Path to publishing. - CrimeSpace2024-03-29T01:36:48Zhttp://crimespace.ning.com/forum/topics/path-to-publishing?commentId=537324%3AComment%3A332536&feed=yes&xn_auth=noThanks for the advice Mark. …tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-03-03:537324:Comment:3331722012-03-03T15:29:03.614ZMichael Zolezzihttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/MichaelZolezzi
<p>Thanks for the advice Mark. Still waiting on the response from agents, and I am now working on my second novel.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice Mark. Still waiting on the response from agents, and I am now working on my second novel.</p> Good stuff, Michael. I'm in…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-03-01:537324:Comment:3332652012-03-01T21:54:35.977ZMark Pryorhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/MarkPryor
<p>Good stuff, Michael. I'm in a similar boat, or was. I'm a prosecutor handling pretty big cases, murder, robbery etc. In fact, one of my cases was on 48 Hours last October, and I suspect the air time helped me get a book deal offered on that (negotiating right now, so no chickens counted yet!). </p>
<p>But for fiction I took the same route as you: got an agent after six months of querying and got close to a deal with a couple of the big publishers. Ended up with a 3-book deal with a…</p>
<p>Good stuff, Michael. I'm in a similar boat, or was. I'm a prosecutor handling pretty big cases, murder, robbery etc. In fact, one of my cases was on 48 Hours last October, and I suspect the air time helped me get a book deal offered on that (negotiating right now, so no chickens counted yet!). </p>
<p>But for fiction I took the same route as you: got an agent after six months of querying and got close to a deal with a couple of the big publishers. Ended up with a 3-book deal with a smaller one, and am loving it. My advice would be to be patient, work hard, and be responsive to agents and editors. Best of luck!</p> Just remember you knew us whe…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-02-25:537324:Comment:3325382012-02-25T18:27:20.704ZCammy May Hunnicutthttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/CammyMayHunnicutt
<p>Just remember you knew us when, Michael.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Well, you know, in the internet sense.</p>
<p>Just remember you knew us when, Michael.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Well, you know, in the internet sense.</p> Wow. That's a good score!tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-02-25:537324:Comment:3323242012-02-25T17:42:21.728ZDebbie Bennetthttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/DebbieBennett
<p>Wow. That's a good score!</p>
<p>Wow. That's a good score!</p> I am up to five fulls out the…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-02-25:537324:Comment:3325362012-02-25T16:19:47.998ZMichael Zolezzihttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/MichaelZolezzi
<p>I am up to five fulls out there and 1 partial. Hopefully one of the agents like it enough to offer representation. </p>
<p>I am up to five fulls out there and 1 partial. Hopefully one of the agents like it enough to offer representation. </p> I did. And if you are subbing…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-02-24:537324:Comment:3323102012-02-24T17:37:44.531ZDebbie Bennetthttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/DebbieBennett
<p>I did. And if you are subbing cold with no platform and agents ask for more, it does imply that they think you can write.That's how I got the self-confidence.</p>
<p>What I'm trying to say is that an agent asking for more is a different validation from a publishing house publishing your book. Does that make more sense? Maybe I need more coffee... :-)</p>
<p>But I agree - where we end up is most important.</p>
<p>I did. And if you are subbing cold with no platform and agents ask for more, it does imply that they think you can write.That's how I got the self-confidence.</p>
<p>What I'm trying to say is that an agent asking for more is a different validation from a publishing house publishing your book. Does that make more sense? Maybe I need more coffee... :-)</p>
<p>But I agree - where we end up is most important.</p> I'm sorry, I thought you did…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-02-24:537324:Comment:3325592012-02-24T17:02:42.131ZCammy May Hunnicutthttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/CammyMayHunnicutt
<p>I'm sorry, I thought you did say "This way you will know if you are any good." </p>
<p>Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to argue with your or anything. There are lots or routes to the peak, and plenty of places to stop and enjoy the view on the way. </p>
<p>And yes, I can see what you mean about people building your faith for you. So much of my early life was contests and sports where you don't have to have any validation: just show them the sash or point to the scoreboard. …</p>
<p>I'm sorry, I thought you did say "This way you will know if you are any good." </p>
<p>Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to argue with your or anything. There are lots or routes to the peak, and plenty of places to stop and enjoy the view on the way. </p>
<p>And yes, I can see what you mean about people building your faith for you. So much of my early life was contests and sports where you don't have to have any validation: just show them the sash or point to the scoreboard. Writing's different. I wouldn't even be in it at all if some people hadn't praised editing/rewrite stuff I was doing and pushed me to do more.</p>
<p>It would be nice to start publishing with a platform from publishers, and I'm seeing people "go indie" like that. I've chosen (if it was really a choice) to try to build my own brand and see who buys it. </p>
<p>What matters is where we end up, and if it was worth the trip, right?</p> I wouldn't say that getting s…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-02-24:537324:Comment:3325102012-02-24T16:52:49.113ZDebbie Bennetthttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/DebbieBennett
<p>I wouldn't say that getting signed by a big house necessarily says you are any good - it says you have a platform to sell from (which may be a stonking good book, or it may be that you are well-known enough that people will be naturally interested - possibly both). But these are the people who haven't subbed, they've been approached and "asked to write" a book or whatever.</p>
<p>For those of us mere mortals who have to sub, having agents interested at least gives you an indication of…</p>
<p>I wouldn't say that getting signed by a big house necessarily says you are any good - it says you have a platform to sell from (which may be a stonking good book, or it may be that you are well-known enough that people will be naturally interested - possibly both). But these are the people who haven't subbed, they've been approached and "asked to write" a book or whatever.</p>
<p>For those of us mere mortals who have to sub, having agents interested at least gives you an indication of whether or not you can write. There are some fabulous indie writers out there but there are also people who ought to do some basic editing. When the industry likes your stuff, it can give you enough self-confidence to go it alone - it did for me, anyway. I doubt I'd ever have had enough self-belief otherwise.</p> Debbie, I HAVE slept with cel…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-02-24:537324:Comment:3325062012-02-24T16:23:37.288ZCammy May Hunnicutthttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/CammyMayHunnicutt
<p>Debbie, I HAVE slept with celebrities and DID get a big boob job (in my case the job was making them smaller--weird, huh?) and I don't see anybody hustling to give me money. I figure I'll have to do that myself. Let them come crawling to me when the entire world is glutting themselves on my ebooks andf screeching for more.</p>
<p>But what's interesting to me is that you first mention that as being the route to traditional publishing success, then say that getting signed by a big house…</p>
<p>Debbie, I HAVE slept with celebrities and DID get a big boob job (in my case the job was making them smaller--weird, huh?) and I don't see anybody hustling to give me money. I figure I'll have to do that myself. Let them come crawling to me when the entire world is glutting themselves on my ebooks andf screeching for more.</p>
<p>But what's interesting to me is that you first mention that as being the route to traditional publishing success, then say that getting signed by a big house tells you you're any good. Think about that a little.</p>
<p>I was lucky to run into self-publishers before I even thought of writing books (they made me do it, it's not my fault) and they convinced me it's the way to go, first thing. And that the idea that the "gatekeepers" confer quality is basically a brainwashing job that makes a lot of writers suffer.</p>
<p>So, we'll see what happens. I should challenge Michael to a race the best-sellers list, but I learned never to bet with cops. :-)</p> I self-pubbed just under a ye…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-02-24:537324:Comment:3323062012-02-24T15:21:13.511ZDebbie Bennetthttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/DebbieBennett
<p>I self-pubbed just under a year ago after many years of "we love it but we can't sell it" rejections. Since I've never been on reality tv, haven't slept with any celebrities and don't fancy a big boob job, I went the kindle route and have never looked back! I'm never going to make enough money to give up the day job but I'm having fun and selling ebooks.</p>
<p>But the route you are taking is best. This way you will know if you are any good. Getting 3 requests so quickly suggests that you…</p>
<p>I self-pubbed just under a year ago after many years of "we love it but we can't sell it" rejections. Since I've never been on reality tv, haven't slept with any celebrities and don't fancy a big boob job, I went the kindle route and have never looked back! I'm never going to make enough money to give up the day job but I'm having fun and selling ebooks.</p>
<p>But the route you are taking is best. This way you will know if you are any good. Getting 3 requests so quickly suggests that you have written something worth reading.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Good luck!</p>