Russian literary agent/writer interviews Marla Miller

http://russianwritersclub.com/index.php?razdel=71&article=212

Questions reflect the perspective of a Russian reader who does not know how things work in the USA.

 

 

 

1. In Russia the overwhelming majority of writers first start to write, then fail, then think: maybe I have to study the craft and the publishing business before I start writing. Is the story the same in America?

 Sometimes, this is the case and why university extension writing programs are quite popular in the U.S. People working days jobs enroll in craft courses they hope will help them realize their dream of becoming a published writer. However, there aren’t many courses designed to focus on the business side of our industry. That’s really why I developed Marketing the Muse workshops-to focus on craft as it relates to the business of writing.  In today’s market, if you want to be published, you must understand the craft and business of writing.

 

2. What is the writer's gift and how does it correspond with studying the craft? What is more important for success?

 

Voice is a writer’s greatest gift in my humble. I don’t believe one can study this facet of craft. A writer can learn how to identify, nurture and develop voice in their work but no book that I know of provides a tutorial. The voice of a piece drives it; point of view is the vehicle. But it all begins with voice.  

 

3. If you could change the past what would you do differently in your literary efforts?

 Believe in myself more than I did. I came from a very traditional American working class home raised during a time, the late 1950’s & 60’s, when a girl’s options were restricted to motherhood, teaching and nursing. First I became a nurse, then mother, and now I’m a writer and teacher. I was first published at age thirteen in our daily newspaper.  I was not published again until my late 30’s. My path is common to many writers regardless of geography. I think most writers possess an equal measure of arrogance and humility; arrogance in believing what you write must be read and humility in feeling that you have a lot of nerve thinking anything you write should be read!   

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4. You teach writing classes. Can you tell right away who of your students have potential and who have not? What are the signs?

 Usually, I do have a good sense of who’s got the ‘writing chops.’ Writers in my classes most always possess three traits I’ve shared here: voice, arrogance and humility. It could be that the work they read is god awful-craft-wise- but there’s something in it that captures our attention. These writers keep coming back to classes and most always find writing groups somewhere. They just believe that what they have to say is worth reading.  However, let me add that I’ve been wrong. I have thoroughly disliked concepts that have gone on to sell I can think of one writer-a mega successful businessman – who wrote about success and the cosmos in a new age-y  style that read like a grandiose love letter to self.  I encouraged him to narrow the concept. He didn’t. A few years later, he sold it and made sure I was notified. Much of our business is luck that comes by way of hitting a trend as it emerges. There’s no way to plan for this which is why my advice to writers is simply write what you know.   I also tell them to be very careful about the advice you take.

 

5. Do you believe that it is possible to learn how to write beautifully? Please, explain.

 I believe our art form is evolutionary; the longer we pursue it, the more evolved our writing becomes. That’s the beauty of the writing life and I believe it’s intrinsic to the practice. One of my mentors, Shelly Lowenkopf, www.lowenkopf.com  refers to it as “The process.” Beauty is found in all story forms, literary, commercial, fiction and non fiction.   

7. What are the most important things aspiring authors have to know before they try to sell their books to the publisher?

 Most publishers will not purchase directly from a writer so that’s lesson #1. Unless a writer self publishes-essentially becoming their own publisher—a writer will need a literary agent to sell. How to get a literary agent? Begin with a story that is compelling. Here’s an example. A few years ago, Stacey O'Brien, author of New York Times best seller, Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl came to my Marketing the Muse Workshop that I was teaching at the Southern California Writers Conference, http://www.writersconference.com. At that point, her book was in an early draft form. Stacey was not a writer. She was, and is, a zoologist who was writing this incredible tale about her 20 year friendship with her pet owl. The story was there but the craft wasn’t. I introduced her to Sally Van Hiatsma, a San Diego based literary agent. Sally is known for nurturing writers along. She also has an eagle eye for good story. She knew Stacey had one. The rest is history. Stacey applied herself, learned how to write this story and voila! Wesley the Owl is climbing up NYT’s bestseller list.  It always begins with a good story.  

 

8. Can you give any advice for young authors?

 I developed the Young Writers Program during my tenure as Assistant Director of the Santa Barbara Writers Conference, www.sbwritersconference.com  because our youngest writers, teenagers, don’t have many communities where they can go to for support. I’m an enormous fan of writers finding literary homes. Young writers need support. In this country, those that get what they need during critical formative years are generally those lucky enough to attend private schools.  My daughters all attended a wonderful private grammar school but when time came for high school, family funds couldn’t stretch that far so they enrolled in our local high school. I live in an affluent part of the U.S., Newport Beach, California. I say that because schools in my community rank at the top and I was (and am) appalled by the lack of literary support offered in class. My advice to very young writers, look for a writing group that feels like family. At SBWC, writers ages 14-18, spend a week with writers of all ages and levels. At the end of that week, these kids leave fortified and more confident. They also leave feeling more humble after a week of being critiqued. Like I said, writers are an equal mix of arrogance and humility.  

Posted by Marla Miller