Entitlement

I have to say I’m a little surprised by certain things going on in some of the internet communities I’m involved with (or lurk around).  I don’t want to get into specifics and call anyone out, but I have to say I have been surprised by certain comments lately about publishers/editors.

I am consistently shocked at the sheer amount of people who think they are entitled to certain responses simply because they submit a piece of writing to a publisher.  I understand disappointment with a form rejection or frustration with a lack of response, but I just don’t understand the feeling that a writer deserves something simply because they submit a book.

Maybe it’s because I am still fairly new to trying to get my work published and not yet jaded or cynical about the process, but I’ve never felt an editor owed me anything.  It’s my choice to send in my writing/enter a contest and their choice to determine if it’s right for them and their company.  Why should I expect anything from them?  What do they owe me?

Nothing.  If a person wants to be a better writer, keep writing, keep reading, keep submitting, find critique groups (I recommend taking a look at writing.com), but don’t blame the publisher/editor for not giving you enough feedback or not giving you any feedback.

I’m not sure I’m even expressing this the way I want to because I’m not sure what place I have to talk about it, so I’m being vague.  Bottom line: no one owes you anything, no matter how hard you worked on your novel.