My writing activity is moving as fast as a Japanese bullet train. Getting published, well, more like Amtrak.
After months of shopping Animal Cracker around to every appropriate literary agent in New York and beyond, I received a couple dozen requests for the manuscript. Good news, right? Gave me hope. By now, most have declined, saying they liked it but the market's really tough now, hard to sell new author, blah blah blah. I'm now down to four agents who are still clutching the thing in their powerful hands.
My hope for conventional publication is fading, but never fear, I will be published. My investigation into the process of self-publication is well underway. Once I confirm that every last agent has declined, I'm going full speed ahead (to continue the train metaphor) with DIY publication, which will include an unorthodox marketing scheme I've cooked up. So stay tuned. Animal Cracker is coming to an e-reader and yes, turn-the-pages book soon.
AND, I've finished writing a romance novel with a friend. Working title is Goddess and it takes place on the picturesque island of Santorini. The only porn is food porn and travel porn - lots of lovingly described meals, villages and sunsets. It's a little spicy, but this is no Fifty Shades. We've given it to a few friends to read and critique, and then we'll revise and start shopping this one around to agents too.
Finally, I occasionally find time to work on another comic novel. More on this another time.
Hi Andi, thanks for the follow on Twitter. Good luck on your journey to publication. I am in a similar spot where I've received requests for my novel, received many rejections, and am still waiting to hear back from a couple of publishers. It's quite a process, but there is also nothing shameful about self-pubbing, so good luck with whichever route you take!
ReplyDeleteHi Andi,
ReplyDeleteYour book GODDESS, with all it's rich food porn and travel porn, sounds like a perfect book for me to advertise on my travel blog, which turns novels into itineraries and also provides location research assistance from writers around the world. When GODDESS is ready to sell, let me know. I'd love to create a travel itinerary for it. And I see you're a travel journalist. If you'd like to write a guest post or be listed as an expert for a particular area, let me know.
http://noveltravelist.blogspot.com/
saramcbride@noveltravelist.com
I say go for the self publishing route. Use Hugh Howie and Sarra Cannon as an example. Another option, Oak Tree Press is an Indie Publisher worth checking out.
Best - Sara
Hi Andi,
ReplyDeleteThank you for following me on twitter. I'm so proud of your relentless efforts in trying to get published. This is a difficult industry to get into but worth it in the long run. I'm working on a movie script that I've been finessing for a long time. I encourage you to join a website called meet up.com
You can find other writers that are aspiring or already accomplished and it would be a great way to network. I've joined that website and it's been really wonderful. Best of luck!
Jane :)
A new open source Wordpress
ReplyDeleteplug-in sounds interesting, should you go the self-pub.
route although it's still in the
'beta' (being tested) stages.
http://techcrunch.com/2013/02/28/pressbooks-goes-open-source-to-let-authors-create-book-sites-in-seconds
Although a long wait is had by many aspiring
authors these days, such a small pool of recessional publishers such a large and growing one of first-time or early stage authors, around 70,000 thousand a year, just like the 1920's maybe.
Have you thought about going indie?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the follow on Twitter. Just went self-published myself after turning down a contract I felt was way too restrictive. Looking forward to seeing your marketing campaign. Marketing on my end is slow.
ReplyDeleteAndi, thanks for the follow. It seems self publishing is the way to go unless you have some notoriety (famous or infamous). I self published (SP)after many years of rejection, then finally 2 acceptings, but both too restrictive. Benefit of SP is you have complete control. Downside is marketing. Good luck. Your books sound interesting!!
ReplyDeleteI don't know how long you've been querying, but I queried 116 agents over 10 months before signing. A year later my novel sold.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to be traditionally published, don't give up. It's worth it.
And I know that while DIY publishing wasn't/isn't/won't be right for me, it works for many writers. So, if you decide to DIY, I wish you all the best!
I was traditionally published with my first three books, but then, everything changed so much, that I could not get a publisher for my last book, so I published it myself on Create Space and KDP. I do enjoy having full control. It has been an interesting journey. I recently published a short story on Kindle and have loved the process, getting my work out there for people to taste and if they like it, they might go read my other books.
ReplyDeleteI also wanted to say that I love your title, Animal Cracker.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck with both your projects. Real porn doesn't work for me, but fod porn and travel porn? I'm first in line! Wishing you the best.
ReplyDeleteVery inspiring! Best of luck :)
ReplyDeleteVery Inspiring! Best of luck :)
ReplyDelete