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 By Argile Stox May 8, 2006 This article has been specifically written for those writers who were recently released from their publishing contract by their request or were summarily released from their publishing contract by their publisher. I have some advice for you – Relax! Whether you asked to be released or were summarily released from your contract does not really matter. The point is, you have the “Rights” back and now it is time to move forward. Fifteen days ago, I was released from my publishing contract and I celebrated the event. I fought a long and hard battle to get the Rights back, and won. This was a very rare event for an author to be released from a seven year contract without a gag order. Tracy was also released from one eighty-five year contract and two seven year contracts from the same publisher. Tracy and I are two authors who have been through hell and back. We survived the battle and sustained a few psychological battle scars. However, the education we received about the “publishing business” as it pertains to POD (Print On Demand) printing houses was indeed - priceless. The first thing we learned is that if an agent and or publisher reject’s a manuscript from a first time author – there is a reason. The reason may stem from economics, the way in which the manuscript was constructed, etc. However, what it all boils down to is the writer’s determination to “follow all the rules” that are in place in the real book publishing business – which, like any business must see potential profit dollars from their investment. There are no short-cuts! If the writer meets and or exceeds the criteria which entice a literary agent to shop your manuscript around – and it is then picked-up by a real publishing house that is willing to invest its dollars in the writer and the manuscript, you have it made. You will become a published author and receive all the accolades and money that comes with being accepted into the elite arena of published authors. National, international exposure of your book is where the money is at. No matter if it is sold in Intercourse Pennsylvania, Needles California, or somewhere in Scotland in a bookstore no one has ever heard of – the book was purchased and you will receive the royalties that you deserve. No muss, no fuss. You get a detailed royalty statement from your publisher. Period, end of story. The second thing we learned is to stay completely away from any POD company that has the come-on “We will absorb all the costs of constructing your manuscript and manufacturing it. The only thing you have to do is sign this reverse vanity printing house seven year contract.” What they do not tell you is that your book will be manufactured as a “trade paperback (a smaller version of a hardcopy)” and will be so over priced – that it will be a tough sell, even to your friends and acquaintances. Your dream of seeing your book in bookstores will be shattered, and forget about your book going through the normal distribution pipeline. There is none. No matter what the POD company says on their Website, your book will be DOA (Dead On Arrival) and will not be shelved in nationwide bookstores, airport concession stands, big box retail outlets (Wal-Mart, Target, etcetera), or even the corner drug store. If your aim was to have your book printed in a regular sized affordable paperback, forgetaboutit! The third thing we learned about the publishing business is that if you elect to have your book printed by a “vanity” small printing house and pay to have it done – read the fine print. Remember, you are paying to have your manuscript manufactured. There maybe some reputable vanity small printing houses that will gladly accept your money and charge you for every single service they offer (editing, front and back cover design, etcetera) to bring your book to market. Again, your book is a POD and your vanity printing house may or may not be plugged into the national distribution channels. It is your choice to deal with reverse vanity small printing houses (whose only aim is to sell the books back to the author, and their friends, relatives, etcetera – at a ridiculous cover price plus shipping and handling charges) or a legitimate vanity small printing house (spend money) to manufacture your book. If your aim is to publish a book for consumption by friends, relatives, business associates and acquaintances, or as a legacy to leave behind to your family – go the vanity route. You will pay for what you get. The more you pay, the better the services. Remember, the most important aspect of having your book printed – is that people will read it! Whether you give it to them for free or they buy the book from the vanity house (at a reasonable market price), the book will be read. Okay, let’s discuss the aspect of the writer who has been released early from their reverse vanity small publishing house, seven year contract – for whatever reason. From what I hear-tell - the average shelf life of a paperback book that is printed by one of the big publishing houses, is about six to eight months. Then the book goes out of print. Unless the book hits some sort of miracle “Best Selling Paperback Book” streak, and there is a second printing – that is what the author can expect. The author and printing house has milked dry the potential of the book and it goes out of print to make way for the next potentially best seller. That is what I hear-tell, real life, that is what happens, end of story. If the publisher sees fit to give the author the Rights back, the author is free to shop the book around to other publishers who may have expressed interest in the book, and may have a different marketing plan. The book may have a “second life” – That is the positive aspect of having your book published by Real Book Publishers. The biggest hurdle is getting a literary agent to “grease the wheels” of the potential publishing house. I will tell you from experience it is like having a gash stitched up with a couple of one hundred proof rum shots - to kill the pain. There is no physical pain involved trying to get a literary agent interested in your manuscript. Frustration is the mental pain that a writer suffers with each rejection letter. If you are serious about being represented by a reputable literary agent (no money is charged by the literary agent – stay away from those thieves), and having your book published, keep on plugging! Find out what “rings the bells or knocks the socks off” literary agents and gear your book toward that instrument of success. If you have no faith in your manuscript and have a very low frustration level – get out of the writing business. You do not belong in the publishing world, and you will annoy everyone with your tales of woe, agony, and despair regarding the rejection letters. You may even have to spend money for therapy and tranquilizers to “get over” the insult of being rejected. However, if your spine is made of steel and your stomach is constructed from cast iron, keep plugging away. It may take a while – however, if you have fine tuned your manuscript to the tastes of literary agents (believe me, they have seen it all and then some), you may get that telephone call or letter, “Send me more chapters! I think your book may have potential…” Getting your manuscript in front of a literary agent and hoping that it will peak the profit centers of the agent, is like searching for work in a very crowded field of author wannabe’s. Use J. K Rowling as your inspiration. First time writer, wrote her first book by hand on paper and cocktail napkins. Any questions at this juncture or are you waiting for this “I know all this stuff already” article to end? Getting back to re-writing the manuscript that was printed by a POD reverse small printing house, and being released from your contract – early; I hear-tell that once your manuscript has been printed by a POD reverse vanity small printing house or a legit POD vanity small printing house, your book is basically “dead in the water.” I hear-tell that the literary agents and or legit printing houses will not even consider touching that material. Well, that is what I hear-tell. I also hear-tell that you must re-write the manuscript so that it bears no resemblance to the manuscript that was printed by the POD company. Guess what? Re-writing the manuscript (in my case, the manuscript is non-fiction) is doable. There are a million ways to tell a story. The first manuscript was the first way. The next manuscript that I will present to literary agents will not have the “stink” of POD, and I will be using my actual name and a completely different title. Argile Stox is my pen-name. I chose that name to “test the waters.” If the book failed, it failed under the name of Argile Stox and the reverse vanity small press printing house it was associated with. I have also made it clear in the forward of the new manuscript that the “cast of characters” are “composites of actual individuals and the events actually happened.” I have all the written back-up to show the next publisher. At the time of this writing, I have completed the first phase of re-writing the manuscript. I have a program that converts PDF file to Microsoft Word – without any noticeable errors. I have begun the process of clearing out dated material, events, and other items that needed to be edited out of the manuscript. The manuscript is three hundred and forty seven pages (single spaced). I have just skimmed the “fat” off the top. The serious bit of writing will commence in about a week or so. I also have a new “working” title. Tracy likes it. However, she is of the opinion that the future literary agent / publisher may want to change it, to make the book more eye-catching and appealing. I tend to agree with Tracy. I mean, she does have her Masters Degree in English (Inside Joke!). The one problem I face is that the original manuscript was created, as the events occurred. I have had almost two years to digest and add substance to the new manuscript. However, I believe that my style of writing has changed significantly. The original manuscript was an edgy – matter of fact, “Just the facts, Madam,” nineteen sixties television series “Dragnet” communication. I have learned, through writing articles for the U-K – that the way I communicate thoughts, actions, and events can be juicy and substantial. I have received compliments from fellow columnist of the U-K regarding past articles. They may not have agreed with the subject matter discussed – However, they did not complain that my writing style made them nauseous and or put them to sleep. In addition, individuals who have read my articles that were published on the U-K have complimented me on my writing style. Again, they may not have agreed with the topic discussed, yet, they enjoyed reading what I had written. U-K gave me, and continues to give me the opportunity to hone and improve my writing style. I am very grateful to the editor of U-K for publishing my articles. I really do appreciate it! Yes, it will be very painful to re-visit the events that are outlined in my new manuscript. I have PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) from my year long homelessness experience. I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night, jump out of bed – heart racing and beads of sweat start forming on my forehead, thinking that I have not “signed” for my bed and my next stop will be the “Blue Room.” It takes a while to calm down and realize that I am no longer homeless. When a thunderstorm rages in South Dakota, I have flashbacks to sleeping under a plastic tarp, in a gully. Yes, I am in therapy and discuss these events. However, I truly believe in my manuscript. I believe that my experiences with homelessness needs to be told and hopefully, the words, events, emotions contained in my non-fiction work will induce some sort of change in the social fabric concerning the treatment of homeless individuals (those who are not ex-convicts, drug & alcohol addicts, mentally ill, etcetera), who became homeless due to economic reasons and natural disasters. In short, they are homeless through no fault of their own. As usual, I will keep U-K updated on my progress – The “up’s & downs” of revisions, rejections, and hopefully successes. Well, that is all I know for now. Oh, yeah – my actual name will be revealed when I have a literary agent, publisher, and a real signed – sealed- and delivered contract. As for now, I remain – Argile Stox, aspiring author. ------------ Email Argile Stox: argilestox@gmail.com Comment on this article here! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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