Chris Eboch's Blog, page 40

Agent Conflict of Interest?

I have previously explored agents' opinions about self-publishing and noted that some are even helping authors to publish independently. One of the big questions in recent weeks has been whether this is a conflict of interest. Some people say yes, because (they claim) the agent is acting like a publisher.

Joe Konrath addressed this on his blog and made some good points against the accusations of conflict of interest. Because this is all so new, my feelings have gone through a cycle -- Yay, agents are exploring new ways to help their authors... Wait, maybe that is a conflict of interest, though it still feels like they are helping their authors more than hurting them....

My current feelings are that so long as the agent is taking the same 15 percent of income and not charging the author upfront fees, their incentive is to do the best deal for the author, and that's not a conflict of interest.

If anything, they might favor traditional publishing because of the quick advance. To take a chance on self-publishing, an agent would have to believe the long-term income would be greater than the advance plus possible royalties of a traditional deal. Plus, many agents are going with a model that has the agency paying for proofreading, layout, and cover art up front, so they risk losing money. It seems like agents will tend to favor traditional publishing deals, especially until independent publishing is proven successful for the majority. If there is a conflict of interest, it's going to be in the direction of favoring the old, familiar model.

Of course there is still the potential for abuse with agents helping their authors self-publish. If an agent charges more than their normal 15 percent commission for independently-published work, that could skew the balance so that what is best for the author isn't necessarily best for the agent. Agents could also charge an unreasonable amount for upfront services, even if these come out of initial income. For example, an agency could pay a proofreader $1000, but then charge the book's account $2000, with the extra amount going to pay the agent for the trouble of hiring the proofreader. A good agency will clearly explain what costs they expect to recoup before you start earning money.

I imagine the organization that polices literary agents will weigh in on this eventually. As always, understand your contracts, ask questions, and be extra careful with new "agencies" that might spring up to take advantage of desperate authors.

Jumping Genres

I have a guest post at Buried Under Books, where I share some of my writing journey and why I chose to start writing in different genres and for different age groups. A quote: "From a professional standpoint, it might not make sense to change direction just when you've gotten really good at what you do. But how can you keep doing something well if it doesn't interest you anymore? I guess I need to be learning in order to make the experience fun."

Check out the whole post.
http://www.cncbooks.com/blog/2011/07/01/writing-for-the-ages/

Nonfiction Truths

For the last two weeks, I've been discussing theme. Identifying a theme can even help in writing powerful nonfiction.
Christine Liu-Perkins, author of the upcoming The Tombs of Mawangdui, says, "My book is about a set of 2,100-year-old tombs in China that had over 3,000 well-preserved artifacts, including the body of a woman. I decided to write about the tombs as a time capsule, the various artifacts revealing what life was like during that period. Coming up with a theme really helped me develop the focus and content for my nonfiction book, and also helped in pitching my proposal to the publisher."
Shirley Raye Redmond gives another example. "Before writing my first draft of Blind Tom: The Horse Who Helped Build theGreat Railroad (Mountain Press Publishing), I narrowed the focus of my story and identified my story theme by answering the following questions as thoroughly as possible: who, what, when, where, how and why? I then abbreviated my answers so they fit concisely on an index card. On the back of the card, I wrote my theme statement: With perseverance, ordinary people (and even a blind horse) can play important roles in shaping major historical events. I kept my 'focus card' where I could see it as I drafted—and later refined—my story."

For my fictionalized biography of Olympic runner Jesse Owens, I considered the various lessons of his life in order to focus the book. Because he overcame ill health, racism, poverty and a poor education to become one of the greatest athletes the world has known, a theme quickly presented itself: Suffering can make you stronger, if you face it with courage and determination.
With this in mind, I chose to open the book when Jesse was five, and his mother cut a growth from his chest with a knife. I ended the chapter with his father saying, "If he survived that pain, he'll survive anything life has to offer. Pain won't mean nothing to him now." Jesse shows that spirit again and again throughout Jesse Owens: Young Record Breaker (Simon & Schuster), written under the name M. M. Eboch. Identifying that theme helped me craft a dramatic story, and may even inspire kids to tackle their greatest challenges.

In your theme, you can find the heart of your story. It's your chance to share what you believe about the world, so take the time to identify and clarify your theme, and make sure your story supports it. Through your messages, you may influence children, and perhaps even change lives.

Getting Reviews for Indie Books

One of the biggest challenges for independent authors is getting your book reviewed. The standard review magazines and sites generally won't consider self-published books, or else they charge a substantial fee and place the review in a separate newsletter. Some independent reviewers do web site reviews of indie books for free, but they tend to have a large backlog of submissions. So how do you spread the word?

One way is to give away review copies –  similar to publishers sending out advance reader copies. You can offer these on listserves or when guest posting on other writers' blogs. You can also offer giveaways of your books on sites like GoodReads, although they don't allow e-book giveaways right now, so you'll have to pay to mail the print copy. The readers who take your free books may or may not choose to post reviews, but in your offer you can politely ask that they do so if they like the book. When I gave away a copy of The Ghost on the Stairs a couple of years ago, the receiver blogged about the book with favorable comments.

You may also find times when it's necessary or useful to pay to get your work in front of reviewers. The trick is to make sure you're getting value for your money. One site that sounds interesting (which I found via a post on Joe Konrath's blog, A Newbie's Guide to Publishing) is BookRooster.com. According to their website, "BookRooster.com is a community of over 2,350 passionate readers/reviewers drawn from BookLending.com and other Kindle reader communities. We organize the distribution of review copies of your novel (in MOBI format for Kindle) to reviewers in exchange for their objective Amazon customer review."

You pay for distribution (currently $49). They make the electronic format of your book available to reviewers who have expressed an interest in that genre, until 10 reviewers have posted customer reviews on Amazon. These may or may not be favorable reviews, but BookRooster does supervise reviewers to ensure professionalism. A larger number of Amazon customer reviews can persuade people to buy your book, and the reviewer may also spread the word or buy your other books if she likes your work well enough.

I'm testing BookRooster with Rattled . Because of their backlog, the book won't be made available to reviewers until the end of July. We'll see what happens then.

Have you come across any interesting review sites or blogs that accept indie books for review?

Theme: Too Many Messages?

Last week I discussed how to identify and develop your theme. That helps overcome the problem of a weak or confusing theme. But I also sometimes critique stories where the author seems to be trying to explain everything they believe about life, the universe, and... well, everything.

For younger readers and short stories, you need to keep the theme simple. The longer the story or novel, and the older the reader, the more complex you can be. At first a book may appear to be a humorous romance, but as the story unfolds, it may reveal a theme about honesty in relationships.
Your theme doesn't have to be obvious from your first paragraph, and probably shouldn't be. In fact, the theme may only be clear from the final twist in the story. The theme can be revealed through what the main character learns, how she changes, what she gains or loses.
As part of your revisions (or in the planning stage, if you are really organized), work on your character in order to set up your theme. Use her virtues and vices. How will her strengths help her? What weaknesses does she have to overcome? Make sure these tie into the theme. In The Well of Sacrifice , Eveningstar discovers that she can't count on other people to solve her city's problems -- she has to act. Her courage and deep-seated honesty help her, but she has to overcome the shyness and insecurity that would prefer to let others take center stage.
For longer works, think about how you can use other characters or subplots to support or expand on your theme. Maybe your main character learns to be honest in her relationships, and so develops a loving connection with her boyfriend. In contrast, her friend might keep lying in order to make a good impression, and get dumped, or wind up with a shallow, dissatisfying relationship. A subplot with the main character's divorced parents could explore the theme in yet another way.
Although you should be able to clearly identify a single main theme, you may have additional themes. Holly Cupala said in an interview, "The theme I seem to be writing is that you can't find yourself in other people. It's very much there in Tell Me A Secret as well as the novel I'm working on now. Then there are the peripheral themes—looking to the past for meaning versus looking to the future for purpose, wanting to be loved for who you are, trading blame for hope." 
Multiple themes can give a novel extra depth and power. However, don't let your story get cluttered with too many themes, especially wildly different ones. If you try to share everything you believe about life in one story, it will just feel cluttered and confusing. Focus on one primary theme, and save the others for different works. For example, my middle grade historical mystery, The Eyes of Pharaoh , touches on immigration issues and homeland security (in ancient Egypt, but relevant today). But my main theme can be summed up by these words spoken by Pharaoh toward the end.

"Every Egyptian is my child," he said, "and I am responsible for them all. By serving one of them, you serve me. If everyone acted with love and courage out of loyalty to their friends, I wouldn't need soldiers or guards, tax collectors or spies."
That brings the political commentary down to a personal level and focuses on the main theme -- that supporting your friends and family can sometimes be more important than focusing just on your own success. 
So for short fiction, keep your theme simple and focused. For longer work, you can delve more deeply into the nuances of your theme, but it's still best to have a single primary theme. You can explore different aspects of that to give your story depth, but don't try to share everything you believe in one story.

Message, Moral, Meaning: The Theme

One of the first lessons children's writers hear is "Don't preach," so by now you know better than to end your stories with obvious morals. However, many writers, even advanced ones, suffer from a different thematic challenge. The theme may be unclear, perhaps even to the writer herself.

Author Holly Cupala says, "Throughout the writing of Tell Me A Secret (HarperCollins, 2010), I would hit on something and think, This is the theme! Then a little later, No, this is the theme. It seems to be an evolving-or perhaps devolving-process, getting to the heart of the story, layer by layer. I even found an old blog of mine where I thought I'd hit on the theme and had the same experience-the chills, the thunderous weight of the moment you realize, 'Wait, wait, wait. This is the theme.' I think on some level I've been right every time, chipping away at the complex layers of what it means to write something as truthfully as possible."

As this successful novelist shows, you don't always have to know your theme before you start. Sometimes, you may discover your message as you write the story. Or you may start with one idea in mind, and change it as you go. You may even realize that you don't quite believe your original theme-writing the story may help you explore new aspects of that idea, uncovering complexities and contradictions. This can result in a deeper, more meaningful story, so let that process unfold.

My World View

When trying to identify your theme, start big and then narrow your focus. Can you define your theme in one word? Is it about love, hope, courage, sacrifice? Once you've identified that word, try to state your theme as a single, clear sentence. What do you want to say about that word? For example, if your novel is about sacrifice, what about it? Is your character making sacrifices for her own future, for a loved one, for her country, for an ideal? What does she have to sacrifice? Narrowing in on the specifics can help you pinpoint your theme.

Once you've clarified your theme, work backward. Does your novel truly support it? Maybe you've decided that your theme is "The greater good is more important than the individual's desire." In that case, your main character should be giving up a desire in order to help a larger group. But perhaps you liked your character so much that you ended with her helping the group and getting what she wanted as well. That weakens your message, and suggests a different theme, "Good will be rewarded." You might want to reconsider your ending.

Try to envision all the different messages someone could get from your story. I've read various unpublished manuscript about characters (usually young animals) who are ostracized because they can't do something common (a bee that can't buzz, a lion that can't roar, a dachshund that can't jump hurdles… whatever). Then, of course, something happens that requires that characters special talents, and he proves himself to the community. Besides the fact that this story has been done (Rudolph, anyone?), I question the theme. The writer wants to say that everyone has special qualities. Instead, her story could suggest that you won't be accepted unless you prove yourself through heroic action. That might encourage kids to look for ways to show off, rather than to accept themselves as they are.

Having readers miss your intended theme can become a big problem, if they are seeing messages that go against your beliefs. Find a few people to read your story and ask them what message they take away. Make sure their response is in line with your ideals.

Don't expect your readers to all pick out your theme exactly, however. If they do, you're probably not being subtle enough. Just make sure they find a valuable message. In my Mayan historical adventure for kids, The Well of Sacrifice , I knew my main theme: make your own decisions and stand on your own. My heroine, Eveningstar, learns that she can't depend on her heroic older brother, her parents, the government or religion to solve the city's problems. When they all fail her, she has to act by herself.

One young reader wrote me and said, "The book…helped me think to never give up, even in the worst of times, just like what happened to Eveningstar." I'm happy to inspire a reader to "never give up," even if that wasn't my main theme. And perhaps readers will be subtly influenced by my primary message, even if they don't recognize it while reading.

Next week we'll look at what happens if you have too many messages.

The Value of the Chain Bookstores

You hear a lot of reasons why self-publishing is a bad idea. (Some of them may even be true.) One often-repeated statement is that self-published books won't be carried by chain bookstores. Actually, Amazon's print on demand CreateSpace does allow you to sign up for an "extended distribution" channel that allows libraries and bookstores to order your book. That's no guarantee that they will, of course. But neither is traditional publishing.
R.L. LaFevers, author of THEODOSIA AND THE SERPENTS OF CHAOS, wrote about WhatHappens When The Chains Won't Carry You on Shrinking Violet Promotions.
Here's a quote: "When the book first came out, one of the chains had placed a big initial order for the book while the second chain ordered zero copies. Of course, I panicked. Surely I would be handicapped from the starting gate!

"But once again, that did not prove to be the case. To date, my chain store sales of that title are about 7%. Yep, 7%. And the paperback is now in its 5th printing. Clearly the less-than-stellar performance in the chains did not kill the book."
That book came out in 2007, so it's not even a victim of recent bookstore closings. Yes, it's great to get your book in stores, especially the big chain bookstores (though small independents may do a better job of hand-selling specific titles). Bookstores are not, however, the sales channel that will make or break most books.

You hear a lot of reasons why self-publishing is a bad i...

You hear a lot of reasons why self-publishing is a bad idea. (Some of them may even be true.) One often-repeated statement is that self-published books won't be carried by chain bookstores. Actually, Amazon's print on demand CreateSpace does allow you to sign up for an "extended distribution" channel that allows libraries and bookstores to order your book. That's no guarantee that they will, of course. But neither is traditional publishing.

R.L. LaFevers, author of THEODOSIA AND THE SERPENTS OF CHAOS, wrote about WhatHappens When The Chains Won't Carry You on Shrinking Violet Promotions.

Here's a quote: "When the book first came out, one of the chains had placed a big initial order for the book while the second chain ordered zero copies. Of course, I panicked. Surely I would be handicapped from the starting gate!



"But once again, that did not prove to be the case. To date, my chain store sales of that title are about 7%. Yep, 7%. And the paperback is now in its 5th printing. Clearly the less-than-stellar performance in the chains did not kill the book."

That book came out in 2007, so it's not even a victim of recent bookstore closings. Yes, it's great to get your book in stores, especially the big chain bookstores (though small independents may do a better job of hand-selling specific titles). Bookstores are not, however, the sales channel that will make or break most books.

You hear a lot of reasons why self-publishing is a bad id...

You hear a lot of reasons why self-publishing is a bad idea. (Some of them may even be true.) One often-repeated statement is that self-published books won't be carried by chain bookstores. Actually, Amazon's print on demand CreateSpace does allow you to sign up for an "extended distribution" channel that allows libraries and bookstores to order your book. That's no guarantee that they will, of course. But neither is traditional publishing.
R.L. LaFevers, author of THEODOSIA AND THE SERPENTS OF CHAOS, wrote about WhatHappens When The Chains Won't Carry You on Shrinking Violet Promotions.
Here's a quote: "When the book first came out, one of the chains had placed a big initial order for the book while the second chain ordered zero copies. Of course, I panicked. Surely I would be handicapped from the starting gate!

"But once again, that did not prove to be the case. To date, my chain store sales of that title are about 7%. Yep, 7%. And the paperback is now in its 5th printing. Clearly the less-than-stellar performance in the chains did not kill the book."
That book came out in 2007, so it's not even a victim of recent bookstore closings. Yes, it's great to get your book in stores, especially the big chain bookstores (though small independents may do a better job of hand-selling specific titles). Bookstores are not, however, the sales channel that will make or break most books.

Surprisingly Easy Ways to Do Your Own Proofreading

Yesterday my guest, Karen Elliott, offered advice on how to hire a professional proofreader/copy editor. But what if the cost is just too much? You may have other options. I arranged an exchange with a writer friend who also works as a proofreader. She proofed my manuscript for The Eyes of Pharaoh; I critiqued her young adult novel. Here's Karen with some more ideas.
Karen Elliott
Even with my more-than-reasonable proofreading rates, I've had several writers say they just can't afford it. I can dig it! There are other options available for getting your manuscript proofread and edited.
Writer's group – If you feel you can't afford a proofreader, join a writer's critique group in your area. A good writer's group is invaluable! If you can't find a group, start one!
Exchange services – With other professionals – I'll read yours if you read mine. Or trade one service for another. I proofread a monthly newsletter for Anne Hillerman and her Wordharvest workshops and in turn get a free ad in her newsletter. This exchange is a benefit to us both.
Join Linked In – This is a great way to find other professionals in the publishing industry. There are literally hundreds of groups for writers broken down by genre, e-book vs. print, and a lot of other in-betweens.
Online exchange – Join an online exchange group or forum like Fictionaut, Dropbox, Backspace.org, or Yahoo groups for writers.
Join Facebook groups – One of my most favorite, supportive, and positive groups is Writer Unboxed. On Facebook there are pages and groups galore!  
Proofreading sites and blogs – Search for sites and blogs – like Grammar Girl – that share proofreading and copy editing tips.
Dictionary Plus – It's not enough to have a dictionary (or to use an online dictionary). You should have a couple/few other desk references for grammar and punctuation – like The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation or Diane Hacker's Rules for Writers.
Subscribe – Pick one or two magazines that are geared toward writers like Writer's Digest, Writers' Journal, or The Writer. Every month I find at least a couple of articles in these periodicals worth their weight in gold. If you don't want to fork over the subscription price, ask for them at your local library.
Start saving – Perhaps you could afford a proofreader if you did a little belt-tightening. With the recession in full swing and gas prices sky-rocketing, a plethora of websites with money-saving ideas have popped up. Do you really need a $5 latte every morning?  

CE: Thanks, Karen, for all the good advice! Readers, remember that you need to recognize where you can legitimately cut corners, and where that will catch up with you. Some people just can't seem to learn how to spot errors in their own manuscript, no matter how hard they try (dyslexia, anyone?). Some critique groups contain a Grammar Maven, while other critique partners may focus more on content (which really should be their priority). Know what you're capable of, what you're getting from others, and when to seek professional help – the proofreading kind, I mean!
About Karen: "I am a voracious, nit-picky proofreading shark! I was raised by two women - a mother who worked for Merriam-Webster as a proofreader and an aunt who could do the New York Times crossword in a day, in pen. Please see testimonials, commitment statement, and other information at my blog."