Self-publishing - Part II

Read Self-publishing - Part I here

Overall, I am very happy with the service provided by Authors OnLine.

There was a slight hiccough with the cover text design on The Yes / No Tarot Oracle, (as to where it was placed in relation to the artwork) - the designer must have been having an off day; but this was sorted out to my satisfaction very promptly once I had made them aware of the issue.

They are a very good company and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them, if any of you lovely people ever did want to take the self-publishing route.

Feel free to email me if you want any further information about the service, beyond the details they give on their website.

They would normally take between 8 to 10 weeks to get your book published once you hand in all the documents ... the only reason my second book took so long was that my illness prevented me from signing off on it right away.

I have put links to both the Tarot books in the side bar - they are available in softback via print on demand from most booksellers, and the PDF versions are available to buy from Authors OnLine should you want to.

I'm so chuffed, here are the pictures of them AGAIN! :)

.....

Self-publishing - Part I

I've just received the finished artwork for the second of my two tarot books, THE YES / NO TAROT ORACLE, and I am extremely happy with it. Jo Spaul is a very accomplished illustrator, you can look at examples of her work on her website, here.

And I thought some of you might be interested in my experiences so far while trying to get published.

Basically, I've written two books on the Tarot* and have been unable to secure a publisher for either of them, so in the end I decided to do it myself.

Initially I was going to use LULU, but after some quick research decided against it (the new owners had increased postage rates to non-competetive levels, and some authors claimed they were having trouble getting their work taken off the site when they wanted to go elsewhere [I haven't checked them out since. So whether this is still the case, I don't know.]) - and in amongst the complaints thread someone recommended another self-publishing company, Authors OnLine. To cut a long story short, I decided to go with them.

Their fees are reasonable, with a low annual fee for remaining in publication, and the books are Print On Demand - so someone places an order, the book gets printed and shipped out. Quick, easy, no need to store quantities of books. Also a PDF version of each book will be available for those who prefer electronic media.
Best yet, the books they sell are available to all the usual book retailers - so whether you prefer to buy via Amazon, or via your local bookshop, or direct from them, you can!
As the author it is up to you to advertise your book. Just because it's published, doesn't mean it will necessarily sell any copies.

So far I have found the process pain-free, which is always good. Although they tell me that it does generally take about 2 months to get into publication from the date you sign the contracts.
The Christmas rush (which starts in August!) combined with a flu outbreak has delayed things slightly, but I am expecting both books to be available from January 2010.

I am using the delay to do a final edit on THE YES / NO TAROT ORACLE, while I await confirmation of the ISBNs.

I'm providing the text PDF files, they are doing the covers (under my direction) - Which makes my 'Control Freak Self' very happy.

They do various different packages to suit your needs, and they are very friendly, very helpful, and very busy (at the moment).

If everything continues according to plan I expect to be a very happy customer.


... Should you plan to use them, they are quite happy to vanity publish for you (for example, if you want that green crayon text, unspell-checked book of "My Favourite Moles in Dresses" that you wrote when you were six, published to show your friends), but if you are looking for a more professional publication that will be available in the shops, they do require a basic level of competence from their authors.


So far, so good. If things change, I'll let you know.


*THE LOVERS' SPREAD: A TAROT GUIDE TO RELATIONSHIP COMPATIBILY
and THE YES / NO TAROT ORACLE

Read Self-publishing - Part II here

Sad bast*rd.

I'm talking about me.

How many years has it been since I first saw the Welsh Whore and fell head-over-heels at first sight? Longer than I like to admit, 1994 ... when was that? Been a while.

And I haven't clapped eyes on him since 1998.

And now, I hear he's out and about again - - and my obession has switched itself from dull glow to fire on the hearth. Luckily it's not back up to full roar, but I guess that's only a matter of seeing his ugly mug again.

*SIGH*

Bollocks. I'm supposed to be writing and recouperating, not pining for someone I can never have. GRRR!!!

'Scuse my language, but FUCK!



What else has happened this month?

Oh yes, Producer No#1 is making encouraging noises about The Grim (A.K.A. The Legend of the Beast) again. :)

So, in the last few weeks:
* 2 books (full swing),
* the American Collaboration Rewrite (full swing),
* The Grim (peering at me from the darkest jungle),
* and the Welsh Whore is hogging all my thoughts.

I have to concentrate on writing.
Someone send me an "anti-love potion"? Please?

[UPDATE 21st November 2009: Thank you for the anti-love potion. :) Greatly appreciated!] *evil laughter*

da-na ... da-na-daa ...

Well, I could write all about my current health issues which are impacting on the day-job, in addition to the added stress of the Evi-- Wi-- (erm, I've said waaay too much) . . . the lovely lady my Father loves and dotes upon and won't hear a word said against: my Step Mother, who ... and it is nightmare-ish for all concerned, especially her ... has been diagnosed with a serious form of cancer (although no one is using the T word, or palliative) but they found it early and she should pull through fine after a long and trying dalliance with chemo, radio, and drugs over the next 6 months, probably.
And no, I wouldn't wish this on her, despite everything. But it reminds me of the HELL that was 2004/2005 when my mother died.

But all of the above is boring and painful and generally crappy. So instead I shall write about something wonderful!
When you're as low as you can get, anything nice that happens is wonderful, but this really, really is. Maybe.

WONDERFUL.

Okay - health impacting on day job, has also impacted on my self-esteem, so in order to regain my feelings of self-worth and the illusion of power, I decided to self-publish my two Tarot books (I'll point you at 'em when they're out - should be the next month or so).

So I'm doing the final edit on both books, getting them shipshape and up to scratch - basically quite a lot of work (as I'm having to learn some functions in word and in PDF that I've never used before), liaising with artists, and beginning to think I'm a bit busier that I wanted to be. But what the heck, I'm achieving my dream of seeing my work in print, and if no bugger buys them at the end of the day, so what. At least I'll have tried! :)

... and then ...



EEK!

Just when you thought The American collaboration had completely expired, and the producer was long gone, ... he's circled back. :) And I swear I saw him lick his lips!

Basically he wants a finished script in December.

We're still discussing. It's early days. But suddenly my workload seems to have grown exponentially.

And thankfully, you can write from your sick bed. - - Otherwise I'd be totally stuffed, mainly because I'd have already eaten through my arm with boredom.

Anyhow, WAY-HEY! :)

....

For those of you interested:
I had what was most likely swine flu back in July, and it doesn't go particularly well with Asthma (I was one of the first to get it just after they'd stopped testing and said "Ring your doctor"), and the after effects - for me - have been unpleasant. I was doing okay, but feeling crappy, and then in late September I got a temperature (a brief lurgy of some kind) and since then I have been totally wiped out. It really ain't pleasant. The doctor says post viral crapness can go on for many, many months. All I can say is, I hope not, because this ain't fun.
If you have the chance to get the vaccine, I would say take it... but obviously it's your choice and I'm not qualified in any way to give medical advice. It's just my opinion, for what it's worth.

Rejected.

Blimey that was quick! I didn't even have time to catch my breath properly.

Phew!

Well, at least I can move on to targeting the next corporate victim. ;)

Rejection pending...

Sent off the Tarot book to yet another publisher. So won't wait for the rejection letter, I'll get straight back to the writing.

See, I'm learning.

"Don't wait." is rule number# ...? something. According to ... someone or other professional's blog I read ages ago.

Way hey! At least I've learned that much. :)

Same old, same old.

Another rejection on the Tarot book.

*sigh*

I suspect finding a home for it is not going to be a doddle, if memory serves from all the leg work I had to put in before I found it the house of collapsing cards last time.

Oh well. Onwards and upwards.

NOT. IMPRESSED.

Apparently a verbal agreement is not worth the paper it is printed on.

Yeah, okay, we all know this. I know this.

But being the publishing business, I assumed a verbal agreement to publish a book was just that, an agreement to publish a book. - - The book. - - The book that I've just spent an age working on.

I realise in the film industry, as a writer, you get smoke blown up your arse all the time and things have to not only be signed, and sealed, but also have to be delivered in order to be considered as a pot you can safely count your chickens in. But I somehow thought that being paper and bindings and all stable things you can touch, the book industry was different. More solid somehow.

Films are all about smoke and mirrors.

Books are ... paperweights.

You can use books to anchor down more flimsey things, such as shopping lists and notes about interesting things you've seen and heard that'll be great for that scene when... - - when they aren't being read. The smaller dictionary I have makes a great paperweight for all my notes, and it's handily in reach on my desk at all times too! Books are more real... Except, it turns out they're not.

Anyhow, I'm gnashing my teeth. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!

After a lot of work I have now been told that "things have moved on" and my book is not going to be published afterall.

I knew I should have asked for a contract way back when. I feel really stupid.

Chalk it all up to lessons learned.

Excuse me while I go and sob into my coffee...

...and then I have to get on with that film rewrite.

And find a new publisher.

And ... does anyone know a good hitman? ;)


Darn! Procrastination just doesn't seem to be an available option today.

Well, this has been one weird-ass week ... A.K.A. Good procrastination can be very good!

This has been a week of weird, and altogether far too much is going on! But all of it good. :)

The additional part time job (factory work. *YAWN* And incidentally not the job I had the good feeling about, which turned out to be yet another wind-up siding on the path of trying to earn a living) started this week - light manual labour for two days, but boy am I knackered. It's good though. Once I'm used to it, it'll give me the chance to switch in to auto-pilot and let my brain soar away in to the land of story. Also a great opportunity for people-watching. Plus, I will now be able to afford to do a few things that I enjoy - - If I can ever find the time!

Excellent.

I've been idly thinking that I may need to move to a cheaper house, but without quite being at the commitment level that involves planning a move. However, on a whim this week I went and saw a place that unexpectedly is just PERFECT. So I put in an offer, without even thinking of the "Oh my goodness I have to pack everything and throw away all the shit I moved house with the last two times before I even consider moving house again" consequences. I didn't think I'd get it, the people who saw it directly before me put in an offer too, so I thought I wouldn't stand a chance in hele, but the agents turned around and said "It's yours!" ... So now I have to sort out all the paperwork and then spend every spare moment throwing out or recycling crap, and packing all my other stuff so I can move house some time in the next two to three weeks.

ARGH! But also, Excellent!

And then last night ... ho-oo boy, last night! ... Last night I came home to a phone message that proves not all procrastination is bad, in fact some can be down right amazingly good!

All that procrastinating I did, editing my Tarot book after that nibble of interest from a publisher, has paid dividends. I sent them a letter detailing my new vision for the book - basically turned the emphasis of the book on its head, the main thread is now (to use screenwriting terminology) B Story, and the secondary thread is now most definitely the A Story ... except we're talking about Tarot so it's not a novel and the word story really doesn't apply. But you get what I mean.

There's a shed load of work to be done yet, and no money at all (virtually), but come next spring I'm gonna be a published author! WAY-HEY! HOORAH! etc, etc. *dancing in celebration*

So procrastination has been my official route to becoming a published author.

YAY!

You can't see it but I'm doing The Dance Of Joy ... and as I boogie, I notice all the crap around the flat that I should be in the process of packing, or recycling, or throwing out. *sigh*

But, how good is that?!!

This has been one weird-ass week.

"Have you paid your dues, Jack?"
"Yes, Sir. The check is in the mail."

Time flies by...

Been a while. But was I procrastinating, or writing? -- A little of both.

For the most part I've either been putting words on paper, or mulling, so I have been writing one way or another almost every day. So that's good...

What's bad is: my brain can't settle - I'm allowing myself to be distracted - so the writing and mulling has been for several different projects that I have on the back burner.

And most recently, I've had a nibble of interest in one of my Tarot books, which has lead to some frantic procrastination in the form of editing and rewriting. This counts as procrastination because I'm supposed to be screenwriting, not book writing. Naughty Eleanor.
It probably won't result in anything, but it's nice to get the nibble. :)

I do need to give myself a bit of a slap upside the head though. I've fallen back into my old pattern of flitting from project to project, rather than forcing myself to stick to one thing. I am going to pick up my fantasy screenplay again and concentrate on the rewrite for that. I've said it now, in public, so I have to do it.

Darn!