Well. So here I am again. These long absences of mine stem from having nothing good to say, nor any pressing news to share. If I have one or the other it seems worth it to post, but otherwise I won't bother.
Today I have something good to say, and the news, while not pressing, is at least news. I had a rare phone conversation with Sara, my agent, in which she said she loved my newest book, BVA. That's the news, that somebody loved my work. Lame, I know. But she's never said how she feels about my work one way or the other, so although the assumption is that of course she likes it or she wouldn't have represented me, it's nice to hear, out loud, that she kept sneaking away to read it, even though she was on vacation.
I wasn't sure she'd like it because it's so different from EG, the one that caught her eye in the first place. I was absolutely sure she'd tell me she couldn't represent it, but of course that was just my writer's neurosis kicking in. Or as Marta puts it, Melodramatic Mind.
So as soon as I correct all the typos she found, it'll be going to the editors who've requested it. *sighs in relief*
Speaking of EG, I've thought about publishing it through a small e-publisher to gain some traction, if only in my mind. It's basically done, because even if a publisher buys BVA, EG is so different it's unlikely the same person would pick it up. Sara's advice was to go for it, but not to sign any rights away. This eliminates any publishing company, small or not, because they will want to have a contract for 2-3 years or forever. If EG caught a big publisher's interest while the electronic rights were tied up, they probably wouldn't touch it no matter how much they loved it.
So that leaves self-epublishing, as Dane just did with his short story collection. I just don't know if I want to work that hard.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
But it's NOT hard! That's the thing. EG would be a snap to mark-up, and I bet Ian would be able to put together a cover for it if you asked. Or someone on dA would for a small fee (or just the exposure, sometimes). Or I could, but I don't know what your opinion is of my graphics artwork.
ReplyDeleteStill, it's very easy to do. VERY easy. I can walk you through it whenever you want. Just say the word.
What's it gonna hurt? Worst case, it doesn't sell -- just like now. Best case, it sells millions and opens the door for you. ;) No harm except not trying, I say. :)
I'm sure I could get it all formatted and everything, but that's when the hard part begins: marketing. Another thing I'm thinking of is re-working the whole book, adding about 30k words, and if I publish it now, there will always be that old version floating around...Just a lot to think about. I AM thinking about it, though. :) And btw, I like your graphics artwork, and your regular artwork.
ReplyDeleteOh I think getting EG up on Amazon like what Darc just did would be a ton of fun! It's been really exciting - at least for me, heheh. ;) Nah, it has been for him too, but he's the one who'd done all the work part, I just get to watch, and do the plugs when I can.
ReplyDeleteWhat would you do different in EG?
I think it's awesome that your agent said that. Seriously, how much of an ego boost is that?! :D
Yeah, I'm almost up to normal ego level now. Of course, this morning I've been sinking again. I guess no amount of praise will ever make me feel like I have talent. :)
ReplyDeleteWith EG, there's a lot of material I was going to use for the rest of the series, and I want to add it to make a stand-alone book. It would bring it up to 100k or so, a much better length for a fantasy novel.
Oooh, please keep us posted on the status of BVA. When I was reading on Yeller's authors website I ADORED that story. I'd buy it in a heartbeat, just to see how you finished it!!
ReplyDeleteWell thanks, that makes my day! I'll definitely keep you posted. Just don't get too antsy about it, because it seems like everything surrounding this book takes a looooong time. lol
ReplyDeleteI think everything surrounding books in general takes a long time- part of why the publishing industry is going to go through a major upheaval, IMO. Maybe part of your reluctance with EG is a feeling like it's not truly relevant to your writing goals any more? I know when I finish something and go on to something else, it's very hard for me to ever feel as engaged again. I'm sure you'll figure out what's best for you.
ReplyDeleteI felt disconnected from it for a while, but lately I've been thinking it would be fun to go ahead with the sequels or put it all into one long book. I like the world and the characters, even if it is different from what I write now. I think my reluctance to self-pub comes from not wanting to shoot myself in the foot. I want it to have a life in print, and I don't want to mess that up.
ReplyDeleteWhen you hear stories about the waste and inefficiency in traditional publishing it makes you wonder how they stayed in business all these years. The toppling of the business kind of sucks for all of us who see that as the brass ring, seeing it get farther and farther away...Maybe from now on all midlist authors will be in e-formats only, and only breakout hits will be in hardback.