Getting Published - Your Questions Answered

**sullivan_riyria** · October 18th, 2011, 10:13 PM

Originally Posted by InfinityKgt

thank you. Thats what i wanted to know. I dont have the editor/wife. Nor many friends that read SF/F, or even read fiction

Makes it difficult at times. I do appreciate your reply tho.

In that case I would suggest going to goodreads there are many authors there (and authors groups) that you could possible trade a critique with. You could even find readers of books similar to yours and ask them if they would like a free beta copy.

**MrBF1V3** · October 18th, 2011, 11:00 PM

Actually there are people at this site I trade beta reads with, there are those who can field dress a paragraph in less than thirty seconds. I usually try to get at least four opinions from various venues--six is better.

Great work isn't written, it's rewritten.

**sullivan_riyria** · October 19th, 2011, 07:58 AM

Originally Posted by MrBF1V3

Actually there are people at this site I trade beta reads with, there are those who can field dress a paragraph in less than thirty seconds. I usually try to get at least four opinions from various venues--six is better.

Great work isn't written, it's rewritten.

Is there a post where people volunteer to be beta readers? A link might help.

**KatG** · October 19th, 2011, 09:05 PM

No, we don't do it that way. You can ask for feedback and people can PM you if they are interested. We ask that you not do site links in the request.

**InfinityKgt** · October 27th, 2011, 11:04 PM

I have only recently been investigating the Epub scene (i really knew nothing about it) what i see makes me wonder if a newbie with only one book to offer should really be querying agents for a traditional publisher or should i be looking instead at smashwords or the kindle direct pub program to start out. Seems like alot of people got a start with Epub. I dont want to be a query quitter though.

Any thoughts? What are the pros and cons to each approach?

**PeteMC** · October 28th, 2011, 02:59 AM

Don't forget there are plenty of smaller publishers (both print and e-pub) that will accept unagented submissions so if you don't want to go the agent route it doesn't mean self-publishing is your only alternative.

**sullivan_riyria** · October 28th, 2011, 05:14 AM

Originally Posted by InfinityKgt

I have only recently been investigating the Epub scene (i really knew nothing about it) what i see makes me wonder if a newbie with only one book to offer should really be querying agents for a traditional publisher or should i be looking instead at smashwords or the kindle direct pub program to start out. Seems like alot of people got a start with Epub. I dont want to be a query quitter though.

Any thoughts? What are the pros and cons to each approach?

Short post - but many points to make.

Number of books: It is difficult to be an epublihsing success story with just one book - I found the magic number to be 3.
If you have "something" out there you can start to build a following...but it will also take time away from your writing
I'm not sure they are "mutually exclusive" - you can have it out AND query. Although as per #1 - I think sales will be on the "smallish" side

Bottom line - a lot comes down to what you are looking for and how fast you write. Having one book out in epublishing really shouldn't "hurt" anything but I also don't think you'll be raking in the cash with it either.

**sullivan_riyria** · October 28th, 2011, 05:22 AM

Originally Posted by PeteMC

Don't forget there are plenty of smaller publishers (both print and e-pub) that will accept unagented submissions so if you don't want to go the agent route it doesn't mean self-publishing is your only alternative.

Yes exactly. My wife runs a small press and she has multiple authors "making a living wage" from their income from Ridan Publishing. The changes that have made self-publishing a profitable choice (Distribution channels, electronic books, print on demand) has also changed the fate for the small presses. When I was first published through AMI (another small press) I sold out of my first printing but only made $3000. The sales through Ridan Publishing (my wife's small press) was several hundred thousands over a few years.
If you are investigating a small press - I suggest you look at the Amazon ranking of some of their titles to see if they are selling well. If rankings in the 100 - 1000 range they are very successful. 1,000 - 10,000 Moderatrely successful. 10,000 - 50,000 selling okay. Anyone selling ebooks with a ranking above 50,000 is not selling very many books per month.

**PeteMC** · October 28th, 2011, 06:33 AM

Originally Posted by sullivan_riyria

Yes exactly. My wife runs a small press

A very nice website she has there too. Any idea when/if she's likely to re-open for subs?

**sullivan_riyria** · October 28th, 2011, 06:40 AM

Originally Posted by PeteMC

A very nice website she has there too. Any idea when/if she's likely to re-open for subs?

Definitely not until next year. I would say Aprilish...if all goes well. She has way to many projects in the hopper now.

**PeteMC** · October 28th, 2011, 07:59 AM

Better to be too busy than not busy enough! Cheers.

**kmtolan** · October 28th, 2011, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by PeteMC

Don't forget there are plenty of smaller publishers (both print and e-pub) that will accept unagented submissions so if you don't want to go the agent route it doesn't mean self-publishing is your only alternative.

I swear it never fails to amaze me that there is this seemingly blind spot - either its traditional publishing or self-publishing. Thanks for jumping in with what should be obvious, Pete.

Kerry

**InfinityKgt** · October 29th, 2011, 11:00 AM

Ill have to look into the small press thing and get up to speed on it as well. My newbie attitude was always go big or go home.

Looks like i need to get the other two books written if and before this is going to go anywhere. I always planned on a trilogy anyway. One of the most frustrating things about this other job is that every time you think your ready for pub, you find out your not.

**kmtolan** · October 29th, 2011, 03:02 PM

Originally Posted by InfinityKgt

Ill have to look into the small press thing and get up to speed on it as well. My newbie attitude was always go big or go home.

Looks like i need to get the other two books written if and before this is going to go anywhere. I always planned on a trilogy anyway. One of the most frustrating things about this other job is that every time you think your ready for pub, you find out your not.

Here's the deal about the small presses - they won't take you either unless they think they can make money off you. You pass muster with an outfit that generally rejects ninety-two percent of submissions and you will get your answer about being good enough. With razor-thin margins, these folks are seriously in it for the money just like the big boys are. No question that the e-pubs (reputable ones, of course) are like the Minor Leagues to the Big Six's Majors. It's better than sandlot baseball, though, if you get my drift. Being genuinely published, you have the credentials to get on panels and present agents with a track record at a future date.

On that series thingy - I just wrapped up a four-book series. I did not have to have all of them written prior to publishing the first - I just had to make sure the first book stood on its own with a proper enough ending that didn't disappoint (whilst hinting of more). If you can't sell the first, I wouldn't bother with the rest.

Kerry

**sullivan_riyria** · November 3rd, 2011, 07:15 AM

Originally Posted by InfinityKgt

Ill have to look into the small press thing and get up to speed on it as well. My newbie attitude was always go big or go home.

Looks like i need to get the other two books written if and before this is going to go anywhere. I always planned on a trilogy anyway. One of the most frustrating things about this other job is that every time you think your ready for pub, you find out your not.

I wouldn't classify small press as "settling"...it is just "different". They (small pressess) are a bit more long tail centric. They expect it to take a while to build an auidence so will promote and keep a title that is a bit longer in the tooth pretty active for longer.

Big-six publishing has much shorter windows. They want immediate success so you need to make a splash in 3 - 6 months or the next set of books will push yours out of the limelight as it were.

I know some authors who make more with small pressess then they do with big-six. If you have what you think is a "blockbuster" then by all means big-six is probably the right place to focus your attention. But if you think you have a "solid single" or "solid double" you might be better off in the long run with a slightly smaller press.