Giving Back
I've had a few conversations over the past few days with writers who are new(ish) to the business, and I've been helping where I can.
First, let me say that, in case it's not obvious, I'm not much better off than any of you who have just finished his or her first book. But I've been around a while, and if I can offer advice on something for newbies, I feel obligated to do so. I've had the experience of working with some very talented people over the years. I've had a mentor take me under her wing and teach me quite a bit, give me encouragement, and help me navigate the sometimes brutal waters of publishing. It's a moral imperative that I give back what I've been so generously given, and then some.
I've heard horror stories recently of professional contracts. Much of these came from established writers, guy and gals who have been around since the 60s and 70s, even. I've heard things about veritable gods of science fiction that would curl your toes and blanch your hair, tales of woe and contractual obligations which rest firmly on the border of slavery. In hearing these stories I always ask, "How would you fix that?" There's a ton of theories, along with assurances that, for the most part, the internet community make for good watch dogs where bad contracts are concerned. Of course, that's not enough. We must always be vigilant. When I ask how such issues might be fixed, it's so that I can pass that hard-earned wisdom along.
Indie authors don't fare any better than their professionally-published brethren, despite having more control over their destinies. More of the business rests on their shoulders, and there is a strong idea among writers that you must disdain all notions of it being a business, which is pure garbage. So, there's not a lot of helpful advice out there. For example, what's a good price for editing services? When do you use a pre-made cover rather than shell out mucho dinero for a custom-made job? When do you call in a typesetter? Is it smart to do your own designs?
I try to help where I can. I do freelance editing on the side, and I have a few regular customers. One of them recently told me he was paying somewhere in the vicinity of $2500 to self-publish his book. This was in addition to the fees I charge him as his editor. When I woke up in the hospital six weeks later from the resultant stroke, I was able to tell him (via rudimentary sign language) that this was highway robbery. The thing is, this guy has great promotional machinery in place. He's got swag to go with his books, and he has a large following in his community. After his book was on the shelves for three years, he told me he finally earned out at $3/copy. Three years, and after hundreds of copies sold, dozens of buttons and t-shirts sold at conventions, and he had just recouped his losses. He was about to repeat the process with his second book when I showed him alternatives that, while they still cost, are but a fraction of that $2500 price tag. Maybe this time around, he'll actually see a little profit.
I wouldn't know to give that help if I hadn't been around a while, and if someone hadn't told me. My hope is that my advice helps more than it hurts, and that, when someone I've helped sees another young writer struggling, that he or she will do the same. They say writing is a lonely activity, but parts of it don't have to be. We can be a community, and we can help each other. We're not in competition, not really. Yes, there is a finite amount of money in the world to be spent on books, but publishing is still a very large table. We can all have a place there together without somebody getting elbowed out of the way when the biscuits get passed around.
First, let me say that, in case it's not obvious, I'm not much better off than any of you who have just finished his or her first book. But I've been around a while, and if I can offer advice on something for newbies, I feel obligated to do so. I've had the experience of working with some very talented people over the years. I've had a mentor take me under her wing and teach me quite a bit, give me encouragement, and help me navigate the sometimes brutal waters of publishing. It's a moral imperative that I give back what I've been so generously given, and then some.
I've heard horror stories recently of professional contracts. Much of these came from established writers, guy and gals who have been around since the 60s and 70s, even. I've heard things about veritable gods of science fiction that would curl your toes and blanch your hair, tales of woe and contractual obligations which rest firmly on the border of slavery. In hearing these stories I always ask, "How would you fix that?" There's a ton of theories, along with assurances that, for the most part, the internet community make for good watch dogs where bad contracts are concerned. Of course, that's not enough. We must always be vigilant. When I ask how such issues might be fixed, it's so that I can pass that hard-earned wisdom along.
Indie authors don't fare any better than their professionally-published brethren, despite having more control over their destinies. More of the business rests on their shoulders, and there is a strong idea among writers that you must disdain all notions of it being a business, which is pure garbage. So, there's not a lot of helpful advice out there. For example, what's a good price for editing services? When do you use a pre-made cover rather than shell out mucho dinero for a custom-made job? When do you call in a typesetter? Is it smart to do your own designs?
I try to help where I can. I do freelance editing on the side, and I have a few regular customers. One of them recently told me he was paying somewhere in the vicinity of $2500 to self-publish his book. This was in addition to the fees I charge him as his editor. When I woke up in the hospital six weeks later from the resultant stroke, I was able to tell him (via rudimentary sign language) that this was highway robbery. The thing is, this guy has great promotional machinery in place. He's got swag to go with his books, and he has a large following in his community. After his book was on the shelves for three years, he told me he finally earned out at $3/copy. Three years, and after hundreds of copies sold, dozens of buttons and t-shirts sold at conventions, and he had just recouped his losses. He was about to repeat the process with his second book when I showed him alternatives that, while they still cost, are but a fraction of that $2500 price tag. Maybe this time around, he'll actually see a little profit.
I wouldn't know to give that help if I hadn't been around a while, and if someone hadn't told me. My hope is that my advice helps more than it hurts, and that, when someone I've helped sees another young writer struggling, that he or she will do the same. They say writing is a lonely activity, but parts of it don't have to be. We can be a community, and we can help each other. We're not in competition, not really. Yes, there is a finite amount of money in the world to be spent on books, but publishing is still a very large table. We can all have a place there together without somebody getting elbowed out of the way when the biscuits get passed around.
No comments have been added yet.
