Change of plans: I'm not going to take a slow and steady approach to editing my Grammarian novel, like I said I would. I'm going to get it done ASAP, and even went so far as to lean a bit more on my astonishingly supportive and forgiving beta readers.
Why take this risky approach? Because Harper Voyager has an open submission window from October 1 - 14:
This book is almost ready to leave the nest; I'm confident that I can make it good enough to submit before this window closes. (Note: I didn't say I could make it PERFECT. See this blog post for my thoughts on perfect writing.)
The submission guidelines include a couple of important nuggets:
Seriously, though, I know that winging my Grammarian novel into a slush tsunami is not a high-probability endeavor, but this kind of externally imposed deadline helps me to get things done. If nothing comes of it, I still have a finished manuscript to carry forward to the next step. Also, I can still be querying agents during these three months. Furthermore, if lightning does strike, it's easier to get an agent if you already have an offer from a publisher.
Plan for success, people. Nobody ever got anywhere aspiring to mediocrity.
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Why take this risky approach? Because Harper Voyager has an open submission window from October 1 - 14:
The manuscripts will then be read and those most suited to the global Harper Voyager list will be selected jointly by editors in the USA, UK and Australia. Accepted submissions will benefit from the full publishing process: accepted manuscripts will be edited; and the finished titles will receive online marketing and sales support in World English markets.
Voyager will be seeking an array of adult and young adult speculative fiction for digital publication, but particularly novels written in the epic fantasy, science fiction, urban fantasy, horror, dystopia and supernatural genres.
This book is almost ready to leave the nest; I'm confident that I can make it good enough to submit before this window closes. (Note: I didn't say I could make it PERFECT. See this blog post for my thoughts on perfect writing.)
The submission guidelines include a couple of important nuggets:
- The desired book length is 80,000 - 120,000 words.
- Consideration window is three months. If you haven't heard back by then, you can assume you didn't make the cut.
- Accepted titles will come out digitally, with a maybe-perhaps-possibly option for a print run.
- The titles from these "new exciting voices"will be published at a rate of one title per month, after the editing and production period is complete.
Seriously, though, I know that winging my Grammarian novel into a slush tsunami is not a high-probability endeavor, but this kind of externally imposed deadline helps me to get things done. If nothing comes of it, I still have a finished manuscript to carry forward to the next step. Also, I can still be querying agents during these three months. Furthermore, if lightning does strike, it's easier to get an agent if you already have an offer from a publisher.
Plan for success, people. Nobody ever got anywhere aspiring to mediocrity.
===== Feel free to comment on this or any other post.
I wondered if you'd take that plunge, it does seem like a good fit.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping so. Another month to polish would be nice, but then, I could always wish for another month to polish.
DeleteI am going to be a big poopy-head and recommend you REALLY think about this.
ReplyDeleteFrom almost every standpoint, the only advantage one of the big-six imprints can offer you now is getting your book into bookstores. If you can't get there guaranteed then I recommend running screaming from this offer.
Think of it this way. You have to do the same level of marketing (yourself) AND you get a spectacular crappy online royalty AND your book still isn't in the book store AND you have no say int he price-points that might make the book more attractive to growing an audience.
I am sorry, but this is a rip-off. You have very little to gain and almost everything to lose.
Anthony, your concerns mirror those I've been wrestling with in deciding how to proceed with this book re: self-pub vs. traditional. You phrased it in a more Wendigian way than I would have, but the central issue of cost vs. benefit is an important one.
DeleteIf I were to be that one-in-a-million, what would I gain from this? Professional editing, a professional cover image, the stature/respect of being with a major label, and as much cross-platform availability as the market will support. In return, it would cost me the things you listed.
We are still a long way from the days of a self-pubbed book being taken as seriously as one that comes out under label like Harper, even the sub-label of Harper Voyager. How will I know if the contract looks bad? That's why I'd hire an agent.
Having said all that, I do want to thank you for the honesty with which you presented your opinion. It helps a lot to have different perspectives.
Tony, maybe have an attorney look at the contract while you're lining up an agent. I think a lawyer will flag lot of stuff in a typical publisher's contract that the agent would accept as normal. It would be a good exercise, anyway. At the very least, the contract ought to state what will be needed to get the book into print as well, and under what conditions the ePublishing rights revert to you. eBooks may be the future, but right now they're at somewhere between 1/4 and 1/3 market share.
DeleteI've heard some interesting angles lately on editing and cover art. I'm not sure I agree, but they're interesting theories. 1) Cover art itself won't sell the book, but it can draw people to look at the synopsis that does sell it. 2) The only people fussing about editing are other writers. The stature could well be a worthwhile thing, though. Just depends on how they treat you.
Having said all that, if this unagented submission window were open six months ago, I might have tried it myself. Good luck!
Hi Tony,
DeleteYou can go to Freelancer and have TWO professional editorial passes done on your novel for $500. They are just as good, if not better, than what you would get at a large imprint.
I'm not kidding.
Now, if you want that person to do book 2, she won't bid on it and happily send you an invoice for $800, and you will have to eat it or find another editor, but that is the nature of a series.
But now you are out $500, but have a polished book. You lack a cover.
I reject the notion these imprints are doing covers properly for an online market, and assert that they have issues. Be that as it may, you can go back to Freelancer and get a very good artist with a killer portfolio on Deviant Art for $500 to $1000.
So let's say now you're out $1500, but now you have a professionally edited book with a professional cover. If you can format a Word document then you can post this to Amazon and now you are in business. Do you expect to make more than %1500? Well, since you're keeping all the royalties... I certainly hope so! In no time flat, this online only pub deal is terrible.
If what you want is a professional cover with professional editing, then only knowledge you are missing is navigating the world of professional freelancers.
That's an easy fix.
I say again: if there is no book in the bookstore you are getting ripped off. In fact, you are subsidizing other people's books getting into bookstores.
Anthony, I'd say that's the extreme high end. I paid $70 for a cover I think is pretty awesome. I got crazy-lucky on the editing part; the other tenor in the church choir came out of retirement to do the editing, and is poking me for the sequel. So I'm out $70… and have sold about a third of what I need to cover my expenses so far in the first two months. This is a business, and the goal is to turn a profit. Putting yourself $1500 in the hole to begin with is really scary, and not necessary.
DeleteSpending $1500 up front is not an option. That's a reality that can't be wished away; it's something I need to work around.
DeleteI disagree. The offer is analagous to many theater submission opportunities and, as Tony says, it's a three month hold. Then, on his merry way he goes.
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts exactly. You must be pretty smart!
DeleteTakes one to know one. I really don't see a lose in this situation. :)
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ReplyDeleteIf you're happy with what Harper's offering, go for it! At worst, you'll have 3 months to do more polishing. (Although I'd kind of hoped you try with Viking, who publishes Jasper Fforde...)
ReplyDeleteHa! I don't know if Viking takes unagented books, but I'll see what I can do. 8-)
DeleteVoyager devoting a month to one new title, even if it's just on electronic platforms, is exciting. I have The House That Nobody Built set aside for the running. Voyager is hardly Tor or Angry Robot, with that loyal base that will look into every title the house offers, but the whole house has a substantial platform. What I'm presently wondering is how long they tie up digital rights, and how long their print window is open for. Even running off as an indie with your book for paper markets but not digital is an unambitious position right now.
ReplyDeleteMy thinking as well, John. The actual submission form isn't up on the site yet, so I can't evaluate the terms of the contract. If it does end up looking like a sucker bet/slave contract, as Anthony is suggesting, then I'll walk away from it.
DeleteAs a commenter on my Facebook page said, this would be a smaller slice of a bigger pie.
A well-thought out position, Tony. As you say, barring the striking of lightening, three months is not much to invest.
ReplyDeleteShould lightening strike, that's different. The backing of an imprint. No small thing. How long, as John asks, they tie up the digital rights becomes important. Exactly what and how much they'll commit to actual marketing support, another.
Still, lightening striking is something worth celebrating. For a book to rise above the noise enough to catch the eye. There's validation in that. Else, why all these writing competitions?
For mine, because it's really novella or short novel, sized I'm heading the self route. Were I writing back forty years ago (well, I was, but not with any seriousness or real craft) or maybe fifty years ago, a book the size of mine would be regarded as a novel. But not now.
So, I'll spare myself the certain rejection in the publishing houses and gamble on possible rejection in the marketplace.
As with you, the choice is personal.
Please excuse the misplaced comma in "...novella or short novel, sized..." Sigh. 'Tis late here.
DeleteI'm under no illusions about the potential market size for a book about a superhero who fights crime with good grammar and high-tech punctuation, even if it's a fun, fast-paced adventure romp. This has to come into the calculations when deciding what to do with this book.
DeleteA lightning strike with Harper Voyager would open the door to a wider world, if only because the book would be in rotation on THEIR webpage & store, not just on MY webpage. All the other issues of rights, royalties, etc. are serious matters that need attention, but I can't do anything about them until I see the contract.
And don't worry... I don't delete comments based on misplaced commas. ;-)
Well things have got exciting round your place haven't they! I think that your dilemma strikes a cord with almost every writer who has wrestled with whether to self pub or go with a publishing house.
ReplyDeleteFor what it's worth I think one of the nicest things is that you sound so excited. If nothing else comes of this, at least you'll have had a few months of thrill and isn't that what's life's all about?
In terms of what you decide to do my only advice (sorry I couldn't resist giving some, despite having less experience than you!) is not to put your book out before it's ready. I know you've spent a long time on this work and it'd be a real shame if it isn't presented to the world at its most shiny. Be as sure as you can realistically be.
Anyhow, whatever you do, I wish you the best of luck! :)
Thanks, Pete! I'm trying to be as thoughtful and realistic as I can with this entire endeavor. The comments I've been getting back from my four beta readers are telling me that my book is very close to ready, that the fundamentals of a solid, fast-paced, fun, stay-up-late-to-finish-it book are there. I still have some tweaks to make, but the quality of the writing is in place.
DeleteHouses like Tor, Viking, Angry Robot, Baen, Harper Voyager, etc. are good choices for this book. My hope is that the book is shiny enough to get buy-in and commitment for one of them to take it on.
I think this is an interesting approach by a big publisher. You'll obviously get the benefit of top level editing etc, but I also think because it's the first time they'e doing this they'll put more of an effort into marketing.
ReplyDeletemood
Moody Writing
I certainly hope that's the case. A presumption that Harper Voyager will do a good job of editing is probably closer to the truth than that they'll do a crappy, cursory job of editing. Ditto for the cover.
DeleteWhen I first heard about this, there were 29 days until the last day for submission. I was excited and panicked: could I write and edit the remaining 55k of my novel in one month? Sure! If I did nothing else, which is not going to happen. Point being, I would totally go for this if my novel were ready. Of course there are pros and cons, but it's not like they have all the novels you write forever (well, check that contract!), and in return, you get more name recognition than you likely would have otherwise. So I agree you should go for it, and good luck!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Andy. It is sometimes hard to remember the long view. One book helps to sell the rest.
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