What's the New Self-publishing Trend?

I think we're all aware of the self-publishing e-book trend that is taking the industry by storm at the present. It really had it's beginning roots in POD (print on demand), which really began to take off over a decade ago. The technology allowed just about anyone to set up a publishing company and print books to order, rather than using the more expensive offset, which requires some hefty capital upfront to print hundreds, if not thousands of books. Amazon and other vendors came along with a process by which any writer/author could format their books electronically and list them for sale online, while giving up a percentage of the cut. As a result, we are seeing a tidal wave of new authors, a veritable blitzkrieg of material hitting the electronic marketplace. Everything, it seems, it fair game: poetry, scripts, fan knockoffs, public domain, non-fiction, novels, memoirs, short stories, novellas and novelettes.

Unfortunately (or fortunately), depending upon how you look at this trend, the end is not in sight. In my opinion, it can only get worse, with the addition of millions of more books vying for attention in an already crowded marketplace. One of the biggest industries that has resulted as an offshoot of e-book self-publishing has been the emergence of small and large companies who provide formatting and cover art services. These services can range anywhere from $79.95 on up to $400 and more. Equally compelled to take advantage are the marketing, publicity and promotion outfits that offer packages designed to create a buzz and get your books reviewed and noticed, by literally spamming the WWW. The alternative to making these types of investments, of course, lies with the writer-author who wishes to handle the preparation, editing, and marketing themselves, which is a full-time job, by the way, with no guarantees that they will sell enough books to recoup their invested labor time. And you can take it from me, promoting and marketing a book is a full-time job that will have you pulling your hair out and stealing your valuable writing time.

I've seen and heard self-publishers, time and time again, proclaim that the path to sales is not necessarily story quality, but the amount of material that you can list. Quantity equates to more sales. Forget two or three books that are written and edited well, with compelling plots and memorable characters. Ten books, with so-so editing and slipshod formatting, will apparently out-sell the two or three of better quality. Twenty will outsell ten, and thirty will outsell twenty. It's a numbers game, and books are falling into a deep pit, which has them indistinguishable from nuts, bolts, and carburetors. Book are becoming, not works of art or entertainment, but faceless products. The more you have for sale—the more you get in return. It's very close to the Wall-Mart K-Mart mentality.

I'm going to look into my crystal ball and make a next big-trend, self-publishing forecast. Or, at least, a big sub-trend forecast. Let's say we have an author with several trunked novels or stories sitting on their hard drive. All attempts of publishing these trunkers have met with rejection from all publishers. They're dead, hogging up megabytes on the computer. Let's also assume this author has no desire to re-edit, format and create cover art for these titles, nor does he-she wish to pay for those services. These works of literature are just products to an energetic e-publisher, correct? So what's to stop this author from selling these trunked books and stories for a flat rate, to someone who wants to add inventory to their e-published list? All that's required is to officially release the rights to the material, so the new owner/author can add, subtract, modify and re-edit the material to their heart's content. The buyer can change the title, by-line, character names, or even revamp the plot. They'll have that right, since they officially own the property.

The books and stories are just products, remember? Something to be sold on the internet. Who cares who wrote it. If the buyer can easily format, edit and provide cover art for minimal outlay, how can they lose? More is better, right? It's almost like buying out a storage bin and reselling the objects. How much would you charge to sell a trunked novel or short story? A couple hundred bucks for an average novel might double or triple your money, if you slapped it on Amazon with some catchy cover art and a solid tag line. Conceivably, you might end up with a best-seller on your hands, from a book you didn't even write.

Kind of sad to look at this type of trend catching on (hope you're catching my sarcasm). But how much of a stretch is it, when you consider what's happening now? Can you imagine small companies soliciting trunked books and stories in bulk quantities, for the sole purpose of re-packaging and reselling them on the internet? It's not as far-fetched an idea as you would think, considering the glut of the printed word that is presently being listed. 

I think we're already in trouble as far as literature losing its creative expression and uniqueness. But if we see this type of commercial mentality take hold, you can bet that we can bid farewell to the publishing industry and meaningful literature as we know it.

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Planet Janitor: Custodian of the Stars (Engage Science Fiction) (Illustrated) [Kindle Edition]

Chris Stevenson (Author), Toni Zhang (Illustrator)

4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews) | Like (8)

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Length: 372 pages Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here.

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Is Manuscript Bouncing Okay?

There is nothing ill to be said about bouncing from one manuscript to another. But writing multiple manuscripts simultaneously can present some real problems Ever heard of term “50-page novel?” We've all had false starts, sometimes as many as a half dozen or more. Or we have an archive filled with 20, 30, 50-page novels. They all have their place in our writing career, since they were all born out of the same drive and inspiration. Each and every one seemed to be a good or even great idea at the time. Then one or two them loose their luster and you find the initial excitement has diminished. Yet you are not compelled to toss any of them away. So you bounce from one manuscript to the other, writing a few pages on one, finishing a chapter on another, or compiling notes for yet another.

Stop.

If you're dividing your time between two manuscripts or more and don't seem to be making any headway, it's because you're probably not. You're beginning to feel like a master of none and a jack of all trades. You start one and it bores you. You change to another, looking for that lost thrill. It isn't there so you return to the original. This flip-flopping is confusing, time-consuming and depressing. You can solve the dilemma. Evaluate each of your projects by asking yourself several questions and analyzing your feelings.

Will this manuscript steal you away from the others? How so?

Does this story have the most unique and original premise?

Is this the type of book you would like to read?

What do your beta readers think?

Do you feel comfortable writing this tale, and do you find the tone, pace, genre and POV a good fit for your mood at this time?

What characters appeal to you the most and do you feel comfortable and at ease in their world?

Are you excited with the idea of crafting a special world in this story?

After you read several pages, are you easily drawn in and eager to add to the storyline?

You have to listen/feel for that magic, and a lot of it is gut instinct. The right story/book will flag itself. And I stress a single story. Hint: if you find yourself in a white-hot fit of inspiration and typing agility, go hard and fast, for surely that is the one that wants to hog your time.

Stories are like unruly children vying for your attention. Some are loud-mouthed, some are shy and timid, looking at you with soulful, watery eyes. Consider which one makes you feel happier when your in it. Consider which one seems more commercial. Consider which one is more mapped out and would be an easier trek. Hard choices. If you are comfortable biding your time between multiple manuscripts, and you can multitask, go ahead and give it a whirl. There's nothing wrong with it, if you truly have the talent to give each one the individual attention it requires.

I find that if I divide my attention between different story arcs and characters, I tend to dilute the overall execution of all of them. To keep me on target with one book, after I've settled on it, I copy the books/stories to a flash drive and erase the originals from my files. I'm then less likely to dive back into them, read them out of curiosity or play around with newer ideas. This gives me the impetus to stay focused and finish one project at a time, before I even think about starting or continuing with the next.

That's really the secret to good productivity—finishing one project at a time, slugging it out in the trenches, solving plot problems then and there, editing as you write, but spending all your time on that project. Until it's finished. Then start your questions and analysis all over again, and begin anew.

But just keep writing, even if it is touch and go from one to another. Heck, if you are a true multitasker, they eventually might all get done!

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Planet Janitor: Custodian of the Stars (Engage Science Fiction) (Illustrated) [Kindle Edition]

Chris Stevenson (Author), Toni Zhang (Illustrator)

4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews) | Like (8)

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Digital List Price:	$2.99 What's this?
Kindle Price:	$2.99 includes free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet

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Length: 372 pages Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here.

Formats	Amazon Price		New from	Used from
Kindle Edition	$2.99		--	--
Hardcover	$29.95		$25.94	$22.91

E-Publishing With Amazon and How to Make it Work

A few writers have asked me how I published and marketed on Amazon Kindle. This is only my experience, and can probably help the trade or self-e-published author.




My publisher suggested I write a prequel short that ties into the novel. I don't know where he got the idea, but he must have been studying Amazon or reading Konrath or something. Since the novel was a space faring adventure, where the crew performs "missions", it was an easy concept to grapple with and produce. He called it our "sacrificial lamb", because he intended to list it free as many times as we were allowed--something like five times or so in a 90-day period? I forget the maximum free download times. Then he would switch it over to a .99 price point and let it hang by its neck.

Our first free trial pulled about 650 takers, not a real big number. But after it went to cost (.99) the book sales spiked in the top 100. Sales started rolling in. When book sales started leveling off--he listed the short free again. Boom. Spike.

He tried changing the book price from $1.99 to $2.99 then back again over a period of couple of weeks. Another small spike. Then he offered the book for free (over a weekend, I think), and when it came back on cost, it hit another rank spike. So he staggered the free trials between the short and the book back and forth, until ultimately our free trials were used up. But the short started selling all by itself, something like 1 to every 4 books, which was kind of a pleasant surprise. Imagine your short having a slap-fight with your novel for position!

Just in the last 13 days we've had something like 85 sales between the two, the majority of them books. Nothing to write home about, until you consider that the book came out in hardback first and flat-lined after 18 sales over a period of 11 months. Absolutely terrible. Since the book went e-book three months ago, and the short was put up only a month ago, it's sold hundreds of copies. We're still waiting on Kobo and some other online vendor numbers.

So, yeah, a tie-in short to your book makes things really happen. Seriously, I don't/won't pull the money that a self-published author does because I split the proceeds with my publisher. But still...

I went right to work on the second short and just turned it in. My publisher will edit it, format it and publish it on Amazon. Then we'll do the "stagger" thing again. Honestly, I think we can produce and list about five to six more prequel shorts to milk the Amazon system for everything it can give us. Then comes time for the real work--the full length sequel. Wash, rinse repeat.

I couldn't tell you what a standalone short would do. Just experiment and stagger the free trial periods. My first short was 6,500 words, and this second one is 8,500 words. I don't think I would go any lower than 5,000, just for personal reasons.

Did this help my my other genre trade and e-book sales? Nope. My paranormal romance picked up one sale through all this. So from my perspective, not many readers will check out your other genres unless you're pulling some huge sales numbers. I've pigeon-holed myself in SF for the time being.

I'm mini-me compared to some of the other e-book authors who really have the formula down pat. I'm very late to this game--even my blog is brand new, trying to catch up with all these others. But I do market-slut myself every day--places like the Blogs thread at my favorite writing group, FB, Twitter, LinkedIn, Book Blogs, Goodreads, and all those damn YADS sites, and as many interview and review blogs as I can participate in.

How long does it take to build up inertia and see good results? In my case, it took three months. YMMV.


PJ IS HOLDING AT $1.99 FOR THE TIME BEING. IT IS ALSO CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ON KOBO AND FROM MY PUBLISHER'S SITE, ENGAGE BOOKS. DON'T MISS THIS SPECIAL OFFER.

Planet Janitor: Custodian of the Stars (Engage Science Fiction) (Illustrated) by Chris Stevenson and Toni Zhang (Kindle Edition - Jan 7, 2011) - Kindle eBook

Buy: $2.99

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Are We Seeing the Demise of the Advance?

Are we headed for a No-advance publishing Industry? I'm talking about all these print-on-demand (POD) companies that are masquerading as traditional publishers. With the advent of POD, we've seen a proliferation of amateur printers hanging out their shingles, crafting attractive websites, writing glowing mission statements, and proclaiming that they are "traditional" royalty paying publishing houses. We've had about what, 10 to 15 years of this? 

These POD printers often convey lofty ideals that appeal to dreamers, the rejected, the hopeful or newbie writers. Without doubt, most of these pub outfits are run as hobbies in garages or spare bedrooms, with limited staff and resources. Many of them went through Lulu or iUniverse to publish their own tomes and decided they liked the idea and had enough business savvy to open their doors to fledgling writers. They enlisted their friends and family members to help out with book cover art, editing, shipping and mailing.  Or they hired professionals and provided a commission-sharing royalty agreement.

Presto, we have a publisher!

Not.  Many of these people usually have little or no experience in the commercial trade and don't belong there. They offer higher royalty percentages (they claim), but what they don't tell you is that those percentages are often based on net sales, or the profit they actually receive. No advance means a very low start-up cost. If they request that an author supply them with a large list of friends and relatives, you can bet that they know purchases from THAT source will compensate them for their initial print order, typically moving about 75 to 100 books. What's their initial print order? However many free copies they promised the author, usually 2-5 copies, and rarely more than a dozen to satisfy online vendors.  There will be no large print runs with a POD operation. Unless...they have procured dozens of advance-purchase orders.

First-time authors are so enamored with their books that they'll gladly lay down hundreds of dollars for crates of their own product. They can commission them off to book stores, sell them at conventions, speaking engagements and out of the car trunk. And those that do make these large outlays? congratulations! You have just become that publisher's unpaid sales force. Now they're raking in profits from the sale of your book back to you, less their printing cost. The game plan for these micro-PODs is to print as many authors as possible in a given month or year--quantity over quality--the K-mart mentality. And this is serious "author mill" territory.

Where is their incentive to offer you an advance now?

Look folks, an advance is a publisher's faith and conviction in a book that they expect to sell to the general reading public. They determine potential sales by mapping out extensive, complicated profit and loss spreadsheets. They fully expect to see their books shelved in brick and mortar bookstores, and can deliver them because they use off-set technology, allowing them to deliver warehoused inventory at a moments notice. They send out dozens or hundreds of review copies to legitimate trade reviewers. This is the way it's handled in the big leagues. 

An advance also confirms to the writer that they are being professionally dealt with, and this money offers the author a little leeway and time for them to write their next book. It's also validation--trust. An advance-paying publisher almost always uses an offset print run. Offset is much cheaper to produce thousands of copies. An advance-paying publisher employs/utilizes hard-mail color catalogs, has a trade show presence, retail and advertising budget, a publicity manager (bet you didn't know that), radio, TV and newspaper sources, and a real sales force that bangs on the doors of distributors, wholesalers and book stores. They rarely, if ever, ask for any list of friends and relatives. Author copies number in the dozens and the author discount is always up in the 40% bracket or better.

I can't think of more than 20 to 30 major publishers in my genre that provide an industry standard advance, starting at about $5,000. There are a few dozen (maybe) who offer a few hundred dollars to a couple grand. But there are thousands who are offering zero. The Zero people, I like to call them, think that they are revolutionizing the industry, fixing something they believe is inherently broken, saving money by lowering production runs, and leading the way into the next millennium. They are quick to proclaim that they are ready to get behind a book that proves itself. The trouble is, none of the books reach this milestone. Why? Because there was no advance and promotion/marketing budget.  Remember the Zero people rely on quantity.  An author might sell 100 copies in six months, but 100, 200, or 300 authors who sell 100 books can rake in some serious cash for the publisher. 

A meaningful advance means a publisher is serious about entering the book trade business. It means they have enough clout, prestige, and confidence in their ability to MOVE product.   It means libraries and bookstores will take them seriously, because they will receive the best discounts and quality books. It means the publisher has a real address, is working full time, and houses enough professionals to get the job done. An advance-paying publisher BELIEVES in you, the author and your book.

The Zero people have vision problems, as well as financial ones. They claim that once they are solvent things will change. The problem is, things never have to change when the profit is so good. Things can't change, really. It all goes back to that money thing again, the same reason why they didn't offer an advance in the first place--too much investment. It's just too easy to take the financial risk from the publisher and slap the author with it. It's much safer that way.

So the next time you receive a contract from a publisher who does not pay an advance, has no marketing or distribution, pays on net, asks you for a friends and relatives list, doesn't do offset or even qualify for Ingrams, all you have to ask them is, "Are you serious?"

But you'll already know the answer to that, won't you? Well, won't you?

WHAT'S A BANG POD DRIVE? ARE THEY ANYTHING LIKE A NUCLEAR SAIL DRIVE? WHY DO THEY CALL ROBOTIC AUTOMECHS SMART BOMBS? HOW DO YOU STEAL AN INHABITED PLANET? FIND OUT HERE:

Planet Janitor: Custodian of the Stars (Engage Science Fiction) (Illustrated) by Chris Stevenson and Toni Zhang (Kindle Edition - Jan 7, 2011) - Kindle eBook

Buy: $1.99

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Close Calls (And How to Turn Them Into Sales)

Close calls. We've all had them from agents and editors, and it indicates that something was very right with your manuscript/story, but it was off just enough to reject. These types of rejections come in the form of personal comments, outlining specific areas that need work, seem confusing or require improvement. The agent or editor can go into great detail or summarize any manner of problems, typically calling attention to POV, or point of view, depth of characterization, world-building, tense, plot holes, dialogue, narrative, genre, length, style/voice, or general execution. Hook plays an important part of the earliest pages, and sometimes the agent/editor can explain that they weren't drawn into the story fast enough. There can also be a combination of reasons, covering many areas. Of course, the less areas tagged for improvement, the better.

The ideal rejection with comments, if such a thing exists, can end with a R & R, or Revise and Resubmit request from the agent/editor, who is giving you a chance to rectify problem areas. Sometimes these can be very simple, like fact-checking certain descriptions and information that is inaccurate or poorly explained. POV slips can be easily remedied, as well as minor plot holes. Strengthening character can also be an uncomplicated fix. Major structural flaws, poor syntax and grammar, and unskilled writing, however, will usually not be included in a R & R request. If the book looks like it will take too much time to correct or fix the problems, chances are you will not be afforded an R & R. But if you should get one of these invitations, you are in a very favorable position, prompting you to follow the suggestions and guidelines. You have only to create a new file (new version) of your story, and rewrite accordingly. Make sure to same the older version.

Close calls from several agent/editors that basically outline the same problem areas are a very good barometer for pointing out major or minor flaws.  If you receive three or more identical comments, you can rest assured that you need some revision. You have two choices: stop your submission train immediately and revise, then send out the revised manuscript to your next prospect, or ask your last agent/editor if they would like to see a rewrite in line with their suggestions. A lot of times you will be given very helpful comments, but what happens when they don't extend the R & R invitation? Well, the reality, much of the time, means that they're trying to be helpful, but find (personally and internally) that the material requires too much work.

All is not lost if you receive great suggestions for improvement, but an R & R has not been offered. It could be a forgetful lapse on the part of the agent/editor, or an implied request. Most often it is not an invitation. This shouldn't really discourage you. Besides writing a thankful email back to the agent/editor for spending their time, knowledge and insights with you, you'll never be black-listed or flogged for politely asking if they wouldn't mind a re-submission inline with the suggested changes. This works in your favor more often than not. I've used it and I've had about a 65% to 70% success rate. It demonstrates that you're willing to put time and effort into your book and follow guidelines. Even if the answer is no, and you have several agent/editors who have given you the same advice, one of them is bound to accept your offer to resubmit.

Writing is full of chances, missed opportunities and timing. Patience and determination on your part, can only increase your odds in this subjective and mysterious numbers game, called publishing. Don't be afraid to take chances. Never feel that you are a burden and bothering agents and editors. They're really there for you, even if there time is limited and they are slow to respond. You'll find them most accommodating when you least expect it. And by all means, don't take rejections personally, because you'll spend untold, wasted hours trying to decode those mysterious rejection comments.

Happy Hunting! 

TAKE THE RIDE OF YOUR LIFE IN AN EPIC SPACE-FARING ADVENTURE. WITH THRILLS, SPILLS, ROMANCE AND LOTS OF KILLS.

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Net Vs Cover Price

As I've said in the past, my greatest strengths today are a result of my past failures. If I can tip a writer off to avoid roadblocks or glitches, I'll get on that wagon ASAP, even if it's too late for me. And this time it is. I was reading a hard copy contract that I resigned because of a breach of contract committed by one of my publishers. In my case, the publisher neglected to assign me an editor within a specified time period which made the contract null and void. I wholly expected that the terms, agreements and any clauses would be a duplicate of what I signed 14 months ago. In other words, I trusted my publisher to not deviate from the original agreement, or notify me if any amendments or changes had been altered, changed or added. There were no notifications in the accompanying contract and letter.

Never take things for granted. If you receive a new contract, read it over line by line, or compare it side by side with the original. Things can change radically in 14 months, and that's the rightful prerogative of the publisher. When looking at my new contract royalty clause, I noticed that the trade paperback royalty allotment stated 10% on net and 20% net on e-book sales. This threw me for a loop. I distinctly remember having never seen "net" after the figure in the last contract. The old contract did read cover price, after having confirmed it. In fact, I would have immediately called the publisher on it if I'd been perceptive enough. What struck me was the very low percentage combined with the net terminology. If memory serves, I believe these royalty figures are below Publisher America's figures. Double stun. And it was too late.

Cover price royalties are fairly easy to determine for trade paperback or e-books. If the books sells for $10.00 retail, then the author is entitled to $1.00 in royalties for that book. There are no hidden surprises. I've also seen "cover price" written as "gross" revenue. Same thing. The problem with a net definition is that royalties are determined after the vendor or book store has taken their commission-share. Online vendors can take as much as 50% to 65% of the sales proceeds, leaving the balance to the publisher, which must be split with the author. It's gets worse. If the net clause is not fully defined for what it includes (additionally), it could very be that the publisher will take out expenses related to publicity, mailing expenses, productions costs, and even editing and artwork expenses. And in that contract scenario, all of the power lies with the Publisher. With very low royalty numbers on net proceeds, this can virtually leave the author next to nothing in future proceeds.

Although I'm going to mention this to my publisher (at this late stage), it remains potentially futile to expect any type of a post-contract change or adjustment. My contract was signed by me, dated and witnessed. There really is no wiggle room, unless this was a typographical error. An error could be rectified. But the publisher is well withing their rights to refuse any change or request at this stage. In reality, I'll probably end up pulling about 2% to 5% royalties on cover price, a pittance for the very hard work that went into the book's writing, editing and production. I have only myself to blame for glossing over this very important clause in the new contract. This very well might have been a "boiler plate", which is usually reserved for new authors. And unless you don't know the difference between net and cover price, you too can end up in this unfavorable situation. Since my agent was not involved in the sale, I can't pass it off to her in hopes of a revision.

Don't make this mistake. That goes for every clause contained in your contract. Refer to the Science Fiction Writers of America, as an example of a standard, industry accepted contract that is fair and up-to-date--a contract that favors and protects the author. Lesson learned. 

FIND OUT WHY PLANET JANITOR CUSTODIAN OF THE STARS HAS REPEATEDLY HIT THE TOP 100 BEST SELLER LIST FOR SCIENCE FICTION.

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Trespassing Over the Transom

“Over the transom” is a reference that used to be applied to writers who tossed their unsolicited manuscripts over the top transom part of a publisher's office door. Uninvited. And it usually applied to the very large (Bix Six-type) publishers, who were not the Big Six back then, but consisted of dozens of smaller independents that were just as sought-after. Although the preferred wisdom prevailing today stipulates following the publishers submission guidelines to the letter, sometimes un-agented authors cannot resist sending in (cold) email or hard-copy book proposals to publishers who frown on this practice, and warn that such tactics will result in immediate rejection. And yet it still happens.

This subject is a hot potato. There are proponents for and against this practice—mostly against. I know of several un-agented writers who have thrown caution to the wind and defied these rules of etiquette—they use, and have used this system, repeatedly, unashamedly. There have also been claims that contracts were offered, in spite of the transgression. How can this happen if it's so wrong? How could contracts be offered, or manuscripts even read by editors when, plainly, these writers have broken the rules? It's because editors, generally and by their nature, are courteous and sympathetic to the plight of writers. Most are willing to overlook such a practice, if it appears to have been committed in ignorance or by accident. They also realize it's part of the duties of wading through mountains of slush, which comes with the job. They know there's bound to be some submission errors.

Problems arise when editors are subjected to repeat offenders, those writers who blatantly disregard the rules and continue submitting manuscripts without representation—to all in sundry. Even after warnings. The worst that can happen is ending up on an editor's blacklist, or a type of BOLO (be on the lookout for...” which is a negative brand that ends up being broadcast to the other imprints and editors of the publishing house. And in that case, the writer's material is destined for the trash can or cyber space. It's also a bad idea because it's an inconvenience to agented writers who have sent in their hard work, according to house guidelines. The slush inventory is high enough, without interlopers trying to shoe-horn their material over yours. Not mention, it takes up valuable editorial time, when it can be better spent on trusted and legitimate submissions.

I've gone over the transom about three times in a span of 20 years. Once by accident, and twice deliberately. I never received a hot-headed reprisal, or even a suggestion that I re-read the publishers submission guidelines. I was confident that my proposal was read, even considered. But I never made sale.

I don't condone this practice because it reeks of desperation and unprofessional behavior. There was a time when I would agree that a little experimentation couldn't hurt your chances, and that you might possibly pick up a deal as a result. There's just to much to lose, and your integrity (face) is just one of them. Publishing is a fairly small community, where editors, and even agents, communicate and meet with each other on a daily basis. Name-dropping is a huge part of the business, and it doesn't take long for a writer who breaks the rules to be found out and tagged as an undesirable candidate for a book deal.

The only time an un-agented writer is justified in sending in a manuscript to an “agent-only” publisher is when they have received a legitimate referral from an agent or another reputable publishing house. And in that case, the writer should include the name and date of the referring person. Or by direct personal contact via a meeting at a seminar or writing conference. So try to avoid this glaring practice at all costs. Strive to get that agent, and let them worry about approaching the big guns. Really, what kind of a client could an editor expect from a writer who has broken the rules upon their very first contact? It's a trust issue, folks. 

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Planet Janitor: Custodian of the Stars (Engage Science Fiction) (Illustrated) [Kindle Edition]

Chris Stevenson (Author), Toni Zhang (Illustrator)

4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews) | Like (8)

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Digital List Price:	$2.99 What's this?
Kindle Price:	$0.00 includes free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet
You Save:	$2.99 (100%)

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Length: 372 pages Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here.

Formats	Amazon Price		New from	Used from
Kindle Edition	$0.00		--	--

 

Self-Published E-book riches. How?

Amanda Hocking, John Lock, Joe Konrath, Darcie Chan and Throwawaywriter, the list goes on and on--a veritable who's who in the self-publishing phenomenon, writers who have dismissed agents and publishers in favor of a unique trail-blazing experience in digital self-printing/publishing. Upload a formatted file and cove art, and you too can join the ranks of the digital rich and famous at Smashwords, Amazon Kindle, Kobo and other retailers. I'm all for the digital revolution. The projections are pretty favorable, since e-readers are currently being introduced to the classroom, including the Kindle Fire (color version) which is being adopted for the younger classroom age group. Digital sales are right around $870,000,000 at the present, and by the end of the 2013, they are expected to reach nearly 2-billion.

So what's the problem?

There's a major caveat to it, or several. It's great listening to all these success stories and seeing the screen shots of these incredible dollar figures, posted by the elite writers who have gone this route. But it's another thing knowing precisely how they gained and maintained these ranks to begin with. It's what they, sometimes, don't tell you that can land you in a bucket of shite. If you plan on going this route.

Content. The majority of these people have multiple books and short stories listed, or an incredible back-list. The more content you have, the larger your reading base, and this goes for series titles or standalone genre books and stories. Some of these writers have re-published their entire back-list and out-of-print books. Some have taken trunked novels, put a spit shine on them, and thrown them out there. Any short story that didn't hit the big leagues is fair game for an e-pubbed reprint. A noted exception is Darcie Chan, who has a one-book best-seller, but we'll get to that topic in a minute.

Platform. These writers, for the most part, have had running, active websites and blogs for months, if not years. Joe Konrath, and many others like him who had gone the "legacy" route, had enormous fan and readership bases from the very beginning. Non-celebrity writers, via their social networking skills, have accumulated hundreds, if not thousands of followers and subscribers on websites and blogs that were already in place. If your blog or website is getting several hundred or several thousand page-reads a day, and has been for a very long time, you're a great candidate for starting your own e-publishing business. If you have multiple, active blogs, your chances of selling e-books and stories are that much better.

Ads. Many of these e-pub success stories are the result of purchasing ad space or reviews, sometimes at considerable cost. One writer spent $475 on a Kirkus review, as well as ad space in several  mid-size to smaller genre publications. Some have hired publicity departments, while others have invested in blog tours and banner ads. All of this costs advance money, just to get the word out, with the hopes of recouping the costs with book sales. This is something that many of these successful self e-publishers won't tell you. Darcie Chan, at least, admits to this tactic, and the reason was to create buzz about her single title. So, if you don't have a huge website or blog following, are you prepared to toss a thousand dollars or more at this venture and hope for the best? Because if you're unknown, it will take approximately one year or more of solid social networking to get your name and your book/s titles out there in cyber space.

Driving rank up and self-purchasing. I've had several people propose that I drive up my sales rank by purchasing my own books. And you can do this and keep yourself in the top 100 best selling lists by making periodic self-purchases. Amazon, for example, doesn't care a wit about who is purchasing these books, only that they are being bought. Some writers enlist friends to purchase their titles in exchange for monetary compensation--a tit for tat type exchange. If you don't believe this is happening, you have your head in the sand. I've never done it, but I can imagine how well it could work if you have 99-cent e-book up for sale. What would keep you in the top 100 lists? Five bucks a day? Seven? You'd have to experiment to find out. But keep that up for 30 days, then you can claim such a "Best-seller" victory, and probably stay in the top 100 list because of the inertia that you've created.    

Time and labor. Anybody who thinks internet marketing and promotion is a gas, will wake up one day after a year (or several) and smell the Yuban. It's incredibly labor intensive and requires nearly all of your time, or at the very least, a half working day, just to maintain your sales momentum. Then there's the chores of writing and publishing new content to keep the fan monster fed and happy. Then it's right back to marketing and promo again, over and over and over again. You'll have write polite letters of introduction to book reviewers and blog hosts, waiting and hoping that you'll be given some pixel ink. Then you'll need to announce your reviews and interviews all over hell's half acre. Link-link-link. You'll will be your own sales force, unless you hire a publicity agent to do all of that for you.

After taking all of that into consideration, and these are just some of the major points, I'm considering self-publishing in the e-book format. But I'm tech illiterate and that is going to cost me for formatting and cover art. Another ching-ching. However, I am going to make sure I have a huge following, or at least a sizable fan base readership before I even attempt it. Can I or you get rich too? It's a crap shoot. If you have all of those points covered and realize what it takes to join the self e-publishing venture, you stand a great chance of making some money off your inventory and future-written books. But I would caution anyone considering this to go into it with your eyes wide open.

The Boy Scout motto is "Be Prepared." That applies tenfold to self-publishing in the e-book industry.

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My Favorite Review

Just a little break here in the regiment...I found a SF Review in my archives that nearly brought tears to my eyes. It was that good, in my opinion, save a few typos. I'd forgotten about. So I'm listing it here. I would encourage anyone who has such a review on your book to drop links to it when appropriate and feasible. This is the type of review I wish I had on Amazon. In fact, I'll contact my publisher and see what he thinks. I'll let you know what happens.

Planet Janitor

by Chris Stevenson

a review by Antony, in the genre(s) science fiction

Planet Janitor Custodian of the Stars is a science fiction novel by Chris Stevenson.

The Planet Janitor Corporation are experts in the handling of environmental clean-ups and close system jumps to pick up precious ores and space trash, led by Captain Zachary Crowe they have won a number of accolades. They have also however also got a growing number of mishaps under their belt and as Bad news always shouts louder than good, they feel obligated to accept a clandestine operation that no one else wants, offering as it does more money than they could spend in three lifetimes.

The crew will lose 26 years on Earth due to the cryo jump, but that is the least of their problems. What they find on Tau Ceti will test their wits, and threaten their very survival.

I was discussing science fiction with a friend the other day who has recently caught the scifi bug and for him the interest began when I lent him a Philip K Dick novel. While he was reading small bits of information were given out but not explained, and he felt compelled to keep reading to find out just what it all meant. In that conversation the example was the novel "Flow my tears, the policeman said" where at the very beginning we are told "could it be because your a six?", and you just have to find out just what the heck a "six" is.

The hook here is the all very secret mission to a strange planet in the Tau Ceti system and that hook really does work, you just have to find out why they are being sent there and what will happen once they arrive. This takes up the first quarter of the novel, and then when you are there you again have to find out just what happened on the planet. The second half of the novel is given over to a faster pace with plenty of action as events unfold.

The science is very plausible based on current understanding and the author clearly has a good grasp of physics, I especially liked the "Bang Drive" which essentially detonates a nuclear bomb behind the ship to propel it forward at high speed. Most of the technology is just a few steps away from our own current tech and there is nothing really outlandish or unrealistic.

Planet Janitor is in many ways a hark back to the Golden age of science fiction, although clearly a science fiction story the novel is very much plot driven with tight descriptive narrative and interesting, likeable characters although these can seem a little two dimensional at times. You may be thinking that a rag tag group of misfits on board a creaky rust bucket spaceship may be a very well used trope, and you would be right but it doesn't detract from the exceptional quality of the novel, and the original, intelligent and thought provoking ideas the author throws at the reader.

The novel's got a great energy about it, but also an undefinable maturity that gives it that "Golden Age" feel. The cover art goes some way to re-enforcing this feeling, with a behemoth of a ship that looks very much like a beached whale lying on a clearly alien planet.

Planet Janitor Custodian of the Stars is an accomplished novel of immersive depth and imaginative scope, highly recommended.

Have Pub Creds--Will Travel

Part of publisher guidelines usually mentions a short bio and publishing credits. How important are the credits? They can be very important to a small press who relies on a lot of author participation and a small in-place fan base. If they are major credits with large, prestigious publishing houses, or magazine stories or articles from major slick magazines, they can often be a tipping point if your manuscript is being seriously considered. If you have no pub credits, you certainly don't have to list them, and this usually does NOT harm your chances of consideration. Publishers and agents are pretty lenient about the lack of a publishing history, taking into account that many writers who pass over their thresholds, agent-repped or not, are new or debut writers.  We all have to start somewhere.

You'll have to consider what to list as reputable credits. For instance, it wouldn't be a good idea to list school or college assignments, unless you have a thesis relevant to your submission. Non-paying markets might also be a no-go. Newspaper articles, stories, and reviews might be okay, if the paper in question is a large daily or weekly edition. List any journalism experience, as a reporter or column writer.  The key here, is to list paid publications from semi-pro or professional sources. If you want to list non-paying small press articles and stories, you can do this, but it won't make an agent or editor snap to attention and salivate. Ghost-written books or deals with book packagers--sure, go ahead and list them. Anthologies are okay. Self-pubbed books? Go ahead and list them, but include some sales figures that are likely to impress. What are impressive sales figures for self-published books or story collections? Low end would be around 3,500 copies and upwards. Five thousand copies seems to be a normally accepted bell-ringer.

I usually list my publishing history at the end of my introductory letter. In fact, I always list it. Although my credit list is not large or very prestigious, it does give the publisher an idea, chronologically, what I've done in the past and what my recent sales indicate. I'll show my list and the different categories that I include below, just as an example. I've never been ridiculed for its formatting or subject list. It's always worked for me.

PUBLICATION HISTORY

BOOK CREDITS:

Auto Repair Shams and Scams (Forward--Ralph Nader), 1990, Price Stern & Sloan, Los Angeles--226 pages, non-fiction, consumer warning and repair book.

Garage Sale Mania, 1988, Betterway Publications, Crozet, Virginia--190 pages, non-fiction—1988.

Word Wars, a SF novel, to Rain Publishing, Canada—May, 2007.

Once Upon a Goddess, a Fantasy novel, to Rain Publishing, Canada—January, 2008

Planet Janitor—Custodian of the Stars, a SF novel sold to Engage Books, May 2009

Gate Walker, a Paranormal Fantasy, sold Lyrical Press—January, 2009.

The Lupus Strain, a fantasy thriller sold to LBF Books, February 2009

MAGAZINE—SHORT FICTION:

Stellar by Starlight, to Amazing Stories, 1988.

The Lonely Astronaut, to Amazing Stories, 1988.

Temperamental Circuits, to Gordon Linzner of Space & Time, 1989.

Things that go Clump in the Night, to Richard Fawcett of Doppelganger, 1989.

Dance the Macabre and Dance it Well, to Erskine Carter of Ouroborous, 1989.

Future School, to Chris Bartholomew of Static Movement, January 2006.

The Incredible Mr. Dandy, to Not One of Us.

Planet Janitor The Moon is not Enough, to Enage Books, 2012

Other magazine appearances from 1988 to 1991 include, Alpha Adventures, Small Press Writers and Artists Organization and Sycophant.

RADIO PLAYS:

The Summit, 15-minute horror play to Night Sounds, Embassy Cassette Inc, Santa Ana, California—1990

Night of the Moa, 13-minute horror play to Night Sounds, Embassy Cassette Inc, Santa Ana, California—1990.

AWARDS:

Finalist in the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest, for Temperamental Circuits, 1987.

JOURNALISM AND ARTICLES

350 newspaper profiles, stories, and interviews to Sunset Publishing, Anaheim, California, appearing in The West Coast Jewish News, The Senior Citizens Reporter, and The Military Review. From 1988 to 1991. I have sold three automotive articles to Dollar Stretcher Magazine, from 12-2-2011 to 2-28-2012.

CONTENT AND CLIENT

I have written and published over 1,500 non-fiction automotive, aircraft and marine articles for Demand Media Studios, under the Beta-Automotive and E-How stations, as well as other content and client assignment sites. 

ORGANIZATIONS/POSITIONS:

Served as content editor of Sunset Publication (see above) for three years. Responsible for all writing assignment content, filler and artwork, formatting and structural editing. 

President and founder of Heartland Writers Group, Huntington Beach, California, from 1987 to 1991.

AGENTS:

Past agent--XXXXXXXX, from 1988 to 1991.

Past agent—XXXXXXXX, from 2005 to August 2009

Present agent—XXXXXXXX

CURRENT FINISHED BOOKS (AVAILABLE):

Diane Nine and the Fusion Machine, a military espionage thriller.

Valley of the Mastodons, a non-fiction book involving the Ice Age megafauna discoveries in Hemet, California, during the Diamond Valley reservoir dig. Proposal, chapter outline, and 100 pages available upon request

Dispossessed Incorporated, an urban ghost fantasy.

The Omega Wars—SF, apocalyptic alien invasion (Sequel to PJ)

Screamcatcher, A YA fantasy

The Girl They Sold to the Moon, A YA distopian/SF set in the near future.

This is actually a pretty basic list, which covers a lot of ground. But here's a real good tip that many writers are unaware of:  look at the last section where you see CURRENT FINISHED BOOKS (AVAILABLE). These are very brief descriptions of finished, polished novels that I've had in my inventory. What surprised me the most, was finding that agents and editors who read and rejected the initial submission and actually asked to see one or a few of the books on my AVAILABLE list. On one occasion, this lead to a direct sale. On two other occasions, I received referrals, one to another agent and one to a publishing house. So if you have completed manuscripts (not partials), list them at the tail end of your publishing history. And it's kind of important to place your publishing history and bio in the body of the email--not as an attachment, unless otherwise specified.

Good hunting! 

Planet Janitor: The Moon is not Enough (Engage Science Fiction) (Digital Short) by Chris Stevenson (Kindle Edition - Feb 7, 2012) - Kindle eBook

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