No Room for Snark

No Room for Snark Unless you are JA Konrath and your brand is snark, dont try to weave it into your writing persona. It will backfire. Someone will label you crass. Many will quit buying your work readers as well as editors. As an editor, pitches come to me in the guise of Sunday clothes and good manners, which is good. We should present our best self. However, the true person arises when I reject a pitch. Well, if this doesnt work, then what does? Just give me a subject and Ill write it if you dont like this. Why doesnt this work? Im most certain it fits your guidelines. Whatever. Screw you or Forget you or Fill-in-the-blank you. Do you discriminate against fill-in-the-blank? You are an elitist b-. While these writers may not have been memorable before, they become memorable after these remarks. It works the reverse as well. I listen at conferences, workshops, and events where names bigger than mine put on shows, shake hands, meet and greet the room and represent themselves to authors as well as each other. There are a few agents I would never pitch because Ive heard them make fun of their clients, the writers around them, even the speakers at the podium. Theres a big name in the publishing industry I heard making fun of someone on a panel for pretending to be an author. Many people forget that shy writers listen harder. You are a professional. Keep it professional. Yes, I know as well as anyone that some days you want to snap back and speak your mind. This newsletter is my outlet, and luckily I have a teeny bit of snark woven into my brand to give me room for release. But on someone elses blog? In an email? In front of people who buy my books, ask me to speak, or want to advertise with me? Never. Why slit my own throat? The publishing world is teeming with authors, writers and others climbing the ladder. Everyone is watching everyone else. What is she doing that works? What is he saying that you can take advantage of? How is she slipping up, and how is he making mistakes? Everyone is trying so hard. When the public is your client, you are on display. There are no soundproof rooms. So paint on that smile. Pull out your best behavior. Make anyone you meet happy to have met you. Why on earth would you ever be snarky to anyone in this business as you are fighting your way to publication?