Truth In Fiction

"This book is fiction, but there is always a chance that such a work of fiction may throw some light on what has been written as fact."

--Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast

Self-publishing VS Traditional

If I were writing a book, I would seriously consider self-publishing.

Self-published books outnumber traditionally published books by about 500,000 in 2009.
It lost the stigma of "Vanity" press a long time ago.

There are three BIG differences in the two options.

1. Time


2. Money


3. Control

Self-publishing

• Self-published books go out in about six months. The writer pays all the costs but the writer also gets to KEEP all the profits. The writer has complete control over everything that goes in the book and on the cover.

• Traditional publishers get books out in about a year, sometimes longer. The writer spends nothing but the writer receives only a small portion of the profit. The writer rarely has any control over the edits or the cover.

Does Indie Publishing Make Sense?

Do you know Snooki? She's one of the stars on Jersey Shore and by her own admission not much of a reader (she admits to reading two books). Apparently Simon & Schuster (you know THE Simon & Schuster) saw something in this young, lightly lived, reality TV star when they offered her a publishing contract. Okay she has racked up more experiences than most other young women her age ... but she is only twenty-two. And okay they assigned a co-writer to the project but what is the message here for the hardworking, dedicated writer looking for a read? Is it always about money? Profit? Well, yes I guess it is. Publishing is big business.

It is also a rapidly changing market. Big time.

Laura Miller, a senior writer (and co-founder) at Salon.com wrote:

When Anyone Can Be A Published Author last June 22, 2010.

Here is the lead:

When their former dictator, Augusto Pinochet, died four years ago, thousands of Chileans poured into the streets to celebrate -- but that's small potatoes compared to the crowds lining up to dance on the grave of traditional book publishing. The industry, we're forever being told, is antiquated and hidebound; it doesn't know how to spot great books or how to deliver them to readers. Fortunately, a tsunami of sparkling new technology is just about to hit those old fogies, washing them from the face of the earth so that the people who know what they're doing can finally take over. (great article!)

Well, turns out she was correct. Did you know that Barry Eisler reportedly walked away from a $500,000.00 advance from St Martin's Press? "I know it'll seem crazy to a lot of people," said Barry, "but based on what's happening in the industry, and based on the kind of experience writers are having in self-publishing, I think I can do better in the long term on my own."

Mr Eisler has been making lots and lots of money for a decade now writing bestselling novels (think - Inside Out, Fault Line, Requiem For An Assassin). The idea to self-pub came from his eleven-year-old daughter one evening during dinner. After doing the math he decided to follow her advice.

A former member of the CIA's covert operations team, Barry Eisler is happy with his decision.

Amanda Hocking knows a thing or two about self-publishing. Amanda writes young-adult paranormal novels and sells them by the hundreds, thousands online at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. By the end of December 2010 she had sold 164,000 novels (priced between 99 cents to $2.99 per digital download). January (2011) she sold an additional 450,000 copies of her nine titles.

In a USA Today interview Ms. Hocking had this to say: "I can't really say that I would have been more successful if I'd gone with a traditional publisher. But I know this is working really well for me."

For every $2.99 e-Book she sells, she keeps 70%, and for every 99 cent novel she sells, she keeps 30%.

H.P. Mallory, another self-published paranormal e-novelist, has sold 70,000+ copies of her e-Book in just six months. Her books are so successful Random House took notice and offered her a three-book contract. "Selling e-Books on Kindle and Nook basically changed my life," Mallory say. "I never would have gotten where I am today without them."

And Amanda Hocking? Last month she received a $2 million dollar, 4-book deal with ... St Martin's Press.

Will Indies' and e-Books kill book publishing? No one knows for sure. But ask yourself this: Why do I write? If the answer is to make money you at least owe yourself time to consider the options ... all the options.


Thoughts?

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Core Clarification On A Few Competencies

Story Engineering author Larry Brooks responds to reviewers on his website StoryFix.com http://storyfix.com/ .

Story Engineering Is A Must!

Author Larry Brook asks the question "does the world need another book about writing?" After reading this one my answer is definitely ... yes!

-Story Engineering "shows the storyteller what to write, where to put it, and why it works there without any of it being remotely formulaic." And any writer (beginner or seasoned) should know and practice the adage - show, do not tell.

-Using 6 core competencies (think concept, character, theme, structure, scene execution, writing voice) Mr Brooks takes the would-be novelist by the hand and guides them through the entire process ... "Step by excruciating step." Using well-known novels, popular TV shows and movies as examples the writer is taught what works and what doesn't. Working as a community writing instructor for fifteen years I know what writers need to write their first or next novel and this book delivers.

-"Nobody on the planet teaches story structure better than Larry Brooks. Nobody," says Randy Ingermanson, and he should know he wrote the book Writing Fiction For Dummies and is the creator of the snowflake method.

-The chapter on wrapping your head around theme is a must read (I judge all writing how-to books on whether they have an index - a necessity in my opinion and how the author handles the subject of theme.)

- Story Engineering will help the future novelist reach their goal and help save time doing it.

-This one goes on the keeper shelf.
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Crazy About Georgia Bottoms

Author Mark Childress* stopped by Books & Books in Coral Gables Florida last evening to talk about his latest novel, Georgia Bottoms (2011 Little Brown). Georgia (think Southern Belle, not the town) makes ends meet by entertaining the pillars of her small town Alabama community ... and she does it with style and graceful cunning. Each man (the bank president, doctor, preacher, publisher) gets one night a week in bed with the gorgeous and good-hearted Miss Bottoms. But when Saturday's date, Preacher Eugene stands before the congregation on that first Sundaqy ready to confess the affair Georgia does what any "Scarlett" would do ... she stands up and faints. The author is a master at writing dialogue and pacing. The story is just plain fun to read.

-Mark sat amongst the attendees and told stories ... about great Southern fiction writers like Harper Lee (who responds to each request for an appearance with a bold "Hell no!" often written with a green felt-tip pen) and Margaret Mitchell who was so determined to save herself she left her elderly, doddering husband standing in the middle of the Atlanta street and dashed for the curb. A fatal error. Mark wrote the script for Crazy In Alabama (based on his 1993 best-selling novel), and the dialogue for John Travolta in The General's Daughter.

-During the book signings a father asked that the novel be autographed for his daughter adding he thought Georgia would be a good role model. Role model? If you love Southern fiction, GB is definitely a role model or as Anne Lamott said "... she's an inspired creation who grows before our eyes.

-Georgia Bottoms received a starred review from both Publishers Weekly and Kirkus. The novel is as compelling and devious as it's main character and I highly recommend it.

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*(Crazy In Alabama, One Mississippi)

William F. Buckley, A Book Review

William F. Buckley
Christian Encounters Series
by Jeremy Lott

The late William F. Buckley: popular TV host (Firing Line), editor (National Review), author (50+ books and novels), nationally syndicated columnist (On The Right), Roman Catholic and well-known conservative with a distinctive voice is the subject of Thomas Nelson's Christian Encounters Series. One of ten children born into a wealthy family, WFB was well-educated, wrote his first book, God and Man at Yale, soon after graduating, worked for the CIA, ran unsuccessfully for mayor of New York, was perhaps best known for his political and religious views (he was a life-long Roman Catholic).

Author Jeremy Lott does an excellent (and even-handed) job of introducing the reader to the man known for speaking his mind ... forcefully, often and eloquently. At the end Mr Lott provides a useful bibliography for those readers who want to know more about this fascinating, faithful man of the 20th century.

Disclosure: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their book review bloggers program Book Sneeze. While I greatly appreciate and value this relationship with the publisher, this review is based solely on my reading and review of the book. This disclosure is in accordance with Federal Trade Commission guidelines concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising.