How Scott Sigler Propelled Himself to Bestseller Status

I don't think I could do this because I don't write fast enough, and I can't seem to get the hang of short stories. I do better with full novels.

If you're giving away stuff for free, you need a big stockpile of it to give, or the capacity to make more in a jiffy. I don't have that. So I fear I'd never get to the "making money" part.

jjdebenedictis said:

I don't think I could do this because I don't write fast enough, and I can't seem to get the hang of short stories. I do better with full novels.

If you're giving away stuff for free, you need a big stockpile of it to give, or the capacity to make more in a jiffy. I don't have that. So I fear I'd never get to the "making money" part.

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This is what I'm struggling with as well. Nor am I confident enough in my writing to even try to be that prolific without fearing the quality will suffer.

eta: Read the article, watched the book trailer and he certainly has my attention now. Sadly...I can't afford the current $12 price tag on the ebook but that's a rant for another day.

I was never into Sigler's stuff on Podiobooks, I was more a Nathan Lowell and J C Hutchins gal. But it's great to see those writers who started on Podiobooks getting book contracts.

I was especially interested to read that - as long as they don't make the text available - the writers have not exercised their first print rights by doing the podcast novels, just audio rights. So they can still submit to agents or publishers with those first print rights entirely intact. And if they've done well on Podiobooks, many of those listeners will want to be readers too, so they are bringing a load of potential buyers with them when they query their book.

I've got all the Nathan Lowell Solar Clipper stories that have come out as books so far. The fact I've already heard them all as audio doesn't matter to me. It's a different experience. I was also interested to see what changes there might be in the books, how they might have been edited to work in prose, rather than audio.

Becky Black said:

I was especially interested to read that - as long as they don't make the text available - the writers have not exercised their first print rights by doing the podcast novels, just audio rights. So they can still submit to agents or publishers with those first print rights entirely intact.

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Interesting; didn't know about that angle.

I've heard Sigler on a podcast (not his own; he was interviewed on some sci-fi podcast). Seems like a cool guy; glad he's doing well.

bearilou said:

eta: Read the article, watched the book trailer and he certainly has my attention now. Sadly...I can't afford the current $12 price tag on the ebook but that's a rant for another day.

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That was one of the best book trailers I've ever seen. They're usually kinda cheesy and lame, but that one... wow. If all his stuff had that kind of quality, then I can see how he got to where he is.

I do like to listen to radio programs online and certain podcasts, but this wouldn't interest me at all. I can't stand audio books - just not my thing. Also, the appeal of book trailers escapes me completely. I don't see why anyone would "watch" a book trailer.

I do think posting writing for free could be a good idea, if you never plan to publish the writing (for most of us) and if you have enough written, as jjdebenedictis said above.