Pitching errorsto their work can cling beyond a useful point. That is not always
true, but there is a certain correlation.
Sometimes such authors are simply in mourning. A sense of loss
accompanies the completion of a novel. It is the end of a happy
time: months or years in the dream state. This type of emotional
attachment is not a big problem. It fades with time.
Another reason for the book-as-baby pitch may be a simple fear of
humiliation. By making the submission a highly personal matter the
writer is asking an agent or editor to be generous. The underlying
message is, "I am fragile. Do not hurt my feelings!"
A more serious concern is that this pitch may mask an unwilling-
ness to give up control. I am wary of authors who demand enthusi-
asm not out of rational self-interest but because they want to run
the show. They will never be happy in the book business.
Ironically, such authors often appear eager to hear criticism. "My
writing could improve," they will say, yet with the next breath they
ask how quickly their manuscripts will be read or how soon they can
get an advance. These sorts of authors will, at best, be pests. At
worst they will make lifelong enemies and sabotage every step of
the publication process.
Most worrisome of all is the new author who says, "This book is
my baby" and means it literally. This unrealistic author probably
wants book professionals to grant her the same uncritical love and
acceptance she gets from family members.
Needless to say, disappointment is in store for this writer.
Requests for revision will make her defensive. Each career setback
will seem to her a personal affront. Over time she will grow frustrat-
ed and bitter. She may be a problem author in the making, so can
you blame me for shunning her pitch?
"Never before has there been a novel like mine. It breaks new groundV This
may sound like a good way to stand out, but although innovation is
good it can also be a potential drawback. There is little that is hard-
er to sell than books that are ahead of their time.
Let's look a little more closely at the psychology behind this
pitch. Is this author merely an activist on his own behalf, or is he a
raving egotist? Hoping for appreciation is one thing; to insist on it