Getting Published

SweetJane · 05-28-2012, 01:32 PM

Julien,
Yes you can self-publish, but I'd avoid Amazon and look at a place like Star Publish.

My recommendation, though, is to find a small press and shop your book around. Most will respond in 8-10 weeks. And some places will take multiple submissions, meaning you shop it to more than one publisher at the same time.

You should have the book completed. Most publishers won't even consider a book idea or an incomplete manuscript.

Non-fiction is hard to sell to a publisher but, depending on the book and the publisher, you can often get a contract. Poetry is the hardest to sell.

Though I have all my books at Amazon (through a small independent publishing house), I ALWAYS tell people to go to directly to my publisher's bookstore and avoid Amazon. Authors get a bigger cut of the pie and so does the publishing house than when we go through Amazon. My publisher places books in every conceivable distribution network out there in the US and Canada. But the publisher's bookstore has ALL of the formats you would get at Amazon (for Kindle), Barnes & Nobel (for Nook), and the generic epub format for Sony eReaders and others like it. It also offers a PDF. Some of our books are also available in print.

Amazon isn't very author or publisher friendly. It now has a return policy for ebooks. Why? Makes no friggin' sense. If the file is damaged, then replace it. But they encourage people to abuse the system by offering that.

It's just a word of caution from someone who's been there.

SweetJane · 05-28-2012, 01:33 PM

Lady Di,

I'm in NM. We should compare notes sometime.

Julien · 05-28-2012, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SweetJane

Julien,
Yes you can self-publish, but I'd avoid Amazon and look at a place like Star Publish.

My recommendation, though, is to find a small press and shop your book around. Most will respond in 8-10 weeks. And some places will take multiple submissions, meaning you shop it to more than one publisher at the same time.

You should have the book completed. Most publishers won't even consider a book idea or an incomplete manuscript.

Non-fiction is hard to sell to a publisher but, depending on the book and the publisher, you can often get a contract. Poetry is the hardest to sell.

Though I have all my books at Amazon (through a small independent publishing house), I ALWAYS tell people to go to directly to my publisher's bookstore and avoid Amazon. Authors get a bigger cut of the pie and so does the publishing house than when we go through Amazon. My publisher places books in every conceivable distribution network out there in the US and Canada. But the publisher's bookstore has ALL of the formats you would get at Amazon (for Kindle), Barnes & Nobel (for Nook), and the generic epub format for Sony eReaders and others like it. It also offers a PDF. Some of our books are also available in print.

Amazon isn't very author or publisher friendly. It now has a return policy for ebooks. Why? Makes no friggin' sense. If the file is damaged, then replace it. But they encourage people to abuse the system by offering that.

It's just a word of caution from someone who's been there.

SweetJane,
Thank you so much for the information about self-publishing and places like Amazon. I do have a completed manuscript, I just have to tweak and revise one chapter to include _Albert Nobbs_ book and film. My conclusions I made in the original chapter still holds true for this film. So my work isn't too difficult to do. I'll be sure to let the thread know how it goes, good or not so good. Thanks again for you information and support.

Julien

Julien · 05-29-2012, 02:48 PM

Here is the link to the U.S.Copyright Office. There is so much useful information here. The fee for electronic filing is $35, not as much as I thought it would be.

http://www.copyright.gov/

Julien · 06-02-2012, 05:19 AM

Just an update, sent my query letter to the publisher. Now it is time for the waiting game and hopefully I will get a request for more information at the least or my manuscript at the best. Wish me luck.

Julien · 06-08-2012, 04:27 PM

Hello to all the writers on the Planet,
Today I wanted to work on my manuscript and hit a brick wall for lack of inspiration to not just write, but as what do say. I did finish working on a chapter of my book so that is good. I will go back and reread it with a clearer head, hopefully, tomorrow. I am trying to write every day good or bad, so I can keep up the momentum. Needless to say that was not the case today and it was very difficult. As writers, do you have any suggestions as to regaining your inspiration to write and be creative? Some days it is so difficult to find the right word, and today was that day.
Thank you for any words of support/suggestions that you might have.
Julien

Glenn · 07-02-2012, 08:02 AM

Hiya Folks; What do you know? I am almost finished with my first book, an LGBT children's book, and am almost clueless about how to market this. Are there many out there? I know publishing a children's book like this can be scandalous and risky for big-time publishers, but I really believe in this book and would appreciate any leads/info about the marketing and graphic design of an LGBT children's book. I suppose I'll have to start with giving a few private readings of it, and I'll have to draw the pictures myself to see how the kids like it lol, but someone may steal my idea. Please advise.

Canela · 07-02-2012, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glenn

Hiya Folks; What do you know? I am almost finished with my first book, an LGBT children's book, and am almost clueless about how to market this. Are there many out there? I know publishing a children's book like this can be scandalous and risky for big-time publishers, but I really believe in this book and would appreciate any leads/info about the marketing and graphic design of an LGBT children's book. I suppose I'll have to start with giving a few private readings of it, and I'll have to draw the pictures myself to see how the kids like it lol, but someone may steal my idea. Please advise.

Copyright it before you show it. No matter what art you use, you'll want to protect your creation before all else. Just my.02.....

Bleu · 07-02-2012, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julien

Hello to all the writers on the Planet,
Today I wanted to work on my manuscript and hit a brick wall for lack of inspiration to not just write, but as what do say. I did finish working on a chapter of my book so that is good. I will go back and reread it with a clearer head, hopefully, tomorrow. I am trying to write every day good or bad, so I can keep up the momentum. Needless to say that was not the case today and it was very difficult. As writers, do you have any suggestions as to regaining your inspiration to write and be creative? Some days it is so difficult to find the right word, and today was that day.
Thank you for any words of support/suggestions that you might have.
Julien

Julien,
One word often inspires me. I keep a notebook with lists of words that I hear or come across while reading that inspired me at the moment or that I have some sense will inspire me later. Here is a quick sample of my current list:

cropped
frustrate
amber
coney
prudent
metallic
kneel

When I am really stuck I start looking up the words on my list and often go to the second meaning. I often go back and change these words later during an edit. But, the point, even if that word gives too stong an air of melodrama it is, at the time, simply an accelerant for the next phrase, sentence, paragraph. That word just helps keep my fire burning.

Hope this helps a little...

~Bleu

Julien · 07-02-2012, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bleu

Julien,
One word often inspires me. I keep a notebook with lists of words that I hear or come across while reading that inspired me at the moment or that I have some sense will inspire me later. Here is a quick sample of my current list:

cropped
frustrate
amber
coney
prudent
metallic
kneel

When I am really stuck I start looking up the words on my list and often go to the second meaning. I often go back and change these words later during an edit. But, the point, even if that word gives too stong an air of melodrama it is, at the time, simply an accelerant for the next phrase, sentence, paragraph. That word just helps keep my fire burning.

Hope this helps a little...

~Bleu

Bleu,
That is a great idea. Thank you I will give it a try. I am big in to reading and that will help me I'm sure. I looked up the word sapiosexuality today and learned a new word. It got me thinking about the ways in which we are attracted to one another. Just my own abbreviated version to your idea.

Julien

05-29-2012, 02:48 PM	#4
Julien Member How Do You Identify?: TG/GenderQueer Preferred Pronoun?: I'm flexible, but only up to a point. Relationship Status: Single Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Alabama, Gulf Coast area Posts: 1,007 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 2,247 Thanked 2,702 Times in 737 Posts Rep Power: 21474853	U.S. Copyright Office info Here is the link to the U.S.Copyright Office. There is so much useful information here. The fee for electronic filing is $35, not as much as I thought it would be. http://www.copyright.gov/ __________________ Julien “Self-plagiarism is style.” Alfred Hitchcock Formerly known as Graphiteta2s

06-02-2012, 05:19 AM	#5
Julien Member How Do You Identify?: TG/GenderQueer Preferred Pronoun?: I'm flexible, but only up to a point. Relationship Status: Single Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Alabama, Gulf Coast area Posts: 1,007 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 2,247 Thanked 2,702 Times in 737 Posts Rep Power: 21474853	Just an update, sent my query letter to the publisher. Now it is time for the waiting game and hopefully I will get a request for more information at the least or my manuscript at the best. Wish me luck. __________________ Julien “Self-plagiarism is style.” Alfred Hitchcock Formerly known as Graphiteta2s

06-08-2012, 04:27 PM	#6
Julien Member How Do You Identify?: TG/GenderQueer Preferred Pronoun?: I'm flexible, but only up to a point. Relationship Status: Single Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Alabama, Gulf Coast area Posts: 1,007 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 2,247 Thanked 2,702 Times in 737 Posts Rep Power: 21474853	Hello to all the writers on the Planet, Today I wanted to work on my manuscript and hit a brick wall for lack of inspiration to not just write, but as what do say. I did finish working on a chapter of my book so that is good. I will go back and reread it with a clearer head, hopefully, tomorrow. I am trying to write every day good or bad, so I can keep up the momentum. Needless to say that was not the case today and it was very difficult. As writers, do you have any suggestions as to regaining your inspiration to write and be creative? Some days it is so difficult to find the right word, and today was that day. Thank you for any words of support/suggestions that you might have. Julien __________________ Julien “Self-plagiarism is style.” Alfred Hitchcock Formerly known as Graphiteta2s

05-28-2012, 01:32 PM	#1
SweetJane Member How Do You Identify?: stone femme Preferred Pronoun?: she Relationship Status: always solo Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: New Mexico Posts: 368 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 380 Thanked 815 Times in 198 Posts Rep Power: 4309957	Julien, Yes you can self-publish, but I'd avoid Amazon and look at a place like Star Publish. My recommendation, though, is to find a small press and shop your book around. Most will respond in 8-10 weeks. And some places will take multiple submissions, meaning you shop it to more than one publisher at the same time. You should have the book completed. Most publishers won't even consider a book idea or an incomplete manuscript. Non-fiction is hard to sell to a publisher but, depending on the book and the publisher, you can often get a contract. Poetry is the hardest to sell. Though I have all my books at Amazon (through a small independent publishing house), I ALWAYS tell people to go to directly to my publisher's bookstore and avoid Amazon. Authors get a bigger cut of the pie and so does the publishing house than when we go through Amazon. My publisher places books in every conceivable distribution network out there in the US and Canada. But the publisher's bookstore has ALL of the formats you would get at Amazon (for Kindle), Barnes & Nobel (for Nook), and the generic epub format for Sony eReaders and others like it. It also offers a PDF. Some of our books are also available in print. Amazon isn't very author or publisher friendly. It now has a return policy for ebooks. Why? Makes no friggin' sense. If the file is damaged, then replace it. But they encourage people to abuse the system by offering that. It's just a word of caution from someone who's been there.

05-28-2012, 01:33 PM	#2
SweetJane Member How Do You Identify?: stone femme Preferred Pronoun?: she Relationship Status: always solo Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: New Mexico Posts: 368 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 380 Thanked 815 Times in 198 Posts Rep Power: 4309957	Lady Di, I'm in NM. We should compare notes sometime.

07-02-2012, 08:02 AM	#7
Glenn Senior Member How Do You Identify?: Dear ol butch bones. Preferred Pronoun?: Old G Relationship Status: Too old to play. Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: :rolleyes: Posts: 1,547 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 3,601 Thanked 3,729 Times in 1,095 Posts Rep Power: 21474853	Hiya Folks; What do you know? I am almost finished with my first book, an LGBT children's book, and am almost clueless about how to market this. Are there many out there? I know publishing a children's book like this can be scandalous and risky for big-time publishers, but I really believe in this book and would appreciate any leads/info about the marketing and graphic design of an LGBT children's book. I suppose I'll have to start with giving a few private readings of it, and I'll have to draw the pictures myself to see how the kids like it lol, but someone may steal my idea. Please advise.