After giving myself a year of trying to get published the old-fashioned way, which involved getting the notice of a literary agent who would be able to attract the notice of a traditional publisher, I finally said “the hell” and took “To Truckee’s Trail” to a POD firm. The truly mind-boggling thing was that everyone who had read the whole thing had two reactions: “Wow!” and “Why hadn’t I ever heard about these people before?” I’ll not delude myself by that into thinking it’s great lit-ra-chure on that account, though. It’s an agreeably well-written story about a minor historical event, and reasonably accurate.
There’s a ton of books like that down at the local Barnes & Noble, along with tons of other books of a suckage so total as to pull in asteroids and small moons. So one may rightfully wonder how on earth the writers of those latter managed to get agents and publishers. The judgment of the literary gatekeepers looks to be pretty iffy, all things considered. By the end of a year I could blow off receiving another rejection letter pretty well… especially those spotty fifth-generation photo-copied ones cut three or four from a sheet of copy paper. (Quelle classy, people. Really.)
After perusing a collection of blook-blogs, including this one, I am wondering if writer-driven publish-on-demand isn’t the wave of the future, or at least a jolly great shake-up to “the way things have always been done”. Sort of like how the news and comment blogs were a shake-up to the news media complex over the past five or six years, which gives cause to wonder if the literary-industrial complex isn’t on the same Titanic-vs-Iceberg track. Writers who have way more experience than I have also been wringing their hands in lamentation at sclerosis of the literary-industrial complex, and venturing all sorts of reasons. Like the torrents of manuscripts flowing upstream towards their traditional spawning grounds, at traditional publishing firms.
Once upon a time, they tell me… there weren’t quite so many people who thought they had a book in them somewhere. Traditional publishers could evaluate and accept submissions in a timely and sympathetic manner. If a manuscript had any sort of merit, it might knock around for a bit… but would eventually find a nice literary niche. Not so now; publishers are drowning in the floods of submissions. I am told that screening them is now farmed out to agents… who have pretty much the same problem. Unless a specific manuscript pushes all the right buttons of that one agent who has to be in just the right sort of mood… frankly, I was starting to think I’d have better luck playing the Texas Lottery. And like any other sane person, an agent would like to have the biggest pay-off for the smallest work possible, so ix-nay on something that doesn’t slot into an easy category, or be likened in one sentence to last week’s big block-buster. Just safe business, after all, but it has the result of narrowing the field and reducing the odds for the next out-of-category big literary wonder. (See above, suckage, and attraction to small celestial bodies.)
Lottery… which reminds me of something else; even getting an agent, and a traditional publishing deal isn’t any guarantee of happily-ever-after. I am told that most traditionally published books don’t make any sort of money. Like Hollywood, the literary-industrial complex really wants blockbusters, and the non-blockbusting writers tend to get treated pretty much like hired-help that can scribble… all the while being reminded that they are lucky to even have agency representation and a book deal to start with. So, a couple of more petty tyrants to appease, and to make the scribbler’s life even more miserable; yes, I think I’ll have another plate of that delicious filboid studge.
Oh, and it seems that the literary-industrial humongous publicity machine only gets into high gear for those few blockbusters anyway; the lesser scribblers have to do their own marketing anyway. May as well do POD, and have complete control, rather than be nibbled to death by the petty minions.
Progress report on “To Truckee’s Trail” to follow.
A friend is a published SF writer with two novels under her belt. But they weren’t blockbusters, so she wasn’t able to get her third one published. Her analysis (this was several years ago) was pretty much in line with yours. They used to nurture and promote promising writers. Now they want a blockbuster right out of the gate with minimum expense on their part. To me, that’s a self-defeating business plan, because it’s all short term with no plans for long term development.
Comment by Terry Hazen — 20070808 @ 1026
Depends on the publisher, honestly. A few of the SF/Fantasy houses still maintain the slush pile— but it has to be really stellar to get past the interns. For someone like me, who would be vaguely embarrassed to self-promote to the limits necessary for success, a publishing contract would be the only way I’d want to go. Somebody else does the business work. (This is how it works with the small amount of fantasy artwork I’ve done— someone wants a print, I give them the name of the friend with the high-quality printer, and it’s his job to print it off and send me my percentage.)
But for niche markets (I *do* hope you have some success with the Oregon Trail museums), POD is a perfect alternative. You don’t have to have large print runs, so you don’t have remainders. In fact, you only have as many copies as are needed.
Comment by B. Durbin — 20070808 @ 2128
Congratulations on your book! I, too, used BookLocker for my novel. I’m a tad disappointed to see that you evidently didn’t find Blooking Central in your quest for a site about blooks
I’ve looked at over 100 hundred blooks in the last two months - all of which are listed in my site’s index. I only wish your book were a blook - then I could have helped a bit with the advertising!
Comment by Cheryl Hagedorn — 20070809 @ 0659
Oh well… I wrote it separatly from blogging here, Cheryl. I posted bits as a teaser, but only well after they were written.
I do think that the traditional publishing game is going to change, though, as writers open up to the possibility, and technology makes it possible to do yourself what you needed a mega-expensive equipment and a LOT of money to do, twenty years+ ago.
It will be fun… and god knows, we might even get some better books out of it!
Comment by Sgt. Mom — 20070809 @ 0808
See RIAA, radio, and traditional CD publishers and what has happened since the invention of low-cost studio alternatives (GarageBand, etc.), MP3s, sites such as CD Baby, and internet streaming.
Some of my favorite bands you’d only learn about tangentially, through their connections to more famous, established bands— and then you can buy the CDs direct from them, or through a small group.
In other words, for what to expect with book publishing, look to the music industry -10 years or thereabouts.
Comment by B. Durbin — 20070809 @ 1937
I’d guess less than ten years, BD, because it’s already been building for a couple of years.
A scoleric, risk-adverse, unresponsive and top-heavy industry turning out a kreppy and expensive product is colliding with technologies that are widely available, not prohibitively expensive and are capable of producing a product just as good as that put out by the so-called professionals.
When there is a desktop printer-binder on the market capable of doing good-sized paperback books, just like those on the shelves at Barnes & Noble, I think the publishing world will implode. Imagine, just run down to Kinkos and have them run off and bind so many copies of your paperback or hard-bound book… or buy printer-binder of your own.
I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that there is one on the market already. It’s probably expensive, but when the price drops… katy bar the door.
Comment by Sgt. Mom — 20070810 @ 0748
Sgt Mom, I just put up a note about your book at Photon Courier.
Comment by david foster — 20070810 @ 1506
John Reed, a retired Army officer turned real estate guy/writer is a big fan of self-publishing & distributing. Check out some of his articles at http://www.johntreed.com/.
disclaimer: I have no relationship or financial interests with Mr. Reed; I just enjoy his writing style.
Comment by Bruce E. — 20070810 @ 1651