Intro to Writing and Publishing

[Gumby]

Fred,

It depends on the company. Some offer editing services, some don't. With some it depends on how much money you want to "invest".

They all charge anywhere from $1,000 or more up front, the price depending on the services you want (like editing help and the number of free copies you want for yourself for book signings). Then they pay you royalties for all sales. Different companies offer different percentages. What you have to keep in mind is that the percentage is of the amount they receive from the buyers. ie for a book that retails for $15.00 you may receive only a dollar or two for each.

The advantages are that you don't get stuck printing 1000 books and storing them in your garage for the three year average it can take to sell them all. They take care of the shipping and collecting the money. They then send you periodic royalties.

The down side is the smaller profit that you receive while still putting up about half the money it would cost you to do it all yourself.

Bob

[Tricia]

Bob--

I'm a supporter of those who choose POD--though it's not necessarily something I'd do--we've got a more than a few members of my writing groups that have gone that course, some much more successfully than others. Depending on your passion for hitting the road and shaking a lot of hands, and talking to complete strangers, it can take a while to make back that investment. The key to self-publishing, I think, is that one has to be willing to work their tail off to market their book; it's probably also the standard for a new author whose been published by the New York Five for the first time, as marketing dollars generally go to established authors like the Kings, the Grishams, etc., etc., ... in other words, the people who need it least.

But I would caution using the word "free" when it comes to book signing product. In all aspects of publishing, both NY and POD, ain't nothing come free!

Regards,
Leyton McLean

[Gumby]

I agree. You have to be ready to crawl out of your shell if you want to self-publish or go POD. You have to lose your fear of trying to sell people on the idea of buying your books.

I will probably try shopping one of my future books to some publishers and even use the POD system just to see if I like them better.

Bob

[Tricia]

Bob--

Definitely shop it around, if possible. A good agent or editor will give a m/s a lot of feedback, even if they don't immediately pick it up. Often, they will look a second time at a m/s that has included their suggestions. Of course, any hints that you think will harm your theme or purpose should be ignored.

Don't know if you can get to Cody, WY, the week BEFORE the LBH anniversary this year, but you might want to consider going to the Western Writers of America conference. Agents and editors will be there, both for works of fiction and non-fiction. That is, if you have a manuscript to pitch.

www.wwa.org

Regards,
Leyton McLean

[Gumby]

Leyton,
I am working on a Beecher Island book now but will probably self-publish it because I planned it as a special 300-350 copy edition. I might go POD if I have time before this summer. I have a couple of others in mind for the next two years, one on the Battle at Palo Duro Canyon, TX and the other on Benteen's command as a whole during the LBH battle. I will want to shop those to agents and publishers.
I have some historical fiction ideas that I want to shop down the road when I have more time to write them.

Thanks,
Bob

[Tricia]

Bob--

My friend, who has gone from a "real" publisher to self-publishing (he likes the complete editorial control and the instant royalties) recommends lulu.com to just about every one he knows who is writing. I think lulu.com does POD, as I recall.

It sounds like you have a full plate of writing projects! Speaking of when you have more time, when I started writing my m/s, I had no idea how long it would take, let alone ever completing the projected trilogy. Three years later, I'm still not really ready to seriously shop word one around--though I have been dragged to pitch sessions kicking and screaming! I tend to be really jealous of associates who can plow through two manuscripts a year ... sigh.

Good luck with all of those books!
Leyton McLean

[Gumby]

Leyton,

Thanks! I will look them up tonight. I can get one per year now if I stay disciplined. Right now I am at about every 18 to 24 months. I am shooting for one per year from now on.

The Beecher Island project started three years ago but kept getting sidetracked for other things. I put out a novice version of my first book and then last year I could only afford to put out a second printing of my first book. Unfortunately, last year was a slow year for sales after two really good ones. Allthough, I did manage to make some progress getting them into some new areas.

Bob Snelson

[Treasuredude]

gumby said:

Leyton,

Thanks! I will look them up tonight. I can get one per year now if I stay disciplined. Right now I am at about every 18 to 24 months. I am shooting for one per year from now on.

The Beecher Island project started three years ago but kept getting sidetracked for other things. I put out a novice version of my first book and then last year I could only afford to put out a second printing of my first book. Unfortunately, last year was a slow year for sales after two really good ones. Allthough, I did manage to make some progress getting them into some new areas.

Bob Snelson

Hey Bob--

For what it's worth I enjoyed your DEATH OF A MYTH book.

[Gumby]

Thank you! I had a great time working on it.

[Tricia]

Bob--

I especially enjoyed your talk at the 2004 CBHMA symposium ... you and Rod Thomas were the only two speakers who didn't put me to sleep. As I've confessed time and time again, I'm no battle expert--don't really want to be with the stops, starts, and precision timing of it all--but I found Death of A Myth to be a fast, enjoyable read. I bought it through Amazon--but thanks for autographing it anyway!

As for your future writing endevours, good luck ... and shop 'em around!

Regards,
Leyton McLean

[Gumby]

Leyton,

Thanks, I was nervous about the talk. I think Fox got the wrong idea about what I said about the archeology. He gets attacked so much he has become very defensive. I actually agree with his reasoning in regard to the deteriorating defense of Calhoun Hill and the general flow of the battle. The only thing I cautioned was that we don't really know how much evidence was removed in the 100+ years between the battle and his study. Not all was properly documented.

I looked up lulu.com and I think I might go that route with the Beecher Island book. Thanks again for the advice.

Bob

[Tricia]

Bob--

If you were nervous, it sure didn't show! Hope lulu.com does well for you; I've heard nothing but good things about it!

Regards,
Leyton McLean

[Diane Merkel]

Leyton,

Thanks for telling Bob about lulu.com. I went to their site a few days ago to see if it would be appropriate for a project I'm working on and was impressed. I ordered a softcover book, Custer and Keogh, which arrived today. I learned a valuable lesson by getting the book: get the author's preview copy before releasing it to the public. This book has some layout problems, but the print job itself seems good.

Diane

[armand]

Hello everybody,
Soft of stumbled into here and found all the information about publishers and agents fascinating and...frightening. I'm in a rather odd category myself: I just published a mystery novel that takes place in 1904:A Sioux brave who lives in Paris and has just attended a Wagner concert at the Opera is set upon and kidnapped in a small passage off the Boulevards by a band of thugs dressed in Western gear. Teddy Roosevelt dispatches to Europe a Pinkerton detective, who once survived LBH by hiding with DeRudio. His mission is to rescue the Indian just in time for election day. The detective himself has an interesting past: his father, a Confederate colonel from N.Orleans, took him to Paris after the CW and father and son were embroiled in the Commune massacres of 1871. There's a lot about DeRudio's assassination attempt against Napoleon III, the Marquis de Mores as Dakota cattleman and political agitator, Keough and a strange amulet he wears around his neck, and much more, including cameo performances by Custer, Buffalo Bill, Teddy Roosevelt, Adam Worth and others. The catch is, though an expatriate American myself, I wrote and published the book in French. So in fact I'm tempted to translate it (or rewrite it in English - nearly impossible to actually translate your own prose) and try for a U.S. publisher. I suppose a lot depends on sales. I'd be grateful for any advice from the folks on this board.

[Tricia]

Bonjour, Armand--

I was hoping to see you haunt this board ... in fact, we've talked about your book on a couple of threads here! What I would do, if I were you, is to translate the first three chapters of the work, throw a synopsis together, and see how it shops. Try smaller presses. It'll be a little easier for you, I think!

Bonne chance!
Leyton McLean