Unspeakable Horror!

The Literary Six is now on the market. Seems almost surreal to see my book in print. It’s simultaneously rewarding and terrifying. Rewarding in that now people get to read it ~ and isn’t that the point of writing in the first place? Terrifying because now the real work begins ~ after the actual writing, the edits, the book cover design and decisions, and author photos, the business of book marketing begins. In this week’s e-column, I wanted to share my own experience with the publishing process and share some tips and insights with others considering the publication of their work.

Publishing Choices

Writers want to write and have their words read. It’s a relatively simple process and even simpler goal. Being entrepreneurial, I tend to bypass cumbersome roadblocks and unnecessary delays to reach my goals. With writing, it’s no different. Traditional publishing wasn’t appealing to me. Much time is wasted sending out your finished manuscript to publishing houses who take weeks and months to respond. If you’re fortunate enough to grab some overworked editor’s interest, your book is surrendered to the creative control of others. Edits are made, covers are designed, layout is set…and then the book often languishes in publishing limbo for one to two years before it ever sees the light of day on bookstore shelves. Then, unless you’re an established talent like Stephen King or Peter Straub, the traditional publishing house (again, acting as a profit-minded business with an eye on the bottom line and percentages of profit) puts little to no marketing muscle behind the book’s release. Many authors I’ve spoken to over the years who’ve gone with traditional publishing houses lament the lack of marketing and promotion of their work, with book tours and publicity often left up to them. So, wait a minute. No creative control, long delays to actual publication, little to no marketing ~ why go the traditional publishing route? Some cling to the legitimization that traditional publishing houses lend an author’s work. I tend to be of the old-fashioned mindset that legitimization comes from the respect your work garners on its own merits, regardless of who binds the book.

But we’re now in the midst of a publishing revolution. With print-on-demand technology, e-books, vanity presses, and hybrid publishers, more writers than ever have the ability to see their works in print. This is both a good thing and a bad thing ~ good in the sense that good writers with fresh, original voices have greater means of getting their work out into public hands and bad in the sense that poor writers with little insight into their own abilities are crowding the marketplace with, frankly, crap. Although still in their infancy, these alternate means are gaining notice, with many writers discovering the appeal of carrying their creative control through to the publishing and marketing process. I recently interviewed actress Meg Tilly, whose debut novel Singing Songs was published by Dutton, and even she opted to go with hybrid publisher Syren Book Company for her upcoming sophomore release, Gemma. Despite the traditional publishing community’s looking-down-the-nose at books published independently of the large houses, alternative publishing will eventually gain industry respect much in the same way independent films and music produced under independent labels have. It will take a few notable works of literature coming out of the alternative publishing world to break the stigma attached to alt-published works. Keep in mind that much of the resistance comes from the fact that there is money at stake here. Much in the same way that a successful independently produced film takes money out of the coffers of the large film companies, the threat of independently published books looms over the big traditional publishing houses. Better to discredit these works solely on the manner in which they’re published than have them gain an audience. But readers are smart people, and it’s only a matter of time before they catch on to the good writers coming out of the alternative publishing world, despite their exclusion from review outlets like Publisher’s Weekly ~ who are so dependent upon the advertising revenue from the major publishing houses that they complicitly turn a blind eye to alternatively published works.

Due Diligence (or Do Your Homework!)

My own journey to publication began with the relatively timely acceptance of my manuscript by a small horror press. It was the first publisher I sent the manuscript out to, and I was initially elated at the prospect of my book being published. That is, until I read the terms of the contract. The financial terms were horrific and it would take up to two full years before the book was actually published. My rights in the book were tied up for a specified period of time, during which I was restricted from accepting better offers. The name of the publisher will be omitted in respect for the folks involved who were, contractual terms aside, quite gracious (never, after all, burn your bridges!). Without another backwards glance at the traditional publishing world, I forged forward toward putting the book out into the marketplace on my own terms. Research was key at this juncture. I would caution writers considering using an on-demand publisher to do their homework. Without sounding redundant, publishing is a business. Despite the opportunities that on-demand publishers afford undiscovered writers, making money is their goal. Beware of deluxe packages and add-on services ~ this is where many of these companies make their money. You want someone to publish your book for you and, more importantly, you want a distribution outlet for that book. For me, a simple google search of the various on-demand publishers yielded the top players in the game ~ AuthorHouse, iUniverse, Outskirts Press, Infinity, Trafford, Xlibris, and Lulu.com. A great starting point is the fairly comprehensive comparison of POD publishers on author Clea Saal’s Books and Tales website at http://booksandtales.com/. My advice is to pick five that appear to offer the services you’re looking for; then, visit their online bookstores and purchase at least one book from each in the format you’re considering for your own book. Besides supporting an indie published author, you’ll be able to evaluate the quality of the publisher’s finished work. Quality will count during marketing; retailers will largely base their decision to carry your book on the quality of the publication. Next to the quality of the finished product, the availability of distribution through the larger players in bookstore distribution was paramount in my own decision. I searched specifically for a publisher who could make The Literary Six available for distribution through Ingram and Baker & Taylor; this would be a key decision that would come into play later on in the game when I pitched the book to retailers across the country. I’ll also point out that some on-demand publishers are open to negotiating various aspects of their contract based upon their initial review of your manuscript. If you present a quality manuscript and a comprehensive and well-thought out marketing plan that points out the sales potential, take the initiative to negotiate the terms of the contract. Before you know it, you may turn a self-publishing venture into working under a hybrid-publishing contract. Remember that selling books is in both parties’ best interest, and you’re your own best salesperson.

Quality of the hard copy book and distribution through Ingram and Baker & Taylor were the primary criteria for selecting a publisher. The next two important aspects of the book, professional editing and the cover, were ones I addressed through outside means, even though both services were offered through the publisher. Creative control ~ it’s a glorious thing. I wanted an impartial third-party editor to review and critique my book ~ this was the single best investment I’ve made to date. The editor I selected (based on her credits, price, and timeliness of her work) was relentless in her editing, chopping nearly thirty pages off the finished manuscript and tightening the story considerably. Authors have a very difficult time excising the fat from their own work. Words are their creation…their babies. And it’s difficult to kill your own baby, after all. Next to the overall quality of the finished book, the book cover will be paramount to sales…first impressions and all. I actually ended up commissioning two artists to design covers for the book. Readers may be surprised to learn that the wonderfully moody Holly Smith image gracing the cover of the finished book actually wasn’t the first cover, so I thought it would be fun to share the original cover concept created by a talented artist from the UK named Samantha Wall. I really did love this first artistic rendering, so I opted to use the image (sans author name and title) on the Works page of my author website.

Press Kits and First Impressions

Press kits are integral in any author’s marketing campaign. These provide retailers, book reviewers, and press outlets key background information about the book and the writer behind it. For indie authors, the quality and showmanship of your press kit is even more critical and can either make or break your prospects for a review, interview, blurb, or inclusion of your book on a bookstore’s shelves. A few photocopied sheets of paper in a store-bought folder will convey a lack of polish and speak poorly of the book’s quality (regardless of the book’s actual quality). Conversely, a polished, multi-media press kit will convey professionalism and will lend the impression that there is marketing muscle behind the book ~ it screams “Someone really believes in this book!” For my own press kit, I started with a glossy full-color folder with an image of the book cover gracing the cover. On the interior pockets, I used two author photos and prominently displayed my author website URL. In the press kit itself, I included a full-color sales sheet on high-quality photographic paper. The sales sheet will typically show an image of the book and author photo and include pertinent information such as ISBN number, page count, format, price, availability, a plot synopsis, and a blurb about the author. I also included a professionally written press release, headshot (again listing the URL to my author website), a CD-ROM that includes a twelve-month marketing plan and e-version of the book, and a promotional giveaway ~ in this case, an 8½“ x 11” jigsaw puzzle of the book cover. The press kit will evolve as reviews come in and as blurbs are obtained from other authors and celebrities. Include your press kit with every mailing of your book ~ whether you’re seeking a review, soliciting a blurb, or pitching your book to a retail outlet. For The Literary Six, I sent press kits out to approximately (60) independent bookstores across the country, many of whom specialize in horror, sci-fi, and mystery books, to the small press acquisitions departments of Borders and Barnes & Noble, numerous online and print review outlets, and several celebrities and fellow authors from whom I’m requesting blurbs.

Web Presence

In today’s high-tech world populated by increasingly tech-savvy consumers, establishing a web presence is an integral component of launching a book. I launched www.VinceLiaguno.com a full three months prior to the book’s release. Not counting myself among the tech-savvy, I opted for a professional design firm to create my online home. If you have strong ideas on what you’re looking for, be sure to select a firm that enjoys working collaboratively with authors. Like searching for a publisher, research is key. Visit websites of authors you admire and make a list of features and design elements you want to see incorporated into your site. Research, research, and then research some more! There are no short cuts and no manuals. Do what feels right for you. Typically, an author website will include a homepage with links to purchase his or her book(s), a up-to-date news page, a biography page, a page listing book signings and appearances, and a page that contains information about the authors work(s). My own website includes: a flash animation introduction (with wicked sound effects!) that sets the tone; a homepage with an image of the book and several links to online retailers; a News page on which I add weekly entries (I’ve used some of my freelance interview connections to obtain celebrity well wishes); an About The Author page on which my bio appears as well as an interview I did with Authors After Dark about The Literary Six; a Works page on which visitors can read a plot synopsis and excerpt from The Literary Six as well as view links to my freelance articles and interviews; an Appearances page that will list dates of future book signings and other appearances, a Photo Gallery page that will permit me to share photos from book signings and horror conventions with fans, a Booksellers and Links page on which retailers who carry The Literary Six are featured as well as links to my own favorite Internet destinations, and a Contact page through which readers can contact me, media outlets can request interviews, and retailers can book in-store signings. Many authors also include a message board and the ever-popular blog on their websites, but I’ve chosen to host those features elsewhere; my weekly e-column/blog appears here at Unspeakable Horror, courtesy of Chad, while my message board resides at Horror World. This was a conscious decision on my part to spread my web presence out beyond my own URL. The more your name and that of your book is out there, the more chances you have at selling copies. Without a long list of website do’s and don’ts, it’s critical that writers keep their author websites fluid and ever changing. Add content and change content at least weekly to keep visitors coming back.

A Final Word

Above all, I view writing for publication as a small business; if you’re not willing to invest in yourself, you may never be successful or convince others to do the same. Believe in yourself and believe in the worthiness of your manuscript. Whether through traditional publishing, hybrid publishing, or the do-it-yourself route, a published book is a published book. Be relentless and entrepreneurial in promotion and marketing ~ no one is going to do this part for you or effectively enough to bring you the level of success you’re shooting for. Happy writing!