Seeking Publisher - Here we go again

Subject: Seeking Publisher - Here we go again Wed Jan 16, 2008 2:18 pm

My first novel "The Sun Singer" went to iUniverse because mainstream publishers wanted me to change the age of the protagonist from a teenager to an adult.

However, print-on-demand fiction still has very little chance of meaningful sales within a world where mainstream houses are the only ones who command the attention of reviewers, bookstores and the press.

Now that my new novel is about ready to be sent out to publishers, I'm thinking: here we go again...sample chapters...outlines...query letters...waiting around for replies.

I see one small publisher that looks like a perfect fit in terms of the kind of work they focus on. However, I'm concerned about their ability to really promote the book. Stay tuned...

Malcolm
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Malcolm R. Campbell

http://www.malcolmrcampbell.com

Subject: Re: Seeking Publisher - Here we go again Thu Jan 17, 2008 5:58 pm

Hi, Malcolm:

I'm currently going through the same process, dividing my efforts between landing an agent and finding a publisher. In my naivete I got rather burned with the publication of my first novel, In Darkness Bound. I ended up with an outfit that does practically zip when it comes to promoting the books they print. I've had to do all the marketing stuff myself, something I'm not well suited for and for which I really don't have the financial means to do properly. I think what bothers me most is that my publisher never got my book into brick-and-mortar stores. Sure it's widely available online, but many new authors make most of their sales through the impulse buy: Someone sees your book on the shelf, is intrigued by the cover, reads the blurb, maybe scans a few pages and decides to buy. There's not much likelihood of that happening online. Not when a chance encounter with a novel like mine would probably entail browsing through dozens upon dozens -- and quite likely hundreds -- of pages of listings.

Anyway, I wish you sincere luck in your search for a new publisher. As for me, it's back to typing out letters and assembling packages to send out to agents and the like. (And people think the hard part is writing the book. If only they knew.)

-Lindsay Brambles, Ottawa, 2008

www.freewebs.com/lindsaybrambles

Four Star Member Joined : 11 Jan 2008 Posts : 376

Funnily enough, I did find a publisher for my first novel, One World, a few years back when it was entitled Sheep in Wolf's Clothing. The plan was to print 400 books first to check everything was in order before going for a print run of 10,000 books. That was the plan. When the first 400 books were printed it became clear to me that the publisher and I were not going to get along. Not only did I hate the cover design but there were even pages missing in some copies. When the publisher refused to change the cover design we parted company.

I've gone the PoD route now but that was a decision I made because I felt I could do a better job than that publisher, not only of producing a quality book but also in long term marketing strategies.

When you find a publisher try to be as involved as possible with the cover design because without a good one no book is going anywhere. Don't believe me about the book cover? Well, take a look at this!

Admin Joined : 11 Jan 2008 Posts : 1780 Location : UK

I love that cover. Laughing

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Shelagh Watkins
http://shelaghwatkins.co.uk/

Four Star Member Joined : 11 Jan 2008 Posts : 376

Subject: Re: Seeking Publisher - Here we go again Thu Jan 17, 2008 8:00 pm

Good covers are a must, I agree, and must reflect the genre inside the book to be picked up by distributors.

I work for a small press and am learning a lot. I'm also published by small publishers and one mid-size library publisher.

While it is true that with small publishers you have to help promote the book, you will find that it isn't all plain sailing with large publishers either. Large publishers expect you to promote, too. Also with large publishers your book isn't in bookstore as much as you think, and if they are, they aren't on shelves for long.

I knwo a lot of authors who are with large publishers, and the stress on them to provide great novels regularly is immense.

To be successful and remain with a large publisher, you must sell out your first print run, or get very close to it. If not, your second book will have a smaller print run, which will reach less people. If your second book doesn't do well, you'll be dropped by the publisher.
The big publishers expect you to sell more with each book, that can only happen if you prmote well.

So whether you are published with a small or large publisher, be prepared to promote.
What a like about being with small press is that the book is always available.

Not all small presses are good though, some are terrible.
However, not all small presses are a vanity press. It is important to not mix the two when talking about small publishers.
There are many small publishers who have no fees, good distribution and excellent editing and cover designs.

Good luck in your search.
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Regards,
Anne Whitfield
http://www.annewhitfield.com
historical & contemporary author

Four Star Member Joined : 17 Jan 2008 Posts : 203

Doesn't matter who you publish with, you're going to have to promote your own work. True, some publishers won't get your book into brick and mortar stores, but then again, most of them are much easier for you to actually have a chance of seeing your book in print at all.

If you have years to go through the "seek an agent, write query letters, submit to a publisher and get rejected then repeat method" then by all means go for it. If not, look into one of the POD publishers who don't charge anything and will get your book in the on line stores like Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Please remember that yes, some new authors do get picked up by a major publisher, but the vast majority of them do not. If you don't get any bites from a major in a couple of years, consider another route.

Don't limit yourself by shutting out any option, and remember that everything worth while is worth working for. If that means promoting your own work, then ask yourself if your book is worth promoting. If you are confident that it is, then you shouldn't have a problem doing it.

Four Star Member Joined : 11 Jan 2008 Posts : 376

Here is something else to consider. Since One World became available on Amazon 3 weeks ago I've been approached by a Norwegian outfit wondering if I was interested in writing a book to accompany a documentary on an operation involving a WW2 submarine sunk off the coast of Norway. Then last night I had another initial enquiry wondering if I was interested in another short term writing opportunity, again in the Norwegian sector.

These opportunities wouldn't have arisen if I hadn't gone the PoD route and got the book out there.

Four Star Member Joined : 17 Jan 2008 Posts : 203

Though I am a long time songwriter and no stranger to being published, my first novel was published only two years ago.

I will be 67 years old in May, and I felt I just didn't have the time to go through the old standard route to publishing. I've very glad I didn't, because I know that I would have missed a lot of good opportunities and would not have met some of the really great people that I've met in the last two years. My second book was published almost a year after the first one, and I now have over 40 short stories published in various places, and had I went the traditional route, I'd still be sitting at my desk sorting out the rejection notices. I'm sorry, that's just not for me. No my books aren't in brick and mortar stores, but they are available on line to any one that wants to find them. I've had to do a lot of my own promotion, but that's all right, as I believe in my work, and don't mind doing what I can to get others to take a look at it.

I can face reality enough to know that had I waited for a major publisher to offer me a contract, there's a good chance I'd still be waiting, and none of the people who have enjoyed my books or stories would have done so.

There are a lot of opportunities in publishing, so long as you don't close your mind to all of the options. I'm certainly glad I didn't.

Four Star Member Joined : 11 Jan 2008 Posts : 376

Hi Don, I'm looking forward to getting offers from publishing houses so I can send out a few rejection slips. Oh, and I'll use one of their form templates when I do it. Revenge will be sweet

Four Star Member Joined : 17 Jan 2008 Posts : 203

Have you ever got that right George. I'm a firm believer that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, and I'll join you in the rejection slip sending out one of these days.

Subject: Re: Seeking Publisher - Here we go again Sat Jan 19, 2008 7:03 pm

I've been sending out query letters for my second novel since September last year. I've had a few rejections, but now find myself in the position where not only do I have a New York Agent interested in the book, but also an e-book publisher. I still say it's well worth pursing the traditional route, but don't follow the "how to books" advice and only submit to one publisher at a time, but rather do as many authors do, and submit to ten!
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Jenny
Writing as Victoria Howard

www.victoriahoward.co.uk

Admin Joined : 11 Jan 2008 Posts : 1780 Location : UK

Yes it is Jenny. You know there's a but coming don't you? LOL! Okay here it comes: it is worth going the traditional route but only if you do your homework and submit to agents and publsihers who accept unsolicited work that fits their list. Otherwise you will end up with a stack of rejections.

As far as romance novels go, 50% of paperbacks sold are romance novels. Consequently, agents and publishers are always on the lookout for fresh, new voices. Conversely, many agents and most publishers refuse submissions from children's fiction writers -- which is why it seems so odd that, although J K Rowling's first Potter story was turned down umpteen times, she did manage to sign up with an agent before the book was finally accepted by Bloomsbury.

This is what a New York agent/writer, Donald Maass said in an interview by Michael Neff:

Four Star Member Joined : 17 Jan 2008 Posts : 203

Four Star Member Joined : 11 Jan 2008 Posts : 376

This is an absolutely fascinating thread

I've had an agent. Supposedly a high flier too. Loved my work! Couldn't praise it highly enough. Sent it out to half a dozen of the biggest publishing houses and got half a dozen rejections and then told me to dump my book and write something else. Oh yeah? I dumped her instead. Mind you, 3 of those rejections were border line, along the lines of, oh if only I didn't have so many thrillers on my desk right now (Orion), and, can't understand why our reader told us to reject this one . . .