Nathan Bransford - The Forums

I don't see how anyone could even doubt that. Well, that's why it's your opinion. If you doubted it, it wouldn't be your opinion, right? However, I do doubt it (the further part, not the faster), which is why it's not my opinion. So, you believe that a person could have professionals offer them hel...

I never once suggested 'holding out' for a system to come along and help us. Naturally we are all going to plug along as best we can. But yes, I absolutely do believe that people progress further faster with help than on their own. I don't see how anyone could even doubt that.

'Doing something right' is no different to me than saying to a chess player that there is no reason to push harder because they have already achieved a master title, when in fact if I did keep pushing that player he or she could become an elite grandmaster. So, since we have nothing so measurable a...

I wrote about the perfect outlining method -- http://tedacross.blogspot.com/2010/08/h ... tline.html

This is probably where I disagree with you most. The people with books on the shelves in bookstores right now did something right or they wouldn't be there. 'Doing something right' is no different to me than saying to a chess player that there is no reason to push harder because they have already a...

Apologies for always using chess for my examples, but it is the art that I have mastered most. I've also trained in music and a bit in art. I really don't see vast differences in what it takes to master the different arts. The one difference I do see is that artists in other fields tend to be more o...

I specifically mentioned that I wasn't speaking about agents with this idea (and I can't edit the thread title), as they don't have time for this. Also, the examples you keep giving tend to be for those who really need a ton of help, not the talents I am meaning. Of course I don't expect it to be do...

I'm not convinced it has to be so complicated as many suggest. I am suggesting that the current system where a writer is picked up and then goes through an editing process with a professional works quite well, for the most part. All that is really needed is a company or two that is willing to extend...

Polymath, mainly what I am after is what we see in all other arts. People can struggle alone or nearly alone up to decent levels, but they do so slowly and only achieve a levels nowhere near what they could. Those who are pushed and challenged develop much faster and progress much further. It wouldn...

Basically I still think the development of talent in writing is almost non-existent. You do fantasy, right? Have you considered doing Clarion, Odyssey, or Viable Paradise? Those programs are taught by the type of industry professionals you're talking about. Odyssey has a freaking incredible publica...

Okay, I did a follow up post today -- http://tedacross.blogspot.com/2010/08/agenting-part-ii.html Basically I still think the development of talent in writing is almost non-existent. I compared it with chess, where people don't become masters on their own or by working with other amateurs (similar t...

Ink tells me that agents do get 15% of royalties also and not just advances. Why in two years of reading about this on the web have I never once read this? Agents always state that they get 15% of advances. Why hide the fact that they also get 15% of royalties? Perhaps I am not reading widely enough...

I wrote about why I think agenting needs to change -- http://tedacross.blogspot.com/2010/08/l ... volve.html

It's just my opinion, but I think the current system is well along the way to being broken and needs to evolve. Here is my blog post about it -- http://tedacross.blogspot.com/2010/08/l ... volve.html

I posted an excerpt from my novel for the Weather blogfest - http://tedacross.blogspot.com/