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 Seeking Local History Writers: Open Call for Authors

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Shelagh
W. Lane Rogers
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flashgordon
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PostSubject: Seeking Local History Writers: Open Call for Authors   Seeking Local History Writers: Open Call for Authors EmptyThu Apr 02, 2009 11:14 am

I've started a new feature on one of my blogs. I see all kinds of open calls from publishers who are seeking specific types of books or authors. These are from publishers who are actively seeking a particular author, book, or writer. They are usually all paying. The first one is here, and there are many more that I have lined up to post. Anyone who is seeking publishers (and not wanting to go through an agent) can submit to these open calls. Hope it helps. People may want to subscribe to the blog as I don't know if I will re-post all the calls here.

Seeking Local Historians and Writers in the Midwest
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W. Lane Rogers
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PostSubject: Re: Seeking Local History Writers: Open Call for Authors   Seeking Local History Writers: Open Call for Authors EmptyThu Apr 02, 2009 12:26 pm

This is copied from the firm's author proposal form:

Do you, or an organization with which you are affiliated, plan to buy copies of the work to re-sell to your own audience? If ‘yes’, do you know approximately what quantity you would require?

Anyone see a red flag here?
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Shelagh
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PostSubject: Re: Seeking Local History Writers: Open Call for Authors   Seeking Local History Writers: Open Call for Authors EmptyThu Apr 02, 2009 1:56 pm

study study study study study study study study study
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lin
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PostSubject: Re: Seeking Local History Writers: Open Call for Authors   Seeking Local History Writers: Open Call for Authors EmptyThu Apr 02, 2009 6:53 pm

Red flag?

This is known as a "platform". Agents and publishers like to see them.
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W. Lane Rogers
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PostSubject: Re: Seeking Local History Writers: Open Call for Authors   Seeking Local History Writers: Open Call for Authors EmptySat Apr 04, 2009 9:43 am

Red flag, indeed. This is a publisher peddling books to its authors.
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Dick Stodghill
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PostSubject: Re: Seeking Local History Writers: Open Call for Authors   Seeking Local History Writers: Open Call for Authors EmptySat Apr 04, 2009 11:03 am

They'd get a huge disappointment from me. Another publisher found that out, but Shelagh has forbidden me to mention its name under punishment of death.
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LC
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PostSubject: Re: Seeking Local History Writers: Open Call for Authors   Seeking Local History Writers: Open Call for Authors EmptySun Apr 05, 2009 10:09 am

Not that I'm defending the publisher mentioned in the OP, but I have been seeing such websites springing up, hybrids between self-publishers and commercial. It appears that they'll publish the book at no cost to the author but expect substantial marketing help. This seems to me an alternative to self-publishers who don't have the ability (money, technical know-how) to get the books printed up themselves, but do have a market of their own making for it.

As an aside, the large, NY publisher of my first textbook did ask me during the acquistion phase how many customers (students) I personally would be bringing to them via adoption of the text in my classes. I don't know that my answer was a deciding factor in them publishing it, but they did ask it.
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Carol Troestler
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PostSubject: Re: Seeking Local History Writers: Open Call for Authors   Seeking Local History Writers: Open Call for Authors EmptySun Apr 05, 2009 10:15 am

I think writing local history would bring in some money. I think the author has to live in the location, however. I wrote about various locations in my historical novels, but do not live in those places to promote the books there.

There was a famous author from my area who wrote novels about the area I live in, and a lot of people bought them to see if he wrote about them.

I see a man who knows so much about the dam being built on the river in our area, and have thought of offering to put all his info in a book. This could be a publisher for that endeavor.

Carol
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flashgordon
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PostSubject: Re: Seeking Local History Writers: Open Call for Authors   Seeking Local History Writers: Open Call for Authors EmptyThu Apr 09, 2009 12:27 pm

I could see this as a red flag if my only experience was with PA or some other subsidy house. However, I would not automatically assume that that is their model. Many publishing houses, especially if they are small or locally based, want to know this information as it represents to them an already established market.

For example, if you own a business and are seeking a publisher for a book that you will be promoting through your business, then that is a valid question. If a real estate agent wants to publish a book on how to be the top real estate agent I would imagine that they would be pushing the book at their speaking engagements, etc. as part of their own promotions. If they let the publisher know that they will be doing so, then the publisher is even more likely to take a real close look at the proposal. As Lin said, it is often referred to now as an author or writers platform.

However, it is always good to have an eye for such a thing and to ask questions. Thanks for highlighting that.

W. Lane Rogers wrote:
This is copied from the firm's author proposal form:

Do you, or an organization with which you are affiliated, plan to buy copies of the work to re-sell to your own audience? If ‘yes’, do you know approximately what quantity you would require?

Anyone see a red flag here?
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http://newgreatbooks.blogspot.com
lin
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PostSubject: Re: Seeking Local History Writers: Open Call for Authors   Seeking Local History Writers: Open Call for Authors EmptySat Apr 18, 2009 12:08 am

I don't understand the concern here.

You're a lecturer or local historian or church deacon or something and can put out a book that your flock will buy becasue the want it, so you publish it with them.

What is the difference between that and selling a manuscript because you have a "platform"?

Find out what "platform" means when agents and publishers ask if you have one, then tell us how that's different from this publisher asking if there are people out there who might want to buy your books.

Which IS, by the way, different from "peddling books to authors".

There are lots of people who could use this as a tool and there's nothing un-kosher about that question. Simon and Schuster would ask the same thing.
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