Last Bit of Music Listend To: X's Los Angeles

So I was just checking out some of the other blogs today before taking some time to hammer out at least a thousand words before bed when I came across Greg Van Eekhout's blog topic on "who you know". Generally--do Name Writers (hereafter referred to as Dirty Old Pros) have an advantage over us tyros at the gate?

Mayhaps. Arguements against were made, citing a number of Dirty Old Pros who have been rejected by the usual markets.

But is there a valuer to networking? I will admit that I got my foot in the door with my first professional sale because I knew somebody. This bothered me until
a.) I heard that this same editor was sending stories back to more seasoned writers for further work--but not mine. All mine needed was a title change; and
b.) soon after I sold another story to a professional market with no foot in the door at all. Not even a hangnail.

Still, did say "I've recently sold a story to Mike Resnick..." on my cover letter for that second story make the editors take a second look at "Digger Don't Take No Requests"? I honestly don't think so. Hell, if it did--I'd have sold five or six more stories since then instead of collecting an impressive batch of rejection slips.

As it is, I'm fairly lucky. How many big names went _years_ before selling a pro story? I sold one a year after I began writing in earnest and submitting to markets.

Hmmm. But I suppose in thinking about it I _do_ network at least a little bit. Hmmm. Does it help? That's still arguable. What will matter is if my writing will continue to improve and I make sales based upon the _story's_ merit--and nothing else.

Back to work!

Cheers!

--John Teehan