INSPIRATIONAL BOOK

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MOON GODDESS

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Has anyone here ever written a inspirational book, an anthology of sorts, where others contribute stories, not where you were the main author?
If so would you be willing to share some secrets like how long it took, how you got the (good) stories and just what to do and expect in general?
Does anyone know a good book to recommend for this genre?
Thanks.
 

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You might also spend some time reading our own Stories of Strength thread. If you start at the last page and work forward, you read about how the entire process, from idea to published book, came about. Because of the timely nature of SOS, it was decided to go with a vanity press and you are probably hoping to interest a commercial house. But you should find the thread to be educational.

Good luck.
 

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Hi, Moon Goddess, :welcome: to AW. Also, if you check www.anthologiesonline.com you'll find a lot of info regarding those type of anthologies. Also the chicken soup books (like Expatbrat mentioned) have tons of different titles. You can find them in walmart stores, etc. Hope that helps.
 

MOON GODDESS

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RE: Inspirational books

Thanks everyone for the info. I had checked out the Chicken Soup site awhile ago, but, while it has good stories, it didn't describe the process. I'm dense I guess. The SOS might actually be more helpful. Thanks again.
 

PerditaDrury

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My experience with this...

MOON GODDESS said:
Has anyone here ever written a inspirational book, an anthology of sorts, where others contribute stories, not where you were the main author?
If so would you be willing to share some secrets like how long it took, how you got the (good) stories and just what to do and expect in general?
Does anyone know a good book to recommend for this genre?
Thanks.

Yes, I worked as an editor on an inspirational book where authors (not professional writers) contributed stories.

It took 6 months to gather enough stories.

It took slightly more than 500 hours to edit it over a three month period.

My co-editor talked a big name author into walking the book in the door of a major publisher where the editor-in-chief said he would read it himself.

It took 5 months for the editor-in-chief to actually read it.

The book spent 2 months in editorial committee before it was selected.

The book was published in hardback 10 months later, paperback a year after that.

It's in it's 11th printing.

It's a long process but worth it if you believe in the project.

Other good things can happen, too: I didn't write a story for the book (as I didn't qualify under or guidelines) but my co-editor did and he published his own book a year later with the same publisher. He now has a three-book novel deal with them, too.
 

MOON GODDESS

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Anthology title

Talia,

I don't really have a title yet, just a general theme, which I can't reveal yet.
Which brings me to my next question.
If anyone out there was me writing this anthology, would you contact a lawyer first, try to find an agent, shop around with a proposal for a willing publisher or just post for stories on internet sites, or some other approach?
Just curious.
 

Talia

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hi moongoddess
as wondering what' perdita's theme/title were given she has already published one

you can't go to a lawyer...
if it was me i'd go do a proposal first and some sample stories to accompany it
 

PerditaDrury

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Sorry for the delay in the reply... the anthology is not under my name, though I am credited as the editor on the cover page, so I don't want to speak of it as "my book".

We did the entire book in pristine finished form before we shopped for publishers because we would have published it ourselves if we had to.

The problem with non-pro anthologies, unless they're vignette form like the CHICKEN SOUP books, is the greatly varying writing ability. My job was to "smooth over" the entire book so that the whole thing sounded professional... that made it an easier sell and gave us more control over what was ultimately pulled out due to size constraints. That's the one big hurdle that I had to face...

I personally don't do proposals -- I just send in what I have when it's finished... but I've been fortunate with the results.

Good luck...
 

PerditaDrury

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PS

MOON GODDESS said:
Talia,

I don't really have a title yet, just a general theme, which I can't reveal yet.
Which brings me to my next question.
If anyone out there was me writing this anthology, would you contact a lawyer first, try to find an agent, shop around with a proposal for a willing publisher or just post for stories on internet sites, or some other approach?
Just curious.

I'm just curious... why would you contact a lawyer? Are you in the film/TV business? I ask because I actually do contact my lawyer before I do anything but I haven't found that to be how it works in the literary world.
 

PerditaDrury

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TaliaMana said:
that sounds interesting - what was the name of your anthology?

Please forgive me for seeming coy; I'm just circumspect on boards... but the stories were about survival, disaster stuff. Some were uplifting, some were numbingly sad.
 

Talia

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PerditaDrury said:
Please forgive me for seeming coy; I'm just circumspect on boards... but the stories were about survival, disaster stuff. Some were uplifting, some were numbingly sad.

no need to be coy... this is your chance to promote your book LOL

did it sell well? stories of survival do seem to be relevant right now
 

PerditaDrury

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TaliaMana said:
no need to be coy... this is your chance to promote your book LOL

did it sell well? stories of survival do seem to be relevant right now

Thanks, but it really is a book BY the survivors -- I just assisted as an editor... I honestly don't know what "selling well" is in the book world as I write a television show where our concerns are "ratings" and advertising dollars... I hear that it sold just over 125,000 copies.
 

Talia

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personally i'd be over the moon if i was involved with a book that sold that many copies

actually i had to read it 2x to be sure i wasn't imagining it

i know a lot of the bigger agents won't represent anyone that has sold < 100,000 books so i am thinking that is a pretty good sales figure
 

PerditaDrury

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TaliaMana said:
personally i'd be over the moon if i was involved with a book that sold that many copies

actually i had to read it 2x to be sure i wasn't imagining it

i know a lot of the bigger agents won't represent anyone that has sold < 100,000 books so i am thinking that is a pretty good sales figure

That's interesting... and it helps put things in perspective. All the money we earn for the sale of the book goes to the relief fund in the name of the survivors who wrote the stories... From the perspective of a TV writer/producer that number is very small as millions of people all over the world tune in to watch our shows and we're only in the middle of the ratings ladder.

Each medium, it seems, is quite different in terms of how one measures success.
 

MOON GODDESS

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Anthology

Perdita,

I wanted to contact a lawyer about legal things like wording of releases, payment (if any) and copyright.
I've seen too many people get screwed by others along the way, but I really don't think they would be a great help in the literary world.
BTW, did anyone have an anthology that included a payment? I'm not trying to be nosy, just wondering if it makes a difference in the quality of writing received, if anyone knows.
 

Talia

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moong - if you check elsewhere on this site or google there are links to various forms that cover most of those legal aspects...

most anthologies i'm aware of don't involve payment. instead they offer a free copy of the finished product. in fact in some anthologies you have to pay to be in them because they are a very good self promotion tool if you can group unknown writers with established authors
 

PerditaDrury

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MOON GODDESS said:
Perdita,

I wanted to contact a lawyer about legal things like wording of releases, payment (if any) and copyright.
I've seen too many people get screwed by others along the way, but I really don't think they would be a great help in the literary world.
BTW, did anyone have an anthology that included a payment? I'm not trying to be nosy, just wondering if it makes a difference in the quality of writing received, if anyone knows.

Okay, yes, I understand what you mean. I had my lawyer approve the release we worked out... I insisted on the right to edit (change/alter/add/delete) anything in any story though I did work with each author individually so that they were all happy.

There's a book called COP TALES 2000 that was an anthology and paid for the stories, I think... $200 each? This was a group of writers, though, who banded together to publish a collection so they all had writing experience/abilities to some degree... many had books published.

Isn't that about what the Chicken Soup people pay?

I have been offered two more books to do and all the money will go to charity, period. That's what I've decided and most storytellers think that's fine, they just want to be published.

But be clear up front or the storytellers will think you're scamming them and will use their work to make money for yourself.

In my experience, a nominal payment doesn't matter -- the stories are about the same as in real life:

10% just perfect the way they are
10% really not what you're looking for (possibly because the person didn't meet the criteria, for example, people wrote stories about how they felt about this disaster when they saw it on the news though they weren't actually there... and that brings up an important point, you have to verify each and every account to make sure the story is true (if you are saying they are).
80% Great to read aloud to family and friends but not up to a publisher's standard... so you need a GREAT editor.

Anthologies are a LOT of work. You really need to want to do it and think that it will benefit the world... or you will be worn out and your own work will take a back seat.

My 2.5 cents
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Talia

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i think chicken soup pays $100 per story but they are guaranteed best sellers. i think if you were taking a risk and there was a strong possibility it wouldn't sell then you would be cautious about offering that money

as i said before i've seen plenty that offer no payment other than a copy of the book. there is a very successful series here done on that basis
 
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