Comments on: Publishing—The Raw Truth http://www.publishingbasics.com/2007/08/22/publishing%e2%80%94the-raw-truth/ Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:59:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Lutz Barz http://www.publishingbasics.com/2007/08/22/publishing%e2%80%94the-raw-truth/comment-page-1/#comment-27819 Lutz Barz Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:32:44 +0000 http://blog.selfpublishing.com/?p=207#comment-27819 Well I am still astounded at the `condition' of the publshing industry-agents included. So far I've wasted around A$700 over nine years on agents. The irony, my self published book [100 copies] all sold in bookshops [sf]. However now I've hit several proverbial brick walls. The rejections are piling up so I'm diving into POD publishing including this astute site. Will get around to the submmitt the mss and see how one goes. I feel for some of the authors above. It'sa dodgy industry. So I launched my own publishing site. But in the end us autors still want the printed version out there. Books have a feel about them and a lot of people spend so much time at work on computers they don't want to read `whatever' on screen. So good luck to all. If I get lucky I'll let ya's know. Well I am still astounded at the `condition’ of the publshing industry-agents included. So far I’ve wasted around A$700 over nine years on agents. The irony, my self published book [100 copies] all sold in bookshops [sf]. However now I’ve hit several proverbial brick walls. The rejections are piling up so I’m diving into POD publishing including this astute site. Will get around to the submmitt the mss and see how one goes. I feel for some of the authors above. It’sa dodgy industry. So I launched my own publishing site. But in the end us autors still want the printed version out there. Books have a feel about them and a lot of people spend so much time at work on computers they don’t want to read `whatever’ on screen. So good luck to all. If I get lucky I’ll let ya’s know.

]]> By: Belinda http://www.publishingbasics.com/2007/08/22/publishing%e2%80%94the-raw-truth/comment-page-1/#comment-27032 Belinda Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:18:21 +0000 http://blog.selfpublishing.com/?p=207#comment-27032 I understand the growing pains of trying to get published. Poetry was my first and only book to be published thus far. I started with that and it was my first experience with an epublisher. As I have tried to promote it personally, I have run into roadblocks on multiple levels. One being, it is online only and so many people still fear the internet for making purchases. I looked into trying out a booksigning and that failed as well. So, learning that poetry was not a widely appreciated genre of the public at large, I venture onward. As I try to widened my horizons to encompass other genres of writing, I have found the difficulties of getting published somewhat frustrating. My inexperience in dealing with publishing houses and their lack of communication due to being a business and volume of queries are daunting hurdles to overcome not to mention the usual hurdles that every writer experiences. "Your book is not right for us at this time" doesn't tell me that you thought my writing skills were reprehensible and I need to give up the ghost or the real reason the book is not for you so that I do not submit future books that fit the requirement for rejection again. Honestly, I am willing to learn how to improve both as a writer and as a business person in repect to writing and publishing. I am greatly appreciative of the efforts of others to provide the education in such a format as this one. I searched and searched for a sample of a query letter and expectataions of what a query letter is to contain for this particular genre I am endeavoring to try my "hand" at and it took multiple sites, publishing houses and months to find just that one small sample. I was led to this site by a publishing house's website, Zumaya Publications, and was thankful for the effort to help educate and alleviate some of the problems that occur with inexperienced writers. I have to say, though, I like Graham's idea for multiple reasons. First and foremost, if you go through all that trouble, you must believe in your work and its value. I understand the growing pains of trying to get published. Poetry was my first and only book to be published thus far. I started with that and it was my first experience with an epublisher. As I have tried to promote it personally, I have run into roadblocks on multiple levels. One being, it is online only and so many people still fear the internet for making purchases. I looked into trying out a booksigning and that failed as well. So, learning that poetry was not a widely appreciated genre of the public at large, I venture onward. As I try to widened my horizons to encompass other genres of writing, I have found the difficulties of getting published somewhat frustrating. My inexperience in dealing with publishing houses and their lack of communication due to being a business and volume of queries are daunting hurdles to overcome not to mention the usual hurdles that every writer experiences. “Your book is not right for us at this time” doesn’t tell me that you thought my writing skills were reprehensible and I need to give up the ghost or the real reason the book is not for you so that I do not submit future books that fit the requirement for rejection again. Honestly, I am willing to learn how to improve both as a writer and as a business person in repect to writing and publishing. I am greatly appreciative of the efforts of others to provide the education in such a format as this one. I searched and searched for a sample of a query letter and expectataions of what a query letter is to contain for this particular genre I am endeavoring to try my “hand” at and it took multiple sites, publishing houses and months to find just that one small sample. I was led to this site by a publishing house’s website, Zumaya Publications, and was thankful for the effort to help educate and alleviate some of the problems that occur with inexperienced writers. I have to say, though, I like Graham’s idea for multiple reasons. First and foremost, if you go through all that trouble, you must believe in your work and its value.

]]> By: Abel Udoekene http://www.publishingbasics.com/2007/08/22/publishing%e2%80%94the-raw-truth/comment-page-1/#comment-23255 Abel Udoekene Mon, 31 Dec 2007 10:59:17 +0000 http://blog.selfpublishing.com/?p=207#comment-23255 My friend and I started writing together...we compiled an anthology..titled.. For the sake of love ...and distributed it for FREE our aim was to break into the popularity scene. Few weeks later...One of our writers who was editing most of the work for us was sign by a publisher in the UK to the tune of $450,000...In her first novel.....Though the terms was not disclose to us .. I can tell you that they are still working together since 2003 and I am planing to Finish my first Novel before march 2008... I don't know whether I will see a publisher as generous like that...though he sign her on a long term deal but the money was good even to take care of her education... some publishers are really great My friend and I started writing together…we compiled an anthology..titled.. For the sake of love …and distributed it for FREE our aim was to break into the popularity scene.

Few weeks later…One of our writers who was editing most of the work for us was sign by a publisher in the UK to the tune of $450,000…In her first novel…..Though the terms was not disclose to us ..

I can tell you that they are still working together since 2003 and I am planing to Finish my first Novel before march 2008…

I don’t know whether I will see a publisher as generous like that…though he sign her on a long term deal but the money was good even to take care of her education…

some publishers are really great

]]> By: Everet Barrington http://www.publishingbasics.com/2007/08/22/publishing%e2%80%94the-raw-truth/comment-page-1/#comment-18893 Everet Barrington Mon, 01 Oct 2007 22:26:05 +0000 http://blog.selfpublishing.com/?p=207#comment-18893 Help! ever since I wrote the little question and comment above I have been swamped by emails from everybody that runs what they say is a self publishing company. They want any where from $6.00 to $10.00 a book to print it and over $500.00 to start the process. What are these people? do they really think they can get someone to pay them $10.00 a book to publish, they don't even cost that much on the book rack at the stores. How does one know who is a good and honest publisher, I know there is a lot of work still left to do i.e. writing the praposal and editing and so forth. But still is there any honest book publishers still out there? Everet Barrington Laneneedsaliver@aol.com Help! ever since I wrote the little question and comment above I have been swamped by emails from everybody that runs what they say is a self publishing company. They want any where from $6.00 to $10.00 a book to print it and over $500.00 to start the process. What are these people? do they really think they can get someone to pay them $10.00 a book to publish, they don’t even cost that much on the book rack at the stores.
How does one know who is a good and honest publisher, I know there is a lot of work still left to do i.e. writing the praposal and editing and so forth. But still is there any honest book publishers still out there?
Everet Barrington
Laneneedsaliver@aol.com

]]> By: Patricia Fry http://www.publishingbasics.com/2007/08/22/publishing%e2%80%94the-raw-truth/comment-page-1/#comment-17591 Patricia Fry Fri, 07 Sep 2007 18:05:43 +0000 http://blog.selfpublishing.com/?p=207#comment-17591 Congratulations to Graham. I love it when authors use their ingenuity. And thanks to all of you who have commented on my article. That piece came almost directly from the first edition of my book, "The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book." I'm currently offering a prepublication DISCOUNT on the revised 2nd edition of that book and am bringing out the "Author's Workbook" to accompany it. The article you are all referring to is only part of the story. The rest of the story (information, resources and guidelines) is in this book, "The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book" and the Workbook provides you prompting and space to accomplish your writing/publishing goals. Order both books at a discount through September 20, 2007. www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html. Patricia Fry www.matilijapress.com Congratulations to Graham. I love it when authors use their ingenuity. And thanks to all of you who have commented on my article. That piece came almost directly from the first edition of my book, “The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book.” I’m currently offering a prepublication DISCOUNT on the revised 2nd edition of that book and am bringing out the “Author’s Workbook” to accompany it. The article you are all referring to is only part of the story. The rest of the story (information, resources and guidelines) is in this book, “The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book” and the Workbook provides you prompting and space to accomplish your writing/publishing goals.

Order both books at a discount through September 20, 2007. http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html.

Patricia Fry
http://www.matilijapress.com

]]> By: Graham Zimmatore http://www.publishingbasics.com/2007/08/22/publishing%e2%80%94the-raw-truth/comment-page-1/#comment-17535 Graham Zimmatore Thu, 06 Sep 2007 16:00:54 +0000 http://blog.selfpublishing.com/?p=207#comment-17535 I did something that very few aspiring authors do and it's actually paying off in Dividends! First, I wrote a novel of 103,000 words, then I had it proof read and corrected by a friend of mine. Then I ran off copies of it on my Canon Bubblejet printer (A5 size pages - 2 to a page, double sided.) The printer works it all out for you; amazing! After printing out 200 or so double sided pages I cut them in half with a guilotine and assembled them into a book. Then I designed my own front and back covers and printed these off in full colour on 230gsm glossy card. I then cut these to size and placed the whole thing in a vice in my shed between two blocks of wood, flapped the end binder over and glued the end pages together with evo stik. I even purchased my own ISBN and included this on the printing of the back cover. The product was so good that my local Waterstones bookshop manager wouldn't believe I made it myself. He even ordered twenty copies and so I had to spend two days making them. Half of them sold within the first three weeks! I then asked my nephew to mock up a website featuring the book, which he did for £200. Now, as well as having my novel on the shelves in two local bookstores, I also sell approximately five copies a week to people from all over the world who click onto my website called www.mirrorsinthesky.com Believe it or not, I just sold my 100th copy and the book never even went near a publisher Beat that! I did something that very few aspiring authors do and it’s actually paying off in Dividends! First, I wrote a novel of 103,000 words, then I had it proof read and corrected by a friend of mine. Then I ran off copies of it on my Canon Bubblejet printer (A5 size pages – 2 to a page, double sided.) The printer works it all out for you; amazing!
After printing out 200 or so double sided pages I cut them in half with a guilotine and assembled them into a book. Then I designed my own front and back covers and printed these off in full colour on 230gsm glossy card. I then cut these to size and placed the whole thing in a vice in my shed between two blocks of wood, flapped the end binder over and glued the end pages together with evo stik.
I even purchased my own ISBN and included this on the printing of the back cover. The product was so good that my local Waterstones bookshop manager wouldn’t believe I made it myself. He even ordered twenty copies and so I had to spend two days making them. Half of them sold within the first three weeks!
I then asked my nephew to mock up a website featuring the book, which he did for £200. Now, as well as having my novel on the shelves in two local bookstores, I also sell approximately five copies a week to people from all over the world who click onto my website called http://www.mirrorsinthesky.com
Believe it or not, I just sold my 100th copy and the book never even went near a publisher
Beat that!

]]> By: Bob Ragsdale http://www.publishingbasics.com/2007/08/22/publishing%e2%80%94the-raw-truth/comment-page-1/#comment-17531 Bob Ragsdale Thu, 06 Sep 2007 13:47:25 +0000 http://blog.selfpublishing.com/?p=207#comment-17531 Patrica, excellent insight and advice that I wish I would have tapped into earlier. I was blindly running towards publishing my book and getting printing quotes, then Ron Pramschufer from this site sent me a sample of the print quality I could expect from my order. The sample was <em> The Publishing Game: Publish a Book in 30 Days,</em> by Fern Reiss. Upon reading the book I have had to retrace many of my steps. Ultimately I will be in a much better place when I print and publish the book. Now I am devouring blogs like this for every insight I can lay my hands on.Thank you. If you are interested in seeing my progress, you can <a href="http://www.aardvarktongue.com/blog" rel="nofollow">track it here on my blog</a> for Sun-Dried Aardvark-Tongue Swizzle-Sticks. Patrica, excellent insight and advice that I wish I would have tapped into earlier. I was blindly running towards publishing my book and getting printing quotes, then Ron Pramschufer from this site sent me a sample of the print quality I could expect from my order. The sample was The Publishing Game: Publish a Book in 30 Days, by Fern Reiss. Upon reading the book I have had to retrace many of my steps. Ultimately I will be in a much better place when I print and publish the book. Now I am devouring blogs like this for every insight I can lay my hands on.Thank you. If you are interested in seeing my progress, you can track it here on my blog for Sun-Dried Aardvark-Tongue Swizzle-Sticks.

]]> By: Rose Rankin http://www.publishingbasics.com/2007/08/22/publishing%e2%80%94the-raw-truth/comment-page-1/#comment-17498 Rose Rankin Wed, 05 Sep 2007 21:04:33 +0000 http://blog.selfpublishing.com/?p=207#comment-17498 I thank you for the insight. I have been researching publishers for some time now and am about to venture into the world of being published or at least am hopeful. You have given me some helpful information. Thank you Rose Rankin I thank you for the insight. I have been researching publishers for some time now and am about to venture into the world of being published or at least am hopeful. You have given me some helpful information.
Thank you
Rose Rankin

]]> By: Carson Babbitt http://www.publishingbasics.com/2007/08/22/publishing%e2%80%94the-raw-truth/comment-page-1/#comment-17145 Carson Babbitt Tue, 28 Aug 2007 22:31:21 +0000 http://blog.selfpublishing.com/?p=207#comment-17145 I loved this artilcle and it really hit home to me. Unlike the movie Field of Dreams' memorable line " if you build it they will come", authors really need understand the importance of promotion. As Patricia points out, they need to establish a game plan. I loved this artilcle and it really hit home to me. Unlike the movie Field of Dreams’ memorable line ” if you build it they will come”, authors really need understand the importance of promotion. As Patricia points out, they need to establish a game plan.

]]> By: rajendar menen http://www.publishingbasics.com/2007/08/22/publishing%e2%80%94the-raw-truth/comment-page-1/#comment-17120 rajendar menen Tue, 28 Aug 2007 09:15:18 +0000 http://blog.selfpublishing.com/?p=207#comment-17120 You are quite right. But most writers are the shy and reserved types, and I believe that people of quality really don't seek the limelight. I also know that this doesn't work for them. They have to be market savvy. So a lot of good work goes unnoticed and a lot of crappy stuff finds the spotlight simply because it was advertised well. May I introduce my book -- Karma Sutra: Esays From the Margin -- to your readers. It is about street life in India; about sex workers, trafficking, drug abuse, and desolation. Published by Saga, it is available on Amazon and in Barnes and Noble outlets. Thanks for your time. Happy reading! You are quite right. But most writers are the shy and reserved types, and I believe that people of quality really don’t seek the limelight. I also know that this doesn’t work for them. They have to be market savvy. So a lot of good work goes unnoticed and a lot of crappy stuff finds the spotlight simply because it was advertised well. May I introduce my book — Karma Sutra: Esays From the Margin — to your readers. It is about street life in India; about sex workers, trafficking, drug abuse, and desolation. Published by Saga, it is available on Amazon and in Barnes and Noble outlets. Thanks for your time. Happy reading!

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