New "Dual Track" Route to Being Published

Abdul,
sorry to hear about the problems. It sounds like getting an education from "hard knocks" - things you don't learn in books.

edited out

I like your thinking. Perception takes a leading role.

Looks odd in the credits, though.

Ahad,
you don't have to admit it, but I'll bet you were hit on by at least one female seeking advancement.

Abe and Lin,
In the end, it always comes down to one's own personal ethics, values and beliefs.

I do believe life would become quite boring if we spent all our times locked away in mosques and monasteries...but I equally do not believe in all forms of "entertainment" that's accepted in the current times as normal..

I don't suppose anybody has any thoughts on the matter of my ebook about seeking publication through publishing on new media?

Lin,
looks like we highjacked your thread. Sorry about that, Chief.

What you wrote I have copied and pasted in a word .doc for reference. Lots of good information. Thanks.

LC wrote:

Looks good, Lin. Not meaning to hijack this, but just some off-the-cuff thoughts right now -I submitted a proposal to Wiley and was rejected yesterday. The editor actually called me up to explain why she was passing on it. It was 100% about the market. She didn't feel the market for that subject is there anymore and discussed why.

I don't know if this phone call was a blessing or not. On the one hand, I am rethinking my proposal; maybe it IS out of touch and should be drastically changed or dropped. On the other hand, I am rethinking my proposal; and maybe I'm right and she's wrong! My first three books were rejected by multiple houses before they found a home, and the two that are out are doing very well. This personal phone call rejection has sapped my confidence and I'm not sure which way to go now. A form letter or ignore (which my rejections have always been) wouldn't have sapped it so bad.

I received a phone call less than a year ago. I had forgotten that I'd sent a book for review. My husband answered the phone and passed the phone to me. I was working on something on the computer in front of me. My mind just wasn't there when the person on the other end of the phone said that I had sent a book to Channel Four TV to be reviewed. This must have been obvious because the caller said, "Channel Four, the Richard and Judy book club." Then the penny dropped. There I was, receiving the UK equivalent of a call from Oprah's company, and I was babbling like an idiot. Anyway, the call was to tell me that the books had already been selected for review and, unfortunately, it was too late to include mine. I asked if it would be eligible for the following series, only to be told that this was the last series and Richard and Judy would not be doing any more. So near, yet so far.

I apologise too Lin, for the hijacking. Sorry..

Just thought I would join in the hijacking, too, so that I wouldn't feel left out.

Lin, the ebook thing sounds like a winner for you, but I'm not sure that everyone has a saleable book in them. Not that they are deterred by the fact. I'm all for Indie publishing but I think that writers should be fully aware of why people buy books and which books they prefer to buy.

“I do defer to the discretion of the publishing industry to decide what's saleable.”

LC The fact that she called suggests to me that she is not firm in her conclusion and the door remains sufficiently open for you to come back with for example further evidence of the market or an amended proposal aimed at a wider market.

I would rethink the proposal and change it drastically if needs be. The editor may well be wrong but still the audience could be bigger.

Sorry if I am stating the obvious.

The question “why people buy books and which books they prefer to buy” might make a good thread shelagh.

People buy my books only when they have to! it might not be very flattering but at least it provides something approaching a reasonable living.

The wonder is that so many of the 99% think that they should be one of the 1%!

Obviously the 99% figure is not exact. Because there is no way to know.
But it's certainly true in spirit. The spirit of "Long, Long Odds"

And yeah, Shelagh, that's the whole rub.

And the thing about self-publishing, and particularly the kind of publishing I cover in my manual--like webnovels and podcasts and apps and all--is that actually there is no reason for ANY writer not to be out there being read and finding out for themselves just how much appeal their work exerts.

It's not like there's a dock and an ocean, there are ponds of every size.
And in addition to providing alternatives to sitting and hoping for the big blast, these methods help people reach up for bigger ponds as part of an unfolding life/career long process.

Shelagh wrote:

I received a phone call less than a year ago. ... Anyway, the call was to tell me that the books had already been selected for review and, unfortunately, it was too late to include mine. I asked if it would be eligible for the following series, only to be told that this was the last series and Richard and Judy would not be doing any more.

LOL, then why did they even bother calling you? What was the point?

Mike, maybe you're right about her leaving the door open, but she did sound pretty firm and matter-of-fact to me. I think she just called as a courtesy because we had emailed back and forth a few times about the proposal, with me answering her questions. I'm sure she considered it, then ran the numbers and decided no. She said she's seeking adoption-type books, not reference ones. I can understand that, and prefer writing adoption-type books, myself. This was just one that I could crank out in less time than the typical 2 years it takes me to write a text, so I thought I'd toss it out there. I'll shop it around a bit more, and if I get the same answer, will take my own advice and write it off as garbage.

LC wrote:

Shelagh wrote:

I received a phone call less than a year ago. ... Anyway, the call was to tell me that the books had already been selected for review and, unfortunately, it was too late to include mine. I asked if it would be eligible for the following series, only to be told that this was the last series and Richard and Judy would not be doing any more.

LOL, then why did they even bother calling you? What was the point?

I don't know. Maybe authors who don't hear anything send another copy ... and another ... and another, so the policy is to phone and say thank you but no thank you. It was nice to get the call.

In China, many writers print their own books, and sell them door to door. Some become very well known in their own area. I have a book from one such writer. ( he passed away last year.) Said he would first go door to door asking what type story they would like to read next.
Once each month he would sit in a section of town (out side) and read to those who gathered...it was his method of advertising.

Very basic...I love the freedom he had as a true writer.

Man, that is SO cool.
And so refreshing in the current web environment where everybody is babbling about amazon analytics and 13 digit ISBN and distribution in Zambezie.

I used to print up copies of my Mexican slang book and go sell them on the beach. Just walking the beach showing the book to people.
In the evening I'd go to a restaurant and go around and put a book on every table, go order, then return to collect. I always at least paid for my meal, and sometimes would make like $20 (which was my weekly rent)

There is just something special about selling your books directly to the reader.

Last fall I was in an ice cream parlor downtown and some people came up and showed me a dogeared copy of my book that they'd bought from me ten years ago. They recognized me and still carry the book with them in Mexico.

Fame at last.

lin wrote:

Last fall I was in an ice cream parlor downtown and some people came up and showed me a dogeared copy of my book that they'd bought from me ten years ago. They recognized me and still carry the book with them in Mexico.

Way to go!

It's kind of touching when something like that happens.

So I screwed them into buying a time share condominium.

Lin,
you're a riot. Have you considered writing a book? "Saying what you feel, according to Lin."