I was really interested to hear why you took the self-pub route instead of trying to publish it. I think that's a really great strategy. If nothing else... hey, you wrote a book. You wrote a book!
But the self-pub strategy really appeals to me after last month's tweets from the woman who works as a literary agent... she "live-tweeted" as she read through queries from about 90 authors. Of the 90, five made it to the next cut, where she asks for a partial manuscript. So 85 were either "pass" (got a form rejection letter) or "detailed pass" (got a rejection letter that actually provided some feedback as to why they rejected it).
That's a 94.5% failure rate JUST TO GET THEM TO READ A PARTIAL MANUSCRIPT.
Some of her tweets reveal her thought process: Next in #millionqueries, a massive flashback starts the novel. Pass.
Next in #millionqueries, there are some funny lines but overall, this isn't drawing me in. Detailed pass.
Next in #millionqueries a mystery w/ an OK premise, but in first page protag wakes up AND goes to the mirror to describe themselves. :( Pass
Next in #millionqueries: comedic thriller? I think? Opening pages are jokey and not at all my thing, pass.
Yeah... I think self-pubbing may be the right call.
I do like the book, or rather, the excerpts, and I'm more than happy to throw my pennies behind my favorite living author.
ReplyDeleteJust gotta get the pennies together first. I hope you catch the break your book needs.
Now THAT should sell the book.
ReplyDeleteI also have the book in hand... well, figuratively in hand. It's at home on a book shelf. I'm looking forward to diving in soon.
ReplyDeleteI was really interested to hear why you took the self-pub route instead of trying to publish it. I think that's a really great strategy. If nothing else... hey, you wrote a book. You wrote a book!
ReplyDeleteBut the self-pub strategy really appeals to me after last month's tweets from the woman who works as a literary agent... she "live-tweeted" as she read through queries from about 90 authors. Of the 90, five made it to the next cut, where she asks for a partial manuscript. So 85 were either "pass" (got a form rejection letter) or "detailed pass" (got a rejection letter that actually provided some feedback as to why they rejected it).
That's a 94.5% failure rate JUST TO GET THEM TO READ A PARTIAL MANUSCRIPT.
Some of her tweets reveal her thought process:
Next in #millionqueries, a massive flashback starts the novel. Pass.
Next in #millionqueries, there are some funny lines but overall, this isn't drawing me in. Detailed pass.
Next in #millionqueries a mystery w/ an OK premise, but in first page protag wakes up AND goes to the mirror to describe themselves. :( Pass
Next in #millionqueries: comedic thriller? I think? Opening pages are jokey and not at all my thing, pass.
Yeah... I think self-pubbing may be the right call.
Yeah. I love that, "...not at all my thing ..."
ReplyDeleteBut then, people who write jokey comedic thrillers are liable to drink on tours.
Congrats, man. Gotta give props to those willing to write and edit a book, let alone publish the thing. Good luck!
ReplyDelete