What a surprise...

marconi · 08-06-2005, 07:03 PM

If this publisher is so small is it worth of your attention?

Maestro · 08-06-2005, 07:51 PM

Well, publishers didn't became big by themselves... Good authors made them become big.

Nonskimmer · 08-06-2005, 07:55 PM

True enough. Regardless though, like Med said, keep at it. Your ship will eventually come in.

I love naval metaphors, don't you?

Medvedya · 08-06-2005, 08:07 PM

Hang on a sec...

This might be of no use but -

Published book - needs luck, and is expensive

Book on C.D - cheap and there's nothing to stop you.

Find someone with a good reading voice to read the entire book, record it on to C.D - copywrite it, and burn off lots of copies.

Get someone who's good at art to do a nice cover for the C.D and then sell the copies at airshows and military festivals.

Then at least you have the satisfaction of knowing that people are listening and enjoying your work whilst in the car, or having a beer at home or whatever.

As I said, maybe no use, but an idea I just had.

Maestro · 08-06-2005, 08:26 PM

That's a good idea, Med...

If my calculs are right, the Québec City Airshow will be next summer or in 2007. If I can't find a publisher, may be I'll do that.

I'm open to any idea, by the way.

Maestro · 08-10-2005, 02:16 PM

Yesterday, I mailed my manuscript to the publisher "Les 2 Encres". Soon, I'll know if they want to publish it and (if they accept) how much they'll ask me to pay.

What "shocked" me is that I made a dream last night, about my manuscript. I was sat on my bed and I opened a letter. The letter was comming from a company called "Swiss Television" and was saying the following sentence (that's the lone thing I remember about that letter (I can't remember if it was written in English or in French, but the name of the company was in English)) :

"... we are interrested in your manuscript. However, before making a film of it, we're gonna publish it..."

There was a picture of my opened bedroom door attached to the letter. By the door we could see (as usual) the stairs going down to the 1st floor.

After reading the letter, I went down to the 1st floor. My godfather was sat on a chair next to the stairs and my mother was also sat on a chair in front of the stairs. I showed them the letter and... that's all I remember.

That's a weird dream... A very, very weird dream.

- Does a company called "Swiss Television" really exist ?
- What's the link between my novel and a picture of my open bedroom door ?
- Was that dream a premonition ?
- Am I getting mad ? (

)

What can I add ? The Force is strong with this one...

Nonskimmer · 08-10-2005, 02:21 PM

What were you drinking last night?

Maestro · 08-10-2005, 02:26 PM

The worst part is that I was not drunk... And, before you ask, I don't take drugs...

evangilder · 08-10-2005, 02:30 PM

Maestro, I spoke to my father in law and he said that the idea of paying to publish is like Vanity Press. You send them money and they publish your book and send them all to you. Great, now you have a garage full of books.

The other publishers will sometimes offer and advance, though most cases not. You then get a percentage of the book sales. Remember that they will take a majority of the costs with printing and binding. They also take a risk that the book may or may not sell.

The big benefit of using a "normal" publisher is that they will not only print and publish your book, but they will also work with distributors to get it into the stores where it will be seen for purchase.

There may be some hints to how you submit to publishers as well. Let me see what kinds of hints I can get for you.

Maestro · 08-10-2005, 02:43 PM

Alright, thanks Evan.

"Les 2 Encres" did say that they would send me "some" of the books if I was published (to compensate for the payment). But they also said that they would publish and distribute it all across France (giving me a percentage of the sales). (Their lone distributor is in France.)

But' I'll be very careful with them. Once again, thank you for your help, Evan.