Malik
Auror
That, they do.
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Self Publishing: Interested?
- Thread starter Righmath
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Demesnedenoir
Vala
That would raise the temptation, it hits a lot of the award-winning notes for the current atmosphere in publishing.
Malik
Auror
It really does. This is why my agent--who, again, reps indies--went straight to the big kids with it, and why three of them refuse to say "no," while still not saying "yes." It hits all the notes, but their big concern is that there's nothing else like it out there. (They're wrong; there is one indie series that has sold a gazillion copies on the sole premise of "Army Rangers vs. Orcs." That's it; that's the whole plot. I think it's on the ninth book, now, with thousands of reviews for each one.)
Anyway, somebody, somewhere, needs to grow a pair. I'm starting to think it might as well be me.
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Demesnedenoir
Vala
pmmg
Vala
NVM, Special Operations Force.
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Malik
Auror
Back then--this was 2016--I believe it was around six grand.
I was in the black probably 12 months after launch with around 5,000 sales.
pmmg
Vala
Malik, from what you wrote above, you second book is not out yet?
>No, success is freedom.
I read that as "no success is freedom"
which I take as both true and profound. All forms of success come with so many strings attached it looks like kite day at the beach. I'd say you choose yer poison and takes yer chances, but in this game you don't get to know what you drank until well into the drinking.
I read that as "no success is freedom"
which I take as both true and profound. All forms of success come with so many strings attached it looks like kite day at the beach. I'd say you choose yer poison and takes yer chances, but in this game you don't get to know what you drank until well into the drinking.
Malik
Auror
Apologies. Editing for clarity.
Series One: Books 1 & 2 are out. Book 3 is under heavy revision, hopefully out next year if I can get the money together. As I mentioned in another thread, Book 2 was heavily pirated and the receipts were disappointing.
Series Two: Book 1 is on subs. Book 2 is almost through the outline phase.
Demesnedenoir
Vala
Ah, that's what I was beginning to pick up on, but I wasn't sure if the Sub was book 3 or a new series.
I went insane at one point, started working on a prequel, The Contessa (a stand-beside), and Book 4 at the same time... That was fubar. I had to drop the prequel work and refocus or go insane, heh heh.
I went insane at one point, started working on a prequel, The Contessa (a stand-beside), and Book 4 at the same time... That was fubar. I had to drop the prequel work and refocus or go insane, heh heh.
Malik
Auror
Just to confuse things more, I may release Book 1 of Series 2 as Book 3 of the whole thing, and add a couple of tie-in references. It would be very easy. Of course, then it would ultimately be a 15-book series spanning 30 years with multiple plot lines, but hey. Epic Fantasy.
Demesnedenoir
Vala
Don't even get me started on book pirating. I even had one SOB contact me to say how much he enjoyed Whispers of Ghosts and admitted he pirated it after we got to talking... Hopefully, he actually went and bought it after that.
It's hard as hell to track that shit down, maybe the new AI we'll prove helpful there.
It's hard as hell to track that shit down, maybe the new AI we'll prove helpful there.
Myth WeaverPirating is something I probably don't have to worry about.
That said, starting in April, I'm going to try the 'book a month' thing for a while - polishing up and publishing a pile of my novella length stories, with a few new ones tossed into the mix. Probably around 100-150 pages per book, with 1-4 stories per book.
That said, starting in April, I'm going to try the 'book a month' thing for a while - polishing up and publishing a pile of my novella length stories, with a few new ones tossed into the mix. Probably around 100-150 pages per book, with 1-4 stories per book.
Prince of Spires
Auror
The discussion here reminded me about another aspect in the discussion that often gets forgotten. It doesn't need to be an either / or choice. Of course, for any given novel, you can only pick one. But there is nothing stopping you from publishing one novel with a trad publisher and going indie with the next.
Most writers these days, once they get going publish a lot of work. One or two a year is on the low end. Which means that if you're 10 years into the future you can easily have 20 novels out there. No reason to all publish them in the same way. Some works work better indie, while others do better traditionally published.
2 things to be aware of: If you get an agent, make sure they only get paid for work they do. Some agents have contracts that grant them a % of everything you publish. Everything includes indie works that have taken them no work at all. Don't do that (unless you like giving money away of course...).
And secondly, it's common for publishers to include rights of first refusal in contracts. Make sure you limit those as well, both in time and in to which works they get the right to first refusal. You don't want a situation where they can consider a work for a few years before saying no. And only grant this right to works in the same series. Otherwise you'll be tying yourself to a single publisher who can do whatever they want with your works.
Most writers these days, once they get going publish a lot of work. One or two a year is on the low end. Which means that if you're 10 years into the future you can easily have 20 novels out there. No reason to all publish them in the same way. Some works work better indie, while others do better traditionally published.
2 things to be aware of: If you get an agent, make sure they only get paid for work they do. Some agents have contracts that grant them a % of everything you publish. Everything includes indie works that have taken them no work at all. Don't do that (unless you like giving money away of course...).
And secondly, it's common for publishers to include rights of first refusal in contracts. Make sure you limit those as well, both in time and in to which works they get the right to first refusal. You don't want a situation where they can consider a work for a few years before saying no. And only grant this right to works in the same series. Otherwise you'll be tying yourself to a single publisher who can do whatever they want with your works.
Demesnedenoir
Vala
There is much sneakiness in tying up people's work. There is one clause that (from what I understand) gets snuck in along the first-refusal lines which would technically be able to be fought and overturned, but of course, few authors have the depth of pocket for lawyers that the publishers do, heh heh. I don't think they use it, but it's like a cudgel sitting there.
Another form of hybrid is to use the publishers for print and to keep the audio rights. It seems I heard that Rowling has her own audio rights. That's a boom baby! when you can keep those as a successful writer. It's morning, my brain is blank, but one hybrid author was threatening not to sign with a pub because he wanted the audio rights. That fight makes sense on both ends.
For one miracle month, I made $1000+ on audio, and I'm puny. What a Sanderson or King could pull in with their audio rights would be insane.
Another form of hybrid is to use the publishers for print and to keep the audio rights. It seems I heard that Rowling has her own audio rights. That's a boom baby! when you can keep those as a successful writer. It's morning, my brain is blank, but one hybrid author was threatening not to sign with a pub because he wanted the audio rights. That fight makes sense on both ends.
For one miracle month, I made $1000+ on audio, and I'm puny. What a Sanderson or King could pull in with their audio rights would be insane.
pmmg
Vala
Generally speaking, the more onerous or unreasonable a clause is, the more likely it can be fought, but best not to be in that position in the first place.
Prince of Spires
Auror
She did, the same with electronic rights by the way. When she originally published (in the 90's) neither ebooks nor audiobooks were a thing, so she was able to retain those rights. As a result, there have been some years where Rowling was actually selling enough ebooks to be noticable as a category in ebook genres and publishers.
Another result of that was of course that publishers tend to take hold of those rights now. I can imagine it's very hard these days (as a beginning author) to only sell your print rights. Most of them would take print, ebook and audio. And given the power imbalance, these tend to be take it or leave it kind of negotiations.
Demesnedenoir
Vala
No doubt about that!
It was Michael Sullivan who I saw discussing his fight to keep audio rights from his publisher after selling them the first time around, amongst other topics.
It was Michael Sullivan who I saw discussing his fight to keep audio rights from his publisher after selling them the first time around, amongst other topics.
