Mr. Savage claims to have a headache, so here I am posting again.
I just got done writing an email of invitation to join the Savage Press mailing list to twenty University of Wisconsin-Madison professors. It took me a loooooong time to write that email. I graduated . . . why am I still nervous about a professor looking at my work?! But I also wanted it to be impressive and convincing. I filled it with phrases like "highly respected" and "greatly honored." Professionals in academia go for that stuff. But did I kiss enough ass to get any of them to join the mailing list? Can I say "ass" on this blog? That one didn't count because it was in quotation marks.
Why are people so paranoid when they open emails that say "I have an offer" or "I'm inviting you to join"? As I wrote the email I envisioned them all deleting the email after the "Savage Press has books" part, which was in the second sentence. So after the opening paragraph I had to include a disclaimer . . . something like "Please continue reading; I'm not just trying to sell you something." Of course I am trying to ultimately sell them something, but I also think it would be advantageous for us to have them on the contact list to write reviews or blurbs or such.
Well duh. I should have posted the email here and let you all examine and workshop it before I sent it out. I blatantly ignored a major step in the writing process. I will probably be demoted for this. Mr. Savage's computer just made a you-got-mail noise so I'm going to see if it is a University of WI-Madison professor . . .
1 comment:
I have enjoyed reading Mike Savage's blogs about his thoughts on books, publishing and authors. It's helpful to see through a publisher's eyes what exactly is sought after in a book to get it to the bookstore shelves. Reading Mike Savage's blogs are like taking a course in Publishing 101 - and the tuition is free! Can't get better than that.
I'd also be interested in hearing what Beth's perceptions are as she works alongside of Mike Savage in the publishing field. With her just having graduated, this job sounds like a great opportunity for her to step from academia into the real world. I'm curious to find out what she has learned from her "highly honored and respected professors" that will make her life wonderful today. What are her hopes and dreams for the future? Now her life is heading in a new direction. I think working at Savage Press will be an education in itself! Keep us posted...
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