tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post2533009850292311692..comments2023-07-03T07:26:04.780-04:00Comments on The Rejecter: Non-Platform FictionThe Rejecterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09087643296072075641noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-42882778553136667472009-11-12T21:52:46.114-05:002009-11-12T21:52:46.114-05:00I agree with the Rejector that Dave Sedaris is a g...I agree with the Rejector that Dave Sedaris is a good example, but at the same time I would have answered no, for all the reasons everyone said.<br /><br />I think people fall into the trap of thinking, "Hey, I'm funny. My life is quirky. I should write memoirs." It needs to be exceptionally exceptional. So the answer is yes, exceedingly rarely. In my opinion.Eric Chttp://www.onviolence.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-7694184241699300042009-11-02T15:54:27.048-05:002009-11-02T15:54:27.048-05:00David Sedaris just popped into my head as a guy wh...David Sedaris just popped into my head as a guy who gets published and is a bestseller with platform-less material. Yes, it's memoir, but one book was about him quitting smoking. Things like that don't stun me in query letters.<br /><br />Yes, he had some breaks and knew some famous people, but mostly his career is carried on the quality of his writing. If we got someone in the mail who had his level of humor and quality, I think my boss would try to publish them.The Rejecterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09087643296072075641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-526169770815901412009-11-02T13:42:31.691-05:002009-11-02T13:42:31.691-05:00while sedaris became famous for his writing, he di...while sedaris became famous for his writing, he did already have the platform of 1) Being Ira Glass's friend, and 2) Ira putting him on TAL and getting him a guest "commentator" slot on either Morning Edition or All Things Considered. <br /><br />Other agents will tell you to, sure, try pitching essays, but they are a hard sell, unless you have a platform.Etiquette Bitchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15656611315466903464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-81367056023903848352009-11-02T09:31:44.012-05:002009-11-02T09:31:44.012-05:00Rhoda Janzen? Mennonite in a little black dress. ...Rhoda Janzen? Mennonite in a little black dress. <br /><br />Key is the fact both Sedaris and Janzen are standout literary talents. <br /><br />I wonder if your query writer realizes a good idea isn't going to be enough. "Written with humor and wit" strikes me as a bit off for someone who is talented in either being funny or witty in writing or, uh, both. There is a very high skill-threshhold here, isn't there?<br /><br />And I would worry that everyone and their deaf aunt thinks they write with humor <b>and</b> wit.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-67421503435772592052009-11-01T22:13:52.217-05:002009-11-01T22:13:52.217-05:00As anon1 notes, Sedaris was known for his contribu...As anon1 notes, Sedaris was known for his contributions to NPR before his first book was published. The short version is that he started off by giving public readings of diary entries at clubs in Chicago; one of these readings was attended by Ira Glass, who brought Sedaris onto his local show; that show led to national exposure on <i>Morning Edition</i>, and it was another year and a half of monthly reports on NPR before <i>Barrel Fever</i> was published.Seth Christenfeldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17782151625611528850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-79249382185530521932009-11-01T21:49:16.736-05:002009-11-01T21:49:16.736-05:00I wasn't famous, and I still got pub'd wit...I wasn't famous, and I still got pub'd with a "very nice" advance from Broadway for my humorous travel memoir. From what my agent said, I think if you have a strong voice, even absent much of a platform, it's possible.Queen of the Roadhttp://www.doreenorion.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-58230113832114221962009-11-01T21:31:13.829-05:002009-11-01T21:31:13.829-05:00Yes, there's space, but the problem is getting...Yes, there's space, but the problem is getting through all the filters. It's kind of like someone coming up with a great idea at a business meeting and being ignored. Then someone much higher states basically the same idea and the rest of the staff gives it full support. In other words, be prepared to fight harder than if you're not famous or important.<br /><br />Dave KuzminskiAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-53692803412736308912009-11-01T12:32:06.713-05:002009-11-01T12:32:06.713-05:00But Sedaris has a platform--he is writing his mem...But Sedaris has a platform--he is writing his memoir, no one else could write it.Lauren MacLeodnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-71559462018034298482009-11-01T10:34:14.446-05:002009-11-01T10:34:14.446-05:00Yeah, but he has famous siblings, and is a friend ...Yeah, but he has famous siblings, and is a friend of Jon Stewart. Not resources your average writer can draw on.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-86802861452559308332009-11-01T09:00:41.799-05:002009-11-01T09:00:41.799-05:00He became famous for his READING.
Yeah, he got on...He became famous for his READING.<br /><br />Yeah, he got on NPR with the writing, but that's still a unusual magical break.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-80568741712464903572009-10-31T21:24:48.448-04:002009-10-31T21:24:48.448-04:00Sedaris BECAME famous for his writing.Sedaris BECAME famous for his writing.The Rejecterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09087643296072075641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-73841819577933884082009-10-31T21:21:15.033-04:002009-10-31T21:21:15.033-04:00Sedaris, though, falls into the first category--&q...Sedaris, though, falls into the first category--"already famous."Seth Christenfeldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17782151625611528850noreply@blogger.com