Brian Fitzpatrick's Blog
May 14, 2022
HELP an author!
3 seconds could change my life and grant me a live pitch in front of a legit studio executive.
Please click on this link to my pitch package on Storyrocket.
The more views Mechcraft receives, the better my odds of scoring a pitch session w/ an exec.
No sign-up required- just a quick view.
3 seconds is all it takes, and I will be eternally grateful.
Thank you for your support and help!
https://www.storyrocket.com/mechcraft
Please click on this link to my pitch package on Storyrocket.
The more views Mechcraft receives, the better my odds of scoring a pitch session w/ an exec.
No sign-up required- just a quick view.
3 seconds is all it takes, and I will be eternally grateful.
Thank you for your support and help!
https://www.storyrocket.com/mechcraft
September 12, 2021
Mechcraft: Cataclysm official book trailer is here
And now I give you the premiere of the MECHCRAFT: CATACLYSM book trailer:
https://youtu.be/ab2t0z7HZyA
https://youtu.be/ab2t0z7HZyA
September 11, 2021
New eMail Subscription!
Want to keep up-to-date on all things MECHCRAFT and TV pilot FINCH & SKULL? Get all the latest on my writing journey with this shiny new email subscription. I promise not to bombard your inbox. #scifi #authormaillist #amreading #writingcommunity
https://landing.mailerlite.com/webfor...
https://landing.mailerlite.com/webfor...
August 31, 2021
FROM SCRIPT TO NOVEL TO TRILOGY (part 6)
Thankfully, the new publisher was willing to wait the 3 months for the contract to expire, and at that time I asked the previous publisher to cease production on the book, which they honored without a problem. I had my book rights back and was on track with the new publisher. They gave a release date of May 4, 2021. Their process could not have gone smoother.
Then in January 2021, the publisher offered up a new opportunity. A slot had opened up for publication in November 2021. I immediately threw my hat in the ring for book 3 and they accepted it. One caveat, I had a 2-month deadline to turn in the final manuscript to keep the proper schedule, but I hadn’t written a single word. I only had the outline.
My plan was to write the book, give it a rewrite, give it to my editor for a pass, and then turn it in to the publisher. Easily the tightest deadline I’ve ever been under. Thankfully, I had vacation time from work available, and a very supportive family.
Schedule cleared, I wrote like a madman for 3 weeks, gave it a brief rewrite, then off to the editor who really came through and made my book a priority. She got it back to me, and I applied her notes in a final rewrite. I gave the final manuscript to the publisher on the deadline, and now MECHCRAFT: CATACLYSM is going to be published on November 4. The previous books had taken 7 and 8 months to write, and somehow I was able to write the longest novel in the series in under a month. It was exhausting, and my health suffered. But the feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment were unmatched. The conclusion is everything I had hoped it would be and more.
With the trilogy under my belt, you’d think this tale was finished, but it’s only the beginning. I’ve submitted the story to the Impact/Skydance TV series application, and the results will be announced May 16. I’m also approaching managers again. And my relationships in this industry have grown exponentially over the past year.
I have many people to thank. No one does this alone, and my gratitude is overflowing. This process is frustrating, agonizing, soul crushing, but also rewarding, exciting, and I cannot imagine doing anything else. I will not quit until Mechcraft becomes a film franchise or a TV series. And I will continue making moves toward that end. Don’t know if I’ll make it, but I’ll never stop trying.
If you’ve read this far, thank you for hanging in there. I hope you find some bits of useful information and can avoid some of the mistakes I’ve made or take advantage of some of the processes that worked out. Thank you.
Brian Fitzpatrick
brianfitzpatrickbooks.com
All social media: @authorbrianfitzpatrick
Then in January 2021, the publisher offered up a new opportunity. A slot had opened up for publication in November 2021. I immediately threw my hat in the ring for book 3 and they accepted it. One caveat, I had a 2-month deadline to turn in the final manuscript to keep the proper schedule, but I hadn’t written a single word. I only had the outline.
My plan was to write the book, give it a rewrite, give it to my editor for a pass, and then turn it in to the publisher. Easily the tightest deadline I’ve ever been under. Thankfully, I had vacation time from work available, and a very supportive family.
Schedule cleared, I wrote like a madman for 3 weeks, gave it a brief rewrite, then off to the editor who really came through and made my book a priority. She got it back to me, and I applied her notes in a final rewrite. I gave the final manuscript to the publisher on the deadline, and now MECHCRAFT: CATACLYSM is going to be published on November 4. The previous books had taken 7 and 8 months to write, and somehow I was able to write the longest novel in the series in under a month. It was exhausting, and my health suffered. But the feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment were unmatched. The conclusion is everything I had hoped it would be and more.
With the trilogy under my belt, you’d think this tale was finished, but it’s only the beginning. I’ve submitted the story to the Impact/Skydance TV series application, and the results will be announced May 16. I’m also approaching managers again. And my relationships in this industry have grown exponentially over the past year.
I have many people to thank. No one does this alone, and my gratitude is overflowing. This process is frustrating, agonizing, soul crushing, but also rewarding, exciting, and I cannot imagine doing anything else. I will not quit until Mechcraft becomes a film franchise or a TV series. And I will continue making moves toward that end. Don’t know if I’ll make it, but I’ll never stop trying.
If you’ve read this far, thank you for hanging in there. I hope you find some bits of useful information and can avoid some of the mistakes I’ve made or take advantage of some of the processes that worked out. Thank you.
Brian Fitzpatrick
brianfitzpatrickbooks.com
All social media: @authorbrianfitzpatrick
FROM SCRIPT TO NOVEL TO TRILOGY (part 5)
Also with events, always invite the press. Always. It’s a long shot for them to attend unless there’s a newsworthy story involved. I’ve seen authors connect an event to a charity, where book sales go to a non-profit. Or a human interest tale. Unfortunately, an unknown author with a book to sell isn’t high on a reporter’s interest list. But it never hurts to invite them.
I also attempted several other marketing methods with mixed results. Book cover contest, author panels, merch investments, etc. Best advice I can give is to mind your budget, and if a promo or deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
So the in-person and online marketing efforts were hit and miss, but always educational. After about 18 months of effort, I had to come to terms with the fact that this one novel was not going to generate enough buzz or sales to attract the film industry. I had to think bigger.
It was time to write book 2, MECHCRAFT: DISRUPTION. This time around would be different since I had no script to guide me. Again, I ended up loving the process. Eight months and 5 rewrites later, I sent it off to my editor- once again the best money I would spend. She got it into shape and ready for publication. But now, where to publish? I refused to go through the crowdfunding model again.
Meanwhile, the fan base was beginning to grow for the original book. A killer industrial rock band approached me to ask permission to write a song about Mechcraft’s villain. I happily agreed, and now that song is the opener for their latest album. We are going to do mutual marketing when their tour begins later this year.
Likewise, the owners of a chandelier manufacturer created a stunning sculpture of the book’s cover as a gift for me to display at signings. And again, I’m giving them mutual marketing as a thank you.
Back to publishing. I hit up Querytracker, submitting to 10 agents and publishers in a test round to see how my pitch would fare. After about 3 weeks, responses started coming in. 5 agents passed. 3 publishers passed. The 4th publisher, who was high on my wish list, accepted my pitch and signed me for not only the sequel, but they wanted to re-release the original as well. It was a dream come true. Only one problem- the previous publisher’s rights to Mechcraft hadn’t expired yet.
I also attempted several other marketing methods with mixed results. Book cover contest, author panels, merch investments, etc. Best advice I can give is to mind your budget, and if a promo or deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
So the in-person and online marketing efforts were hit and miss, but always educational. After about 18 months of effort, I had to come to terms with the fact that this one novel was not going to generate enough buzz or sales to attract the film industry. I had to think bigger.
It was time to write book 2, MECHCRAFT: DISRUPTION. This time around would be different since I had no script to guide me. Again, I ended up loving the process. Eight months and 5 rewrites later, I sent it off to my editor- once again the best money I would spend. She got it into shape and ready for publication. But now, where to publish? I refused to go through the crowdfunding model again.
Meanwhile, the fan base was beginning to grow for the original book. A killer industrial rock band approached me to ask permission to write a song about Mechcraft’s villain. I happily agreed, and now that song is the opener for their latest album. We are going to do mutual marketing when their tour begins later this year.
Likewise, the owners of a chandelier manufacturer created a stunning sculpture of the book’s cover as a gift for me to display at signings. And again, I’m giving them mutual marketing as a thank you.
Back to publishing. I hit up Querytracker, submitting to 10 agents and publishers in a test round to see how my pitch would fare. After about 3 weeks, responses started coming in. 5 agents passed. 3 publishers passed. The 4th publisher, who was high on my wish list, accepted my pitch and signed me for not only the sequel, but they wanted to re-release the original as well. It was a dream come true. Only one problem- the previous publisher’s rights to Mechcraft hadn’t expired yet.
FROM SCRIPT TO NOVEL TO TRILOGY (part 4)
One of the first things I did to get back on track was sign up on ACX to create an audio book. Their process could not have been smoother. In 2 days, there were 4 auditions. One of them read the characters perfectly and she got the job. I was utterly grateful she accepted a royalty share deal, so I didn’t have to spend money I didn’t have. Turned out she was an award-winning 10-year veteran who was seeking to expand her sci-fi catalog. She normally would not accept a royalty share, but made an exception for Mechcraft. Her work was incredible and I’m so proud of the final product. My gratitude to her is overflowing.
Additionally, I started booking signings and guest spots on podcasts. This world is surprisingly open-armed and welcoming. Local book stores, podcasts, book events- all are great sources for building an audience. Be discerning, though. Theme and price for events like book fairs play a major factor.
I purchased a booth at the one-day San Diego Book Fest, and it was a waste of money. Authors were randomly set up so attendees had no idea where to go to find the genres they liked. I was wedged between a self-help author and a history author. And none of us sold very many books in 8 hours.
In opposition to that, I set up a booth for free at an Entrepreneurial Fair at a local Homeschool Expo, and sold more books in 2 hours than I did all day at the Book Fest. Research and discernment count for so much when choosing events.
With in-person events, here’s a tip. If you’re connected or friends with a celebrity in that area, invite them to the event. They may say no, but shoot your shot and invite them. It’s a great chance to hang out (if you’re friends already), and its mutual support if you’ve purchased their products in the past. Having someone even a little famous attend your event boosts your reputation and visibility. It never hurts to reach out.
A signing I did at Book Soup in Hollywood drew a small audience, but in that group were 2 rock stars I had befriended over the years. After the event one was able to hang out and talk about art, marketing, and the industry over coffee. He has gone on to help me with soundtrack music and given me permission to use his 9-album catalogue of songs for any marketing promo material I created. He is an amazingly generous person. In return, I’ve supported his music, and attended his artist Zoom chats. Our friendship keeps growing, and I hope to repay his generosity even more.
Additionally, I started booking signings and guest spots on podcasts. This world is surprisingly open-armed and welcoming. Local book stores, podcasts, book events- all are great sources for building an audience. Be discerning, though. Theme and price for events like book fairs play a major factor.
I purchased a booth at the one-day San Diego Book Fest, and it was a waste of money. Authors were randomly set up so attendees had no idea where to go to find the genres they liked. I was wedged between a self-help author and a history author. And none of us sold very many books in 8 hours.
In opposition to that, I set up a booth for free at an Entrepreneurial Fair at a local Homeschool Expo, and sold more books in 2 hours than I did all day at the Book Fest. Research and discernment count for so much when choosing events.
With in-person events, here’s a tip. If you’re connected or friends with a celebrity in that area, invite them to the event. They may say no, but shoot your shot and invite them. It’s a great chance to hang out (if you’re friends already), and its mutual support if you’ve purchased their products in the past. Having someone even a little famous attend your event boosts your reputation and visibility. It never hurts to reach out.
A signing I did at Book Soup in Hollywood drew a small audience, but in that group were 2 rock stars I had befriended over the years. After the event one was able to hang out and talk about art, marketing, and the industry over coffee. He has gone on to help me with soundtrack music and given me permission to use his 9-album catalogue of songs for any marketing promo material I created. He is an amazingly generous person. In return, I’ve supported his music, and attended his artist Zoom chats. Our friendship keeps growing, and I hope to repay his generosity even more.
FROM SCRIPT TO NOVEL TO TRILOGY (part 3)
The relationships I’ve built via Facebook and Twitter are some of the richest I’ve known. People truly want to help you if they can, but it’s vital to always put yourself out there first. Offer to help. You will not only feel wonderful about assisting others, but you will build true connections with people.
So I marketed myself; took out Facebook ads pointing to the pre-order page, created postcards, flyers, and bookmarks- each with a link and a QR Code that pointed to the page. In the end, I gathered enough pre-orders and the publisher moved forward on publishing the book.
About 6 months prior to the launch date, I began a marketing campaign on social media. I wanted people to become familiar with Mechcraft and its author, so that by the time release day hit, sales would hopefully come easier. Sales and buzz were going to be key in drawing the attention of studios, prodcos, agents, etc. I found a balance between engagement and relationship building, and marketing. Both contributed to building my brand.
Close to the time of the release, I began to outline the rest of the trilogy. My goal all along was a film trilogy. Creating all 3 tales as novels first made the most sense. Only this time around, I had no screenplay to use as a blueprint. I was starting from scratch. I created outlines for books 2 and 3, then set them aside to focus on the launch of Mechcraft.
With the help of my amazing wife and some dear friends, we put together a launch party that exceeded all expectations. We anticipated 60-70, but 126 showed up. We had a catered taco bar, a live band, and a gorgeous room in a local art gallery. It was one of the greatest nights of my life.
The launch party was such a high, and it quickly came crashing down. After a very healthy launch on Amazon with three days of great numbers, the well dried up. The excitement in social media had worn off, and my own marketing no longer worked. My publisher offered no support in this area- nor did I really expect it, given the climate of the publishing world. And I could not afford a professional PR person.
Like most writers I contended with bouts of self-doubt and imposter syndrome. I struggled with giving up several times. I became overwhelmed by disappointment time and again. Hope and perseverance got me through and kept me going. The hope for a better life of doing what I loved. And the gut instinct that told me to persevere.
So I marketed myself; took out Facebook ads pointing to the pre-order page, created postcards, flyers, and bookmarks- each with a link and a QR Code that pointed to the page. In the end, I gathered enough pre-orders and the publisher moved forward on publishing the book.
About 6 months prior to the launch date, I began a marketing campaign on social media. I wanted people to become familiar with Mechcraft and its author, so that by the time release day hit, sales would hopefully come easier. Sales and buzz were going to be key in drawing the attention of studios, prodcos, agents, etc. I found a balance between engagement and relationship building, and marketing. Both contributed to building my brand.
Close to the time of the release, I began to outline the rest of the trilogy. My goal all along was a film trilogy. Creating all 3 tales as novels first made the most sense. Only this time around, I had no screenplay to use as a blueprint. I was starting from scratch. I created outlines for books 2 and 3, then set them aside to focus on the launch of Mechcraft.
With the help of my amazing wife and some dear friends, we put together a launch party that exceeded all expectations. We anticipated 60-70, but 126 showed up. We had a catered taco bar, a live band, and a gorgeous room in a local art gallery. It was one of the greatest nights of my life.
The launch party was such a high, and it quickly came crashing down. After a very healthy launch on Amazon with three days of great numbers, the well dried up. The excitement in social media had worn off, and my own marketing no longer worked. My publisher offered no support in this area- nor did I really expect it, given the climate of the publishing world. And I could not afford a professional PR person.
Like most writers I contended with bouts of self-doubt and imposter syndrome. I struggled with giving up several times. I became overwhelmed by disappointment time and again. Hope and perseverance got me through and kept me going. The hope for a better life of doing what I loved. And the gut instinct that told me to persevere.
FROM SCRIPT TO NOVEL TO TRILOGY (part 2)
Seven months later, I had hammered a full novel out of a 114 page screenplay. I didn’t trust myself with the editing. I needed a pro. My budget was virtually non-existent, but if there was one area worth spending money on, it’s a good editor. And a rock star found me. Thanks to social media and mutual connections, an incredible editor reached out to me, having heard of the story.
We spoke at length and I knew right away she was the one to edit Mechcraft. Her grasp of the story and what I was trying to say impressed the hell out of me. It was best money I spent on the entire journey. She helped my words soar without diminishing my voice. Then the publishing. How should I go about it? Traditional? Indie? Self? All had pros and cons.
I submitted to all the majors, and some mid-levels. Most never responded, and the few that did passed. I felt it was the screenplay scenario all over again. No one wanted to take a chance on the new guy. I had confidence in my story. I knew it would sell if it got the right exposure. I licked my wounds, dried my writer’s tears, and pressed on.
Through a contest I read about I discovered a new hybrid publisher that used a crowdfunding model to determine which books to publish. Those authors who could obtain a certain threshold of pre-orders would get their books professionally published and distributed. It seemed daunting and hellish, but I also saw opportunity. It fell upon me, my skills, and a bit of luck to get Mechcraft published. I jumped in.
This was a crash course in marketing. I had to achieve 250 pre-orders in order to fund the publishing of the book. How do you ask people to kick in $10 or $20 for a book they won’t receive for around 2 years? I was prepared to beg, borrow, and steal to hit that goal.
For me this was do or die, so I had to overcome any awkwardness or hesitation the held me back. I forced myself to ask friends, family, and co-workers. I expanded my social media reach, and built genuine relationships and connections with the audience. I cannot stress this enough: social media is a wealth of information, help, and connections- if used wisely and genuinely. Be yourself. Be kind.
We spoke at length and I knew right away she was the one to edit Mechcraft. Her grasp of the story and what I was trying to say impressed the hell out of me. It was best money I spent on the entire journey. She helped my words soar without diminishing my voice. Then the publishing. How should I go about it? Traditional? Indie? Self? All had pros and cons.
I submitted to all the majors, and some mid-levels. Most never responded, and the few that did passed. I felt it was the screenplay scenario all over again. No one wanted to take a chance on the new guy. I had confidence in my story. I knew it would sell if it got the right exposure. I licked my wounds, dried my writer’s tears, and pressed on.
Through a contest I read about I discovered a new hybrid publisher that used a crowdfunding model to determine which books to publish. Those authors who could obtain a certain threshold of pre-orders would get their books professionally published and distributed. It seemed daunting and hellish, but I also saw opportunity. It fell upon me, my skills, and a bit of luck to get Mechcraft published. I jumped in.
This was a crash course in marketing. I had to achieve 250 pre-orders in order to fund the publishing of the book. How do you ask people to kick in $10 or $20 for a book they won’t receive for around 2 years? I was prepared to beg, borrow, and steal to hit that goal.
For me this was do or die, so I had to overcome any awkwardness or hesitation the held me back. I forced myself to ask friends, family, and co-workers. I expanded my social media reach, and built genuine relationships and connections with the audience. I cannot stress this enough: social media is a wealth of information, help, and connections- if used wisely and genuinely. Be yourself. Be kind.
FROM SCRIPT TO NOVEL TO TRILOGY (part 1)
It’s been a strange journey going from a screenwriter to novelist and back again. I’ve never written the triumphs and tragedies before, so get in, sit down, buckle up, and prepare for an honest punch to the gut.
My sci-fi thriller screenplay, MECHCRAFT, had been doing well in the contest circuit. 6 entries, and 6 quarterfinals. Never did break beyond. I was gearing up for a rewrite to remedy this, when I got a couple meetings with gatekeepers. In all, four entities communicated with me and gave me the same answer: we love the concept, love the script, but no one is going to take a risk on an unknown property.
Friends in the business validated these responses. “Yep, that’s how it is now.” Accepting this reality, I had pondered burning the script and moving on to new ones, but my gut wouldn’t let me give up on Mechcraft. This was The One™.
Plotting my next move, I met with a long-time friend in the industry. He’s done it all; reader, screenwriter, producer, executive, CEO, etc. Over lunch he suggested converting Mechcraft into a novel. The studios and agents won’t touch an unknown IP, fine. Publish the book, build a fan base, and those studios will come to me.
I groaned at the thought. I’d just dropped blood, sweat, and tears on multiple drafts of the script. Last thing I wanted to do was recreate it as a novel. Fuck me. After pounding my head against the wall, his words of wisdom finally sunk in. He was absolutely right. Converting Mechcraft to a novel was the best path forward if I wanted a shot at getting it made into a film franchise, which was my endgame.
I fooled myself into believing the process would be simple. A piece of cake. The material was already there, just fill in some blanks and done. Yeah, that feeling lasted about five minutes. Let me tell you now converting a screenplay into a novel is damn hard. Everything changes. I agonized over the first chapters. But then something clicked.
I found freedom in the prose. No longer limited to what an audience can see. No longer limited to a page count. I explored the characters on a deeper level, really getting in their heads. I expanded the story, adding characters and scenes not found in the script. I fell in love with the process.
My sci-fi thriller screenplay, MECHCRAFT, had been doing well in the contest circuit. 6 entries, and 6 quarterfinals. Never did break beyond. I was gearing up for a rewrite to remedy this, when I got a couple meetings with gatekeepers. In all, four entities communicated with me and gave me the same answer: we love the concept, love the script, but no one is going to take a risk on an unknown property.
Friends in the business validated these responses. “Yep, that’s how it is now.” Accepting this reality, I had pondered burning the script and moving on to new ones, but my gut wouldn’t let me give up on Mechcraft. This was The One™.
Plotting my next move, I met with a long-time friend in the industry. He’s done it all; reader, screenwriter, producer, executive, CEO, etc. Over lunch he suggested converting Mechcraft into a novel. The studios and agents won’t touch an unknown IP, fine. Publish the book, build a fan base, and those studios will come to me.
I groaned at the thought. I’d just dropped blood, sweat, and tears on multiple drafts of the script. Last thing I wanted to do was recreate it as a novel. Fuck me. After pounding my head against the wall, his words of wisdom finally sunk in. He was absolutely right. Converting Mechcraft to a novel was the best path forward if I wanted a shot at getting it made into a film franchise, which was my endgame.
I fooled myself into believing the process would be simple. A piece of cake. The material was already there, just fill in some blanks and done. Yeah, that feeling lasted about five minutes. Let me tell you now converting a screenplay into a novel is damn hard. Everything changes. I agonized over the first chapters. But then something clicked.
I found freedom in the prose. No longer limited to what an audience can see. No longer limited to a page count. I explored the characters on a deeper level, really getting in their heads. I expanded the story, adding characters and scenes not found in the script. I fell in love with the process.
June 8, 2021
MECHCRAFT: DISRUPTION book trailer
Happy to announce the trailer for MECHCRAFT: DISRUPTION is finally here!
Big thanks to awesome friends who helped in the acting and music.
Check out the video here: https://youtu.be/8C6uUTtQqtk
Big thanks to awesome friends who helped in the acting and music.
Check out the video here: https://youtu.be/8C6uUTtQqtk
