Vonda McIntyre has a great lil howto for new writers on “Hunting the Wily Cover Blurb.” In comments is where you’ll find some of her best stuff, though, like this one on someone trying to shine her on about being a “big fan”–
If somebody says, “I liked your story ‘Moon Women of Titan’s Caves,’” the proper response is
(a) Oh, well, jeez, it wasn’t my best work;
(b) That piece of tripe? You’re a moron for liking that;
(c) I always hate everything I’ve written after it’s pubished;
(d) You BOUGHT that? In HARDCOVER? Why didn’t you wait for the paperback?*
(e) Thank you.The correct choice is left as an exercise for the reader…
*heh*
BTW, she adds as a postscript to that comment, “You may guess that my idea of the proper response to someone who buys your work in hardcover is ‘Thank you.'” 🙂
I’m adding this to my collection of advice from authors (not that I expect to publish a book; I’d have to write one first ;-)) that includes, “How to Write Suckitudinous Fiction” from Holly Lisle, an author who tells a tale very well (the single most important criterion for a fiction writer, IMO).