Kelly McCullough's Blog, page 58
July 5, 2011
July 4, 2011
Marketing
I'm going to reply at length to Tyler's comment on my last post, talking about some of the plans I have. I'm not sure how much I am actually going to do.
The main problem I have is actually getting the work done and out. I procrastinate a lot, and I am a perfectionist. This is the main problem, and one I can solve by myself. Write! Finish! Get the stories out!
The next step (obviously) is publication. I have enough short stories for five collections. The big New York houses publish almost no short story collections. So the first step is to go independent presses. There are a number of these: Night Shade, Tachyon, Golden Griffin, Aqueduct... I have an ongoing relationship with Aqueduct, so I will go there first. However, I have a contract with Aqueduct for the sequel to Ring of Swords, and I need to finish it, before I go to Aqueduct about any other books.
The backup plan is to self publish the collections as e-books and market them via nook and Kindle. Naomi has done this and can talk about what's involved.
There is also the question of my out of print novels. There are four of these, and e-books sound like the right solution. Aqueduct has expressed some interest in doing an e-book reprint of Ring of Swords. The others I will probably have to do myself. I don't know HTML. But there are people who will turn a book into an e-book for not too much money. Again, Naomi knows more about this than I do.
Once I have books available, I can think about marketing. What I'm doing now is watching what other people do.
I said I don't think things like bookmarks and post cards and refrigerator magnets don't help much. However, they don't cost a lot, and they are fun. I have one of Kelly's magnets up on my refrigerator, and I am always happy to get bookmarks. I'm using one of Lyda's right now.
The key thing, I think, is to pay attention to how much marketing is costing you in money and time. As a fun sideline, it's okay. But if it sucks resources better put into writing, pull back.
The late Joel Rosenberg gave me wonderful advice once. He said, "Most of what happens in publishing is outside our control. We need to focus on what we can control, which is getting the writing done and out."
The main problem I have is actually getting the work done and out. I procrastinate a lot, and I am a perfectionist. This is the main problem, and one I can solve by myself. Write! Finish! Get the stories out!
The next step (obviously) is publication. I have enough short stories for five collections. The big New York houses publish almost no short story collections. So the first step is to go independent presses. There are a number of these: Night Shade, Tachyon, Golden Griffin, Aqueduct... I have an ongoing relationship with Aqueduct, so I will go there first. However, I have a contract with Aqueduct for the sequel to Ring of Swords, and I need to finish it, before I go to Aqueduct about any other books.
The backup plan is to self publish the collections as e-books and market them via nook and Kindle. Naomi has done this and can talk about what's involved.
There is also the question of my out of print novels. There are four of these, and e-books sound like the right solution. Aqueduct has expressed some interest in doing an e-book reprint of Ring of Swords. The others I will probably have to do myself. I don't know HTML. But there are people who will turn a book into an e-book for not too much money. Again, Naomi knows more about this than I do.
Once I have books available, I can think about marketing. What I'm doing now is watching what other people do.
I said I don't think things like bookmarks and post cards and refrigerator magnets don't help much. However, they don't cost a lot, and they are fun. I have one of Kelly's magnets up on my refrigerator, and I am always happy to get bookmarks. I'm using one of Lyda's right now.
The key thing, I think, is to pay attention to how much marketing is costing you in money and time. As a fun sideline, it's okay. But if it sucks resources better put into writing, pull back.
The late Joel Rosenberg gave me wonderful advice once. He said, "Most of what happens in publishing is outside our control. We need to focus on what we can control, which is getting the writing done and out."
Xombi Fiction
I told you this was coming: sympathetic (humorous) zombies!
July 3, 2011
Marketing
Cross posted from my blog:
I went to three panels at CONvergence. One was on marketing for writers. I have real doubts about how much effective marketing most writers can do. The panelists talked about making bookmarks and postcards, going to cons, having a blog, being on facebook, taking out ads in trade magazines. These are fairly typical ways to try and increase visibility.
I am acutely uncomfortable about self-promotion. It doesn't fit my Minnesota idea of the right way to behave. Don't push in front of your neighbors. Don't blow your horn.
It was explained to me at Wiscon that self-promotion and marketing are different. Marketing is finding your target market and ways to reach that market. When I heard this, I thought, "Wiscon is my target market: feminist readers of science fiction and fantasy."
I'm not sure what else I can do, besides going to Wiscon every year. Go to a few other cons. Make friends. Be a decent human being. Believe in people and art and good politics and life.
Back in the 1970s, I set out to become a good panelist, in spite of introversion and stage fright. I think I've done a pretty good job. I did it, because I wanted to become more visible in the field, and I wasn't sure my writing would ever become known. And because there were things I wanted to say about people and art and politics and life.
Anyway, I found the panel a bit depressing. It sounded like the same ideas for self-promotion I've heard before, and which do not seem to work especially well to me.
However, publishing is changing rapidly, as we all know; and writers are trying to figure out all the possible ways to use the Internet and e-publishing. Borders is in chapter 11. Barnes & Noble is trying to sell itself. I'm not sure of the future of the brick and mortar chains. Nor am I sure of the future of the big, New York, print-on-paper publishers.
Because the situation is fluid, it seems like a good idea to pay attention.
So I will.
I went to three panels at CONvergence. One was on marketing for writers. I have real doubts about how much effective marketing most writers can do. The panelists talked about making bookmarks and postcards, going to cons, having a blog, being on facebook, taking out ads in trade magazines. These are fairly typical ways to try and increase visibility.
I am acutely uncomfortable about self-promotion. It doesn't fit my Minnesota idea of the right way to behave. Don't push in front of your neighbors. Don't blow your horn.
It was explained to me at Wiscon that self-promotion and marketing are different. Marketing is finding your target market and ways to reach that market. When I heard this, I thought, "Wiscon is my target market: feminist readers of science fiction and fantasy."
I'm not sure what else I can do, besides going to Wiscon every year. Go to a few other cons. Make friends. Be a decent human being. Believe in people and art and good politics and life.
Back in the 1970s, I set out to become a good panelist, in spite of introversion and stage fright. I think I've done a pretty good job. I did it, because I wanted to become more visible in the field, and I wasn't sure my writing would ever become known. And because there were things I wanted to say about people and art and politics and life.
Anyway, I found the panel a bit depressing. It sounded like the same ideas for self-promotion I've heard before, and which do not seem to work especially well to me.
However, publishing is changing rapidly, as we all know; and writers are trying to figure out all the possible ways to use the Internet and e-publishing. Borders is in chapter 11. Barnes & Noble is trying to sell itself. I'm not sure of the future of the brick and mortar chains. Nor am I sure of the future of the big, New York, print-on-paper publishers.
Because the situation is fluid, it seems like a good idea to pay attention.
So I will.
July 2, 2011
Sea Monkey Diary: Day 15
Last Thursday witnessed another milestone moment for the sea-monkeys: the first administration of the contents of pouch 4, "Plasma III." According to the literature, Plasma III is "formulated so that 50% more young Sea-Monkeys will grow and thrive in any 'Ocean-Zoo' aquarium."And now, the moment we've all been waiting for: sea-monkey video. Check it out full-screen, and watch the little critters go!
See all posts in Bill's sea monkey diary.
July 1, 2011
A Little Light Reading
Science News has a book review up that reminded me of one of Eleanor's "Big Mama" stories. It's called Planet of Viruses.
June 30, 2011
Alien Life
This is why I think that humanoid aliens are so unlikely. Life on THIS planet is so weird and diverse. Sea urchins, according to e! Science News, can "see" with their whole body.
Friday Cat Blogging
I don't like having surgery. Can we be done now?
Jus chillin with my hummies.
Beethoven's 5th, why do you ask?
Wait, is that my tail?
But where does it go?
Jus chillin with my hummies.
Beethoven's 5th, why do you ask?
Wait, is that my tail?
But where does it go?
June 29, 2011
Doug's CONvergence schedule
My CONvergence 2011 schedule is posted on the con site here. For those desiring a quick, link-free summary:
Friday July 1:
11:00 AM - Noon
Signing w/ Rob Callahan (Rob and I, you know, sign books.)
locale: Autograph Table
10:00 - 11:00 PM
Panel: The Past Through Serenity (Civil War & Old West imagery in Firefly.)
locale: Edina
Saturday, July 2:
3:30 - 4:30 PM
Panel: Interesting Bad Guys (How to you make a good bad guy? Who/what are some of the best?)
locale: Bloomington
5:00 - 6:00 PM
Panel: SF Writing Groups: The 2011 Scene (Writing groups! In the Twin Cities! Woop! Woop!)
local: Krushenkos
10:00 -11:00 PM
Reading: Douglas Hulick (I, you know, read something. What, exactly, will be determined by who shows up.)
locale: Lit Lounge
Overall, I plan to be at the con most of Friday and Saturday. Sunday is up in the air; Thursday is right out.
The reading is going to be audience dependent, meaning I could either read from "Among Thieves", or the forth-coming "Sworn in Steel" based on who has or has not read the book.
Friday July 1:
11:00 AM - Noon
Signing w/ Rob Callahan (Rob and I, you know, sign books.)
locale: Autograph Table
10:00 - 11:00 PM
Panel: The Past Through Serenity (Civil War & Old West imagery in Firefly.)
locale: Edina
Saturday, July 2:
3:30 - 4:30 PM
Panel: Interesting Bad Guys (How to you make a good bad guy? Who/what are some of the best?)
locale: Bloomington
5:00 - 6:00 PM
Panel: SF Writing Groups: The 2011 Scene (Writing groups! In the Twin Cities! Woop! Woop!)
local: Krushenkos
10:00 -11:00 PM
Reading: Douglas Hulick (I, you know, read something. What, exactly, will be determined by who shows up.)
locale: Lit Lounge
Overall, I plan to be at the con most of Friday and Saturday. Sunday is up in the air; Thursday is right out.
The reading is going to be audience dependent, meaning I could either read from "Among Thieves", or the forth-coming "Sworn in Steel" based on who has or has not read the book.
Kelly's CONvergence Schedule
CONvergence starts tomorrow and I'll be there
Thursday June 30:
3:30 PM Interacting Maps with Literature:
Friday July 1
3:30 PM Ask a Writer
Saturday July 2
12:30 PM Happy Writers and Fast Writers
2:00 PM Stuff I Wanted to do but Didn't: Pitches that Failed
Thursday June 30:
3:30 PM Interacting Maps with Literature:
Type: Panel → Literature
Venue: Bloomington
About: Mapping your literary worlds. Working with the world as we know it or creating something new. How important is it? Speaker/Artist(s) Info: Kelly McCullough, Daniel Wallace, Bob Alberti, Marguerite Krause, Matt Kuchta Tags Literature
Type: Panel → Science & Technology
Venue: Atrium 7
About: How art can be used to make science and math interesting and how science and math can be used to create arts Speaker/Artist(s) Info: Kelly McCullough, Bug Girl, Stephen King, Amy Davis Roth Tags Science & Technology, Skeptic
Friday July 1
3:30 PM Ask a Writer
Type: Panel → Literature
Venue: Bloomington
About: Always wanted to know how a novel is born? How does a writer structure their day? Is it all glittering parties and intelligent company? Come ask a panel of working writers anything. Speaker/Artist(s) Info: Anya Bast, Kelly McCullough, Seanan McGuire, Michael Merriam, Dana Baird, David Wilbanks Tags Literature, Writing
Saturday July 2
12:30 PM Happy Writers and Fast Writers
Type: Panel → Literature
Venue: Bloomington
About: There are any number of writers who talk about the agony of writing, both in terms of how long it takes them and how miserable it makes them. But that's not the only side of the story. A lot of writers love what they do -- that's why they do it. Speaker/Artist(s) Info: Anya Bast, Kelly McCullough, Seanan McGuire, David Wilbanks, Michael Merriam, David Walbridge Tags Literature, Writing
2:00 PM Stuff I Wanted to do but Didn't: Pitches that Failed
Type: Panel → Hot Dish
Venue: Atrium 4
About: Working in the creative industries, you get used to disappointment. The great ideas that never saw the light of day. Speaker/Artist(s) Info: Brian Keene, Doug Texter, Kelly McCullough Tags Hot Dish, Guest of Honor
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