally.
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Forever ago I used to feel pressured to 'help family' whenever they asked, including my husband. He couldn't do something so he'd bring me into the project. And I found it nearly impossible, due to internal pressure to please them, to say no. Until I realized they were actually taking advantage of me. The more I did, the less they did, until I was actually doing everything on my own. The last time I 'helped' my husband he stood up in the middle of a work hour and walked out the door to go to the store and buy something. He came back to a project that went on to never be finished because that was the last straw for me.
Remind your mom that she has accomplished this on her own, without any outside help, and she should see it through to completion on her own. At some point, she will face rejection, so don't give her any excuses to blame anyone but herself. If she can write a book with no writing talent, she can also select a graphic design for the cover without help. Actually, if she submits it to a publisher and it is accepted, they will select cover graphics.
If she's willing to accept help of any kind, she should also accept editorial advice first and foremost. She won't get anywhere with a publisher if her book is filled with technical and compositional errors. If she has already spurned your advice to seek guidance in creative writing, she's not really serious about getting her book published. Let her fail on her own if she thinks her book is good enough as written.
Fake your own death, move to Paraguay. It's your only hope.
You can’t truly call yourself peaceful unless you are capable of violence. If you’re not capable of violence, you’re not peaceful. You’re harmless.
My grandmother wrote a book about her childhood and my dad had it vanity published. No one bought it, but it's been disseminated throughout the family. It's actually quite fascinating. I've been using incidents described from her life for a story I'm writing about life in the Great Depression. The first chapter is already on the blue site. I've learned more about writing here and on StoriesSpace than I did in school! Too bad your mom won't take advantage of sites like this to improve her writing.
I think she's got the message.
She proudly told me she would not do a vanity publication.
I know a late reply but has your mum considered sending her story to one of those real life magazines? Maybe as a way to promote her book. I read real life magazines when I'm bored and I notice a few people get their story (shorten version) published and then their book is promoted.
That is really tricky, you want to be supportive as a son should be but on the other hand I guess it is hard to say her book doesn't really work. Maybe if she just submits her story to a magazine she doesn't have to publish it in a book format.
Amazon will allow her to publish it for free, and she will get 70% of every book sold. It's not vanity publishing - they don't charge you. All she needs is cover art.
Of course, marketing the book so anyone other than her friends buys it is the hard part.
Just be there when she gets the rejection letters.
Help her, she is your mom.
Brandie
The latest - she has had it proof read with critical comments - a service she paid for.
and is now busy revising
she wouldn't revise when I advised her to do so previously
I am guessing she wanted your thoughts on her story and didn't like your response, perhaps with her sending it to be professionally proof read, their advice was more received as it is was a "professional" and not her own son. LOL. Glad you are supporting her in your own way.
UPDATE
My mum has now submitted a synopsis to a publisher.
Keep us up to date on how she goes.
My mum has been offered a "contribution" contract which involves her paying out £2000.
I have advised her that amazon will print 100 hard copies and promote her ebook for £1000 - so £2000 is a poor deal indeed.
