Publication! Wheee! Help?

Izunya · May 13, 2008

You know that novella I was angsting about---the one that sat at Large Unnamed E-publisher for a year before getting rejected? Well . . . Liquid Silver wants to publish it.

Now I am stuck in a curious emotional state between squeeee! and terror. I mean---aside from doing the edits they want, what am I supposed to do next? Do I need an agent? Do I need a website? Would I feel slightly less lightheaded if I remember to breathe? Okay, that last one is easy.

Any and all advice appreciated.

Izunya

Stacia Kane · May 13, 2008

Yaaay!! Congratulations, I'm so happy for you!

Next, you should at least register your web domain name, and set up a blog or something (it's not essential but it is a good idea.) And wait for edits. Your editor will be able to answer a lot of questions.

An agent probably isn't going to be too interested in your epub stuff, though--I don't know any agented authors (including me) whose agents handle the econtracts. I can't write anything over novella length for the epubs anymore, but I handle those contracts myself (after my agent took a look at the contract as a courtesy and to make sure nothing conflicted with anything else, and suggested a few changes.) All my other epubbed agented pals do the same.

CACTUSWENDY · May 13, 2008

Super news.

No insight to give to you as I have not walked the path before. Good luck.

veinglory · May 13, 2008

Big, huge congrats. Celebrate, really. Take some time to just throw yourself a party because everything you have to do you can do tomorrow.

After that talk to your editor to get a rought time line. get on your publisher's author email lists, they will be a mine of info. You'll want to have a web presence by the time the book comes out but that gives you a few months.

Enjoy the moment first

Jersey Chick · May 13, 2008

What they all said.

Congratulations!

Unimportant · May 13, 2008

I think first you have to negotiate the contract, don't you?

Don't sign anything you don't understand or aren't happy with.

veinglory · May 13, 2008

As far as I know their contract is pretty standard for epublishing. But certainly look it over closely when it arrives.

(But first, party)

jennontheisland · May 13, 2008

Congrats on the sale, Izunya!

You'll definitely want to establish some way of getting your name out and promoting yourself and your book. Blog, website, Yahoo group for a mailing list...that kind of thing.

Funny, I was wondering this very thing earlier today.

DecemberQuinn said:
An agent probably isn't going to be too interested in your epub stuff, though--I don't know any agented authors (including me) whose agents handle the econtracts. I can't write anything over novella length for the epubs anymore, but I handle those contracts myself (after my agent took a look at the contract as a courtesy and to make sure nothing conflicted with anything else, and suggested a few changes.) All my other epubbed agented pals do the same.

thmilin · May 13, 2008

YES, congratulations!

there is always a publisher, somewhere, in the epub world i feel ... good job!

DecemberQuinn said:
I can't write anything over novella length for the epubs anymore, but I handle those contracts myself (after my agent took a look at the contract as a courtesy and to make sure nothing conflicted with anything else, and suggested a few changes.) All my other epubbed agented pals do the same.

two questions, DQ:

1. Can you not write anything over novella length for epubs because you've got an agent who gets "top bid" on your novels to shop them to conventional pubs?

2. What exactly do all your other epubbed agented pals do - do you mean they all run econtracts by their agent, who looks them over to make things are "kosher" as a courtesy (and to protect themselves and you)?

Stacia Kane · May 13, 2008

thmilin said:
YES, congratulations! there is always a publisher, somewhere, in the epub world i feel ... good job!

two questions, DQ:

1. Can you not write anything over novella length for epubs because you've got an agent who gets "top bid" on your novels to shop them to conventional pubs?

I can't write anything over novella length for the epublishers because I am contractually bound to give any novels I write to my agent for him to shop for me, yes. While I know he would be willing to make an exception here and there, he'd also rather I spend my writing time on things that will make us both money.

2. What exactly do all your other epubbed agented pals do - do you mean they all run econtracts by their agent, who looks them over to make things are "kosher" as a courtesy (and to protect themselves and you)?

No, I mean they handle their epublishing contracts themselves. Most of them (actually, all of them that I'm aware of) are also restricted to novellas now as well, for the same reason.

JanDarby · May 14, 2008

In addition to the other good advice here -- write your next book.

One of the pitfalls in getting caught up in the excitement and assorted busywork (writing the blurb, doing edits, doing the cover art questionaire, doing PR if you choose to do it, squeeing over the cover, etc.), is that it's easy to let the writing fall by the wayside.

JD, an LSB author

MargueriteMing · May 14, 2008

Generally, once you have the first draft done on any work, start the next one. Write on the new work several hours a day. When you have enough distance to gain some perspective on completed drafts, then you use the remainder of the day to edit. This is how productive writers work, they always have new product in the pipeline.

People who do nothing while the spend a year shopping a manuscript have nothing else to sell. When people read something of yours and like it, they will look for other work by you, for as long as they remember your name. This is why a publisher will want your next book right away. If you haven't even started it, you won't be able to take advantage of this.

Izunya · May 14, 2008

Thanks, folks.

Liquid Silver says they'll send me a contract sometime this week. I must stop boinging long enough to sign it. Based on their website, they don't ask for anything unusual.

Website . . . I think I'm going to hunt down some of my tech-savvy friends and pump them for advice. I don't even know where to start. Except, fortunately enough, I do have some tech-savvy friends—and a husband who knows a bit about visual arts, so hopefully he can steer me away from unreadable color combinations and such.

And my problem isn't with starting the next project. My problem is that I have half a dozen story starts sitting on their thumbs because, for one reason or another, they ran out of steam. But, hey, I know the problem, so I can cope with it. Problems are so much easier when you know what they are, y'know?

Izunya

JanDarby · May 14, 2008

If you're going to set up a website, you might check out the Dear Author blog's archives. They did an entry on what a good author's website should (and shouldn't) contain, and there was good information in the comments too, as I recall.

But, really, writing -- finishing -- the next book is more important.

JD, not always good at taking her own advice

Publication! Wheee! Help?

Izunya

Stacia Kane

Girl Detective

CACTUSWENDY

An old, sappy, and happy one.

veinglory

volitare nequeo

Jersey Chick

Up all night to get Loki

Unimportant

doggone

veinglory

volitare nequeo

jennontheisland

the world is at my command

thmilin

Stacia Kane

Girl Detective

JanDarby

MargueriteMing

Izunya

JanDarby