Taking my name (in vain)
A little rant today – aimed at one person, who knows who she is!
Lady, when you wrote to an editor saying I’d suggested you send in your story, did you really think he wouldn’t get back to me? Especially as your story (yes, I’ve read it now, although I hadn’t read it when you told him I’d said it was a good match for his magazine) is a near rip-off of a piece that he published in his last issue. All you’ve achieved by attaching my name to your submission is to get yourself blacklisted by that editor and by me.
A wider point here – sometimes writers and editors are generous enough to lend their names, I do it myself when I see a good piece of work and know where it might find a home, but if I do it, I let the writer know VERY CLEARLY that they can say I recommended them to send the piece and often I’ll drop the editor a line saying that I’ve suggested a writer should submit but made it clear that the writer knows my suggestion carries no weight with the editor. If such offers are made to you, don’t abuse them. Don’t ever think you can appropriate somebody as a guarantor for your work without their express permission, this is a small world and you will get found out, sooner rather than later.
And if you are lucky enough to place your story, thank the person who effected the introduction and remember that now it’s your turn to see if you can help another writer to succeed.
3 Comments
B.A. Goodjohn
23rd May 2006Ouch!
One of the things I think many don’t realise is how tight our community is. With email and internet and blogs, there’s nowhere to hide if you foul up. And so it should be.
Ginger
24th May 2006Wow, what a mistake someone made! You’re right to call them on the carpet, and I appreciate the advice. I’d never dream of dropping someone’s name in vain. Nor should anyone else.
Richard
24th May 2006Let’s hear it for public spankings!