I've exhausted the email query letter system and need to start sending out paper queries. I've been more focused on getting my website up recently. I need to get back on that horse, however!
Anyone else writing a book?
- Thread starter Goliath
- Start date
Harry Potter got picked up because an editor's kids liked it. And I did say "someone" will pick it up. It's the agent's job, or yours, to find that right someone.
I'm stuck on my novel, so working on something else in the meantime. A YA original novel.
YA? YYoung Adult, I assume. My sympathies
I tried doing that after my first novella made the round and was rejected about 12 years ago (rightly so, it sucks, I've buried the only copies and discs in storage. I didn't understand plot, structure, etc, anyway). I just can't get into that gearing. I keeping churning to thinly veiled exposes and rants against American Highschool culture that encourages...well I have enough problems without the words "School shooting", "appeared to have read", and "by <my name>" on CNN.
It's my choice to try something shorter and more character-driven than the novel, and I have several possible markets for it. The worst thing that could happen is that it gets turned down and I move on to something else.
Sorry to necro this old thread, but the advance copies of my book arrived today, and I thought it would be interesting to show the end result of a process that started in 2009.
In fact--my book is scheduled to come out in the UK on 25 August: if you check the first post in this thread, you'll find that's almost exactly two years after I finished the first version of the mansucript.
So, if anyone else out there is writing a book right now, my advice is: be patient. The wheels turn pretty slowly in the publishing industry. But they do turn--and the results are worth it:
In fact--my book is scheduled to come out in the UK on 25 August: if you check the first post in this thread, you'll find that's almost exactly two years after I finished the first version of the mansucript.
So, if anyone else out there is writing a book right now, my advice is: be patient. The wheels turn pretty slowly in the publishing industry. But they do turn--and the results are worth it:
Yeah--my agent and a publisher had a talk about the book I'm working on now several weeks ago, but I haven't heard anything back yet. It's the most frustrating thing about the book business. Well, that and not getting paid enough.
I've always wanted to write but never have other than short stories. I absolutely applaud you in not only writing a book but seeing it through to publication! Congratz.
Awesome work, Goliath! Congratulations on reaching the end of a long journey. Though I'm sure it will also be the beginning of another for you. 
Thanks, everyone!
I certainly hope so. I just signed a contract for another book today--though I'm only co-authoring this one.
Though I'm sure it will also be the beginning of another for you.
I certainly hope so. I just signed a contract for another book today--though I'm only co-authoring this one.
I'm writing an Album... Well I've already written and recorded one album, so I may aswell write another... I actually have one that I've been working on for ever since I can remember. I don't want to rush through that one.
This is the album I made:
This is the album I made:
I wrote a novel.. not sure if anyone would like it
Congratulations! Looks good too. Not that I judge books by their cover, of course...
You know, I swore I'd never get into the book-writing game, as I didn't think I'd have the patience for it but a publisher approached me a few weeks ago with a not commercially unreasonable offer, and I've basically agreed to do it, pending some contractual details. Aiming for it to be flying on shelves (yeah...) by this time next year (it's a, far far quicker/simpler book to write than yours would have been).
^^ Fashion tips?
Congratulations. Will it be available in the US as well?
Maybe you should get someone to read it.I wrote a novel.. not sure if anyone would like it
Yes, in October.
Sorry to necro this old thread, but the advance copies of my book arrived today, and I thought it would be interesting to show the end result of a process that started in 2009.
In fact--my book is scheduled to come out in the UK on 25 August: if you check the first post in this thread, you'll find that's almost exactly two years after I finished the first version of the mansucript.
So, if anyone else out there is writing a book right now, my advice is: be patient. The wheels turn pretty slowly in the publishing industry. But they do turn--and the results are worth it:
Congratulations. Looks neat. If there's one thing my blotched thesis has told me it's that I will never be able to write a book. That and that you can actually stay up for three days pretty much constantly writing if you really need to.
So, will there be a TNZ discount on the book?
Congratulations, Goliath! Looks pretty spiffing! 
So, will there be a TNZ discount on the book?
If you can persuade my publisher.
Actually, I saw something interesting today. The university's bookstore manager had asked about my book, so I took a copy down to show her. While I was there, one of the cashiers came over, and informed her of something that I didn't hear.
She went off to investigate, and the next thing I knew, a student went scampering past me, out the door, digital camera in hand. The manager came over and told me that he'd been photographing the pages in a Commerce textbook, right in the store. So she threw him out.
I've seen students buy books, photocopy them, and then take them back. But I've never seen a student actually try to copy one in the store. He must not have had the money even to purchase it and return it.
On one level, I don't blame him all that much, except for being stupid enough to try that in the store. A lot of textbooks are too expensive--especially those where the publisher puts out a lightly-revised new edition, and the instructor requires those expensive new editions, instead of an older and cheaper used book. So it's no wonder that some students try to copy them when they're forced to buy them for courses. You might as well stamp STEAL THIS BOOK IF YOU CAN on their covers.
But that's not such a problem in History. (At least, I've never known a History professor to do that, and I've always both put books on reserve, and encouraged students to buy them used if they're available.) And after all the years I've worked on this project, and all the work I put into this book--had I caught him trying to pirate it, I would have been tempted to punch him in the head.
