They're in the 'will be publishable' rather than the 'are publishable' category, I would think. And that's the most dangerous level to get stuck on - you know your book doesn't stink, so you think it's good enough for publication.
And every time you think you've mastered that level, you read a book that blows you away and makes you realise how high the bar hangs. Eventually, you'll be good enough to climb over the bottom - to _get_ published, but at that point you'll hopefully realise how much seperates you from the best.
I think early publication is the death of many authors; because they think that is _all_ they need to produce. If they keep collecting rejections with something that's fluent and readable, they keep trying to get even better. If they can publish it, they're less likely to stretch.
That's my excuse, and I'm sticking with it - but I really *do* think that the worst that could have happened to me would have been to have my first novel published.
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Date: 2006-10-30 11:44 am (UTC)And every time you think you've mastered that level, you read a book that blows you away and makes you realise how high the bar hangs. Eventually, you'll be good enough to climb over the bottom - to _get_ published, but at that point you'll hopefully realise how much seperates you from the best.
I think early publication is the death of many authors; because they think that is _all_ they need to produce. If they keep collecting rejections with something that's fluent and readable, they keep trying to get even better. If they can publish it, they're less likely to stretch.
That's my excuse, and I'm sticking with it - but I really *do* think that the worst that could have happened to me would have been to have my first novel published.