Can't help being confused about publishing...

ara and spirit · Jan 5, 2014

I hope this is the right place to post this. I will make it as brief as possible.

To begin with I am not very computer literate. I am not blaming my age [65], it is just me. Same with for example "mechanical manuals".

I am trying to stay ahead of the game as my written book is in edit mode. Will be another month till done.

I am not trying to be lazy, just trying to find out what to do. Yes, I have read threads, websites, you name it. The mystery still remains.

I would like an agency, someone, to take the script and publish it in all the internet reading formats, also softcover or maybe even hardcover. I have cover photo, but would need a designer and formatter also.

I read about Dog Ear, Friesen Press, Lulu and more. I also read about finding an agent. What to do?

I am not wanting to make a carrier out of this. My book is our seven years on the road camping full time. A one time deal I would like to publish. I am willing to break even even though our journal has reached 3.5 million visitors which some I am sure will buy the book.

Any advice? or link to threads that could give me advice? When asked how much marketing I am going to do, my reply is always "I just want to live...". Let someone else take care of it all. Living on the road, in often isolated spaces, we also do not have internet all the time and we move often. The logistics are hard.

Anyhow, thought I would ask... and Thank You in advance for anyone with some insight.

Undercover · Jan 5, 2014

I'm pretty sure that's what we all want. But it's not as easy as, here's a publisher, it's published, you make tons of money. You sound all over the place to be honest. You want an agent and want it traditionally/trade published, but seem open to self-publishing.

I would start with querying agents. You'll need to research the agents you want to send to. You might find it harder...it might be really easy. But it's something only you can do, not hand it off to someone else. It takes a lot of work to research. I wouldn't just send it out to anyone.

There's publishers you can submit directly to. But if you don't want all that and want to be in full control, then you could self-publish. But that takes work too. You'll need to market it really well and you want to make sure you have a reputable editor on your side.

As I've said this before on the boards, readers are fickle. If you have too many errors or poor editing, you'll lose your readers simply because they're not interested in wasting their time on poor reads.

Undercover · Jan 5, 2014

Just want to add, Preditors and Editors and the Bewares/Background Check forums are places to look into. There's also a list of publishers and agents in the Beware section too. If there's a certain agent or publisher you're interested in, check their thread first and other things that may pop up on the internet.

T Robinson · Jan 5, 2014

You may not have run across this yet, but based on what you said, I think you are talking about a non-fiction memoir of your travels and experiences. First point: Most non-fiction is sold via a well written book proposal, in my experience.

One of the elements of that non-fiction proposal is an author platform. Publishers want to know if there is a potential readership. From the number you mentioned, there is an interest. There are several places here where that is discussed. I would read them before you go much longer in your research. If you have pictures of the various places you have been, that is even better.

Even if you decide to self-publish, working on a proposal helps focus your marketing efforts. Good luck.

Hanson · Jan 5, 2014

Could I ask Ara, is English your first language?

Little Ming · Jan 5, 2014

ara and spirit said:
I hope this is the right place to post this. I will make it as brief as possible.

To begin with I am not very computer literate. I am not blaming my age [65], it is just me. Same with for example "mechanical manuals".

I am trying to stay ahead of the game as my written book is in edit mode. Will be another month till done.

I am not trying to be lazy, just trying to find out what to do. Yes, I have read threads, websites, you name it. The mystery still remains. But have you read this website? Also beware that there's a lot of bad/outdated information about publishing out there.

I would like an agency, someone, to take the script and publish it in all the internet reading formats, also softcover or maybe even hardcover. I have cover photo, but would need a designer and formatter also. I don't think you understand what an "agent" does. Or you may be confusing "agent" with "publisher.' I'm also not sure what you mean by "internet reading formats." E-publishing?

I read about Dog Ear, Friesen Press, Lulu and more. I also read about finding an agent. What to do? You have to decide if you want an agent? Or if you want to go directly to the publisher? Or if you want to self-publish? But it doesn't seem like you understand the differences yet. You need to spend some time and read around to make the best decision for your book.

I am not wanting to make a carrier career out of this. But do you want to make *money*? If all you want is to "publish" than there's no need to get a publisher. You can self-publish on your own. My book is our seven years on the road camping full time. A one time deal I would like to publish. I am willing to break even I don't understand what you mean "break even." Are you talking about vanity publishing? That's generally a bad idea. even though our journal has reached 3.5 million visitors which some I am sure will buy the book.

Any advice? Read around. or link to threads that could give me advice? You don't seem like you really understand publishing, so I recommend reading all over the forums. When asked how much marketing I am going to do, my reply is always "I just want to live...". Let someone else take care of it all. So... do you want to trade publish? Living on the road, in often isolated spaces, we also do not have internet all the time and we move often. The logistics are hard.

Anyhow, thought I would ask... and Thank You in advance for anyone with some insight.

I agree with Undercover, you seem all over the place right now. From your post it seems like you're confusing self-publishing, trade publishing and even vanity publishing. All of these are very different. You also don't seem to understand what agents do. I'm also unclear what your goals are for your book.

Read around the forums. Publishing is a business and it can't be rushed.

Good luck.

Hanson · Jan 5, 2014

Reading through your post again, it seems you want to be published, ideally by a publisher, and not self publish.

As a previous post mentioned, track down memoir agents, tell them your site has 3.5 million hits, explain why your memoir might be worth reading and submit a synopsis of your actual or intended novel. If they accept you as a client, they'll send it out to publishers.

best of luck with it.

ara and spirit · Jan 5, 2014

Undercover said:
I'm pretty sure that's what we all want. But it's not as easy as, here's a publisher, it's published, you make tons of money. You sound all over the place to be honest. You want an agent and want it traditionally/trade published, but seem open to self-publishing.

I would start with querying agents. You'll need to research the agents you want to send to. You might find it harder...it might be really easy. But it's something only you can do, not hand it off to someone else. It takes a lot of work to research. I wouldn't just send it out to anyone.

There's publishers you can submit directly to. But if you don't want all that and want to be in full control, then you could self-publish. But that takes work too. You'll need to market it really well and you want to make sure you have a reputable editor on your side.

As I've said this before on the boards, readers are fickle. If you have too many errors or poor editing, you'll lose your readers simply because they're not interested in wasting their time on poor reads.

You are all very correct. I am all over the place as the more I read the more it confuses me as to what route I should take. The editing will be fine. I have to find out what an agent does.

Undercover said:
Just want to add, Preditors and Editors and the Bewares/Background Check forums are places to look into. There's also a list of publishers and agents in the Beware section too. If there's a certain agent or publisher you're interested in, check their thread first and other things that may pop up on the internet.

Thank You.

T Robinson said:
You may not have run across this yet, but based on what you said, I think you are talking about a non-fiction memoir of your travels and experiences. First point: Most non-fiction is sold via a well written book proposal, in my experience.

One of the elements of that non-fiction proposal is an author platform. Publishers want to know if there is a potential readership. From the number you mentioned, there is an interest. There are several places here where that is discussed. I would read them before you go much longer in your research. If you have pictures of the various places you have been, that is even better.

Even if you decide to self-publish, working on a proposal helps focus your marketing efforts. Good luck.

OK, will keep on doing more research. There is a potential readership indeed. I do have over 100,000 photos and about 120 videos on You Tube. I do this for fun. Yet, I want to do it right.

Hanson said:
Could I ask Ara, is English your first language?

Can you tell it is not? French is. To make the matters worse I majored in 16th Century French Literature which has a total disregard for grammar. It only needed to sound eloquent and musical... I do have a great editor and the writing in my journal [which has always been for myself] and the book are different. The journal is a mess really as I had to read it back to write the book! [900+ entries / I call it a "journal" because I don't like the word "blog".]

Little Ming said:
I agree with Undercover, you seem all over the place right now. From your post it seems like you're confusing self-publishing, trade publishing and even vanity publishing. All of these are very different. You also don't seem to understand what agents do. I'm also unclear what your goals are for your book.

Read around the forums. Publishing is a business and it can't be rushed.

Good luck.

You are right. I don't know what an agent does. So I will continue my research.

In a way, all is pretty simple and that might be what an agent does. I wrote the book, I hand him the book and he does everything for a fee or a % of course. We continue living in the deserts or Alaska often 50 miles from any other soul while the book takes its course... A bit naive most likely?

Thank you all. I truly sincerely appreciate your wisdom.

Hanson · Jan 5, 2014

ara and spirit said:
In a way, all is pretty simple and that might be what an agent does. I wrote the book, I hand him the book and he does everything for a fee or a % of course. We continue living in the deserts or Alaska often 50 miles from any other soul while the book takes its course... A bit naive most likely?

If you get an agent, then yes, it is possible. Read your intro post in new members - if you have a retired English teacher friend that's great. When the novel is finished (first draft) and then you friend has gone through it, and then it's finally finished, go for it.

Undercover · Jan 5, 2014

Yeah, nine times out of ten, if you rush it, you'll screw yourself over somehow. It takes so much research first. Debuting your writing can come easily to some. Then again it can become even harder if you put your work with the wrong publishers. They'll sink you down quick. You're all hopeful now and that's so wonderful to be. But believe me that wonderful feeling of just starting out and having your work thrusted out there so quick, you might find you lost that hope after a while because it didn't work out like expected. The only way to dig yourself out of that publishing hole is to start digging again for another publisher, a better one...or a better agent or whatever. Longer time for research, honing your book to fit with the exact publisher it needs to be. Your book could be a diamond in the ruff, but like Little Ming said, it's a business. They'll eat you up and spit you out quick if it's not the right fit. You might be able to bounce back from the fall. But rejections take a toll. Not everyone can endure it. Some never even attempt it, which is sad. Some over do it. But whatever you do, do it smart.

Research. Seek out the best route that works for you. Zero in on that and what path you'd like to pursue before anything else.

Little Ming · Jan 5, 2014

ara and spirit said:
You are all very correct. I am all over the place as the more I read the more it confuses me as to what route I should take. The editing will be fine. If you trade publishing, the publisher provides the editor. I have to find out what an agent does.

Thank You.

OK, will keep on doing more research. There is a potential readership indeed. I do have over 100,000 photos and about 120 videos on You Tube. I do this for fun. Yet, I want to do it right.

Can you tell it is not? French is. To make the matters worse I majored in 16th Century French Literature which has a total disregard for grammar. It only needed to sound eloquent and musical... I do have a great editor Again, if you want to trade publish, they will provide the editor. Even if you hire an editor on your own, the publisher is unlikely to use him/her and you will still have to make changes based on the publisher's editor. and the writing in my journal [which has always been for myself] and the book are different. The journal is a mess really as I had to read it back to write the book! [900+ entries / I call it a "journal" because I don't like the word "blog".]

You are right. I don't know what an agent does. So I will continue my research.

In a way, all is pretty simple and that might be what an agent does. I wrote the book, I hand him the book and he does everything for a fee or a % of course. We continue living in the deserts or Alaska often 50 miles from any other soul while the book takes its course... A bit naive most likely? Yes. Even after you sign with an agent there is still work for the author to do. Your agent is your business partner, which means you guys have to work together, make decisions together, and have conversations together. There is still much work to be done.

In the English market, agents usually take 15%. Be wary if an agent asks for a fee, especially upfront.

ETA: And after your agent sells your book to the publisher, then your real editing starts. This usually takes a few rounds. So, sorry, the book can't really "take its course," without you, the author, along for the ride.

Thank you all. I truly sincerely appreciate your wisdom.

If you're planning to trade publish, it's generally not recommended to hire an editor on your own, since the publisher will provide one. However, there are some circumstances where it might help, such as if the author is not a native English speaker. I would, however, advise you to make sure your editor has the right credentials and experience for your book. Note: an English teacher (without any other editing experience) is not a professional editor. They might help catch some grammar and spelling problems, but there's a lot more to editing.

Also, reading your OP and your Intro thread, you mention "breaking even" and "cover costs." If you're planning to trade publish, you don't pay anything. This is very important, any publisher who asks you for money is a vanity publisher, and they are generally bad for you.

ara and spirit · Jan 5, 2014

Undercover said:
Yeah, nine times out of ten, if you rush it, you'll screw yourself over somehow. It takes so much research first. Debuting your writing can come easily to some. Then again it can become even harder if you put your work with the wrong publishers. They'll sink you down quick. You're all hopeful now and that's so wonderful to be. But believe me that wonderful feeling of just starting out and having your work thrusted out there so quick, you might find you lost that hope after a while because it didn't work out like expected. The only way to dig yourself out of that publishing hole is to start digging again for another publisher, a better one...or a better agent or whatever. Longer time for research, honing your book to fit with the exact publisher it needs to be. Your book could be a diamond in the ruff, but like Little Ming said, it's a business. They'll eat you up and spit you out quick if it's not the right fit. You might be able to bounce back from the fall. But rejections take a toll. Not everyone can endure it. Some never even attempt it, which is sad. Some over do it. But whatever you do, do it smart.

Research. Seek out the best route that works for you. Zero in on that and what path you'd like to pursue before anything else.

What you write is so very true. At 65, my trust in many has pretty much vanished. I went through this when two very talented Directors from England wanted to make a movie of us and wrote a script. Award winning Directors, and yet, it was all business and glad I have an entertainment Attorney for a written agreement of myself having the last say so. The script by the way has not sold and I AM happy about that! Artistry is almost a thing of the past. Marketing and $'s is the NOW. To me, as my journal is and also photography [have not sold a single photo in over two years because I do not do any marketing!] it is about sharing. I know one cannot pay their bills with just sharing though. So it is always a fine balance while trying hard to not fall into the jaws of the greedy filled themselves with only "the chrome Hummer syndrome" as I call it.

Little Ming said:
If you're planning to trade publish, it's generally not recommended to hire an editor on your own, since the publisher will provide one. However, there are some circumstances where it might help, such as if the author is not a native English speaker. I would, however, advise you to make sure your editor has the right credentials and experience for your book. Note: an English teacher (without any other editing experience) is not a professional editor. They might help catch some grammar and spelling problems, but there's a lot more to editing.

Also, reading your OP and your Intro thread, you mention "breaking even" and "cover costs." If you're planning to trade publish, you don't pay anything. This is very important, any publisher who asks you for money is a vanity publisher, and they are generally bad for you.

I can already tell of the coming up "maze"... My editor obviously is not a professional. You know, I keep saying... "it is just a book!". I do know it has to be done correctly. I so much appreciate all your input. I am going to look for an agent... Glad I started this now and not in two months when the book will be done. [kind of anyhow!].

ara and spirit · Mar 8, 2014

So I am back here! My heart goes out for all of you that make a carrier out of publishing books. Maybe "your" heart goes out to me for having been a 5 Star Chef all over the world for 44 years!!! We each have our specialty... I must say, it is quite a business all the way to finding that some are selling hundreds of titles through mainly Amazon having never written themselves... But that is besides the point.
I have a found a Lady who has for others published quite a few books through Ingram. Basically I hand her over my manuscript and she does it all. For a fee of course. Amazingly she has never published an electronic book, so we are going to talk Tuesday. Ingram Spark does all that.
My manuscript is done finishing with 81,200 words and fully edited. I have checked with Create Space, Outskirt Space, but I think I prefer to go with an individual who deals directly with Ingram.
Just thought I would post this here and I thank you all for opening my eyes and senses!
Stay well, will post more as it goes along...
Ara and Spirit

Kylabelle · Mar 8, 2014

Good luck! I hope it all works out well for you. And yes please do let us know how things go.

Old Hack · Mar 8, 2014

Outskirts Press is a vanity publisher. You're right to avoid it.

As for the rest of it, it sounds as though you've decided to self-publish now. Is that right? Why did you decide not to try to find a trade deal for this book, if you don't mind me asking?

ara and spirit · Mar 8, 2014

Old Hack said:
Outskirts Press is a vanity publisher. You're right to avoid it.

As for the rest of it, it sounds as though you've decided to self-publish now. Is that right? Why did you decide not to try to find a trade deal for this book, if you don't mind me asking?

Sorry to sound so ignorant, but, what is a "trade deal"? I tried to Goggle it, but without any success.

I have a thread going here...

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=286610

Thanks.

oakbark · Mar 8, 2014

Hi Ara

I know you from adv rider forum

For the AW'ers who don't know you, be aware that Ara is a legend and has probably collected more interesting stories through his travels than any other living being. If you want a solid chunk of real-life adventure, check out Ara's travel blog. Just google: ara and spirit

OK, enough of that.

Ara, "trade" is what represents publishing through a publisher, as opposed to doing it on your own. A trade deal would seem to be what you mention in you original post. PM sent

ara and spirit · Mar 8, 2014

oakbark said:
Hi Ara

I know you from adv rider forum

For the AW'ers who don't know you, be aware that Ara is a legend and has probably collected more interesting stories through his travels than any other living being. If you want a solid chunk of real-life adventure, check out Ara's travel blog. Just google: ara and spirit

OK, enough of that.

Ara, "trade" is what represents publishing through a publisher, as opposed to doing it on your own. A trade deal would seem to be what you mention in you original post. PM sent

Just another Lifestyle.

I will pm you now.

Thank You.

Can't help being confused about publishing...

ara and spirit

Undercover

I got it covered

Undercover

I got it covered

T Robinson

Born long ago, in a different era

Hanson

Little Ming

Hanson

ara and spirit

Hanson

Undercover

I got it covered

Little Ming

ara and spirit

ara and spirit

Kylabelle

unaccounted for

Old Hack

Such a nasty woman

ara and spirit

oakbark

ara and spirit