I Just Want Literary People To Give Me The Benefit Of The Doubt


by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

Here I am, hard at work on my novel, and I keep having existential angst that when the time comes and I try to sell my novel, any prospective literary agent will look at my social media output and “swipe left” as they say.

It’s all very frustrating.

I hate the idea that just because I get worked up about MAGA online that that, in itself, would prevent someone from giving my novel a chance. Sure, I’ll self-publish anyway if it comes to that, but I feel the novel I’m developing and writing right now is so good that it should be judged on the merits.

As an aside, I will note that I’m really interested starting an email newsletter about the writing life. But I want at least three (3) people to sign up from the get-go before I invest any time (or money) into it. But no one likes me and I have no friends, so it definitely looks as though nothing will happen on that front.

Anyway.

The novel is going really well at this point. Someone may still steal a march on me, but the story itself is so good that I’m willing to continue to allow myself to be pretty much completely delusional and work in a vacuum. When something from the outside world changes that makes the novel as I currently envision it untenable, then I will address at that at the time.

I have a growing interest in writing screenplays because I would like to think if I manage to write a really good one (or three) that Hollywood types would be a bit more understanding about the more…uh…colorful aspects of my personality that I exhibit on social media. Though, as Annie Shapiro would say, I’m a “Delusional jerk with a good heart.” I have a good heart, even if I, at times, “delusional.”

This novel is sooooo good.

I just want people to judge it on its merits, not how bonkers I may come across here and on social media.

Author: Shelton Bumgarner

I am the Editor & Publisher of The Trumplandia Report

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