Yay! (collapse)

[honeydevil]

No, it's great. They do all the stuff I don't want to do or can't do.

For the cover, which is a long way off, they have a graphic designer work on a few ideas and I'll have a little input. In general, they don't want authors dictating that kind of thing. I have ideas of what I don't like in terms of cover art, but that's a specific job, and they know what works.

But cover art is really important, IMO, especially for a first novel.

yeah, now i've got more a personal question for you!! do you like more like landscape or people, or bright colors or tan...
in the whole: what do you like about covers??

 

[novella]

I think the title is also very very important and that the cover art should say something about the title and the type of book, so it depends on the book.

I think it's important to be able to read the title, both on the front cover when it's on a display table and on the spine when it's on a bookshelf.

I think there are certain signifying colors I would avoid. Pink tends to say Chick Lit. Black and red in combo tend to say horror or gore. Metallic gold lettering or background says romance, bodice-ripper, and glitzy biography.

I'm attracted to matte, unusual colors and strong, legible titles, but that's a generalization. I think weird trim sizes are mostly a Christmas-present gimmick. I like books that fit on a normal bookshelf without getting lost and are a good size to hold and read.

 

[Motokid]

novella, I'm at a complete loss as to why you can't tell me the name of past work that's already been published? You've been a writer for 7 years, full time, but you can't tell anyone what you've written?

Maybe I'm churning around in the dense fog that wolhay has left me in, but I just don't understand how that could be bad? Shouldn't you be letting people know what you've done in the past, and how they can read it?

Cathy C. can tell me the titles of her books from past publishers, and Eugen can too.

If you refuse after this I'll just plain get the picture and stop asking, but I can't for the life of me understand how an editor could tell you to keep your past work a secret.

 

[novella]

It's because I'm trying to make a big jump, from someone who's published a load of ecclectic small pieces to a novelist with a known name. That's a really important step in my career development. My agent has asked me specifically not to do that kind of work at this point, to focus on the novel and get known as a novelist.

Basically the fact that I had a newspaper column for two years, a monthly interview column in a magazine for a year, a few short stories out, etc., will not help me get where I want to go. It's best to hit fresh. That's just a fact of the business. I'm not trying to get published, I'm trying to hit. There's a big difference. The big publishers want someone who will cooperate with their strategy, and I see the sense of it, having been on the publishers' side for long enough.

The fact is, I shouldn't even be posting here. But, frankly, I live in the middle of nowhere and work at home all day, and I need a little contact sometimes. So this is like my watercooler, but it's not an avenue I wish to use to publicize myself. That's not a good thing to do, from my point of view.

Sorry if you don't understand.

If you were representing a young actress with her first movie coming out, would you encourage her to put up a webiste full of her baby pictures and commercials she did for deodorant?

 

[Kookamoor]

This is a really interesting discussion! Thanks for your insights, Novella, it's really making me think about how one markets one's self for literary purposes.

I'm glad I can eavesdrop on your watercooler conversation!

 

[Motokid]

Just got back from walking dog and getting youngest off the bus. Maybe the cool air and the time away from the wolhay issue got my mind crawling again.

I see your point, and I understand where you're coming from, and trying to go.

No more on that. Good luck, and please keep us posted...once you can that is

 

[Cathy C]

CONGRATS, Novella! A stellar accomplishment, indeed!

I managed a paltry 3,000 yesterday, and today was working on copy edits. Ick! Weird thing happened (and I mean, CREEPY weird!) Our editor contacted us about the copy edits we had completed (that's where you get out the red pen and actually make tiny little corrections directly on the manuscript.) The publisher had sent them by FedEx to the typesetter and -- now, I'm absolutely not kidding here! -- someone en route ripped open the envelope and STOLE OUR MANUSCRIPT!!

Of course, for the very first time EVER, I hadn't made a photocopy <growl, snarl, hiss! > and had to spend the last 14 hours recreating the edits on a new copy so we didn't get behind on our publication slot.

WISH I could have written 6,000...

 

[honeydevil]

someone en route ripped open the envelope and STOLE OUR MANUSCRIPT!!

i'm sorry that sounds awful!!


@novella, thanks for your opinion, but i wouldn't stereotype the books after colors!!

 

[sanyuja]

That sounds awful Cathy!!! Cant you do something about it? Isnt it the FedEx's responsibility to deliver your goods intact? Do something so that this doesnt repeat.

 

[StillILearn]

All right, novella! Good for you!

 

[wilderness]

Oh, i would also be very interested in your past work!
Wow, you sound very professional in the writng field indeed! Well done! I want to get an agent. I'm thinking about it, but being only 16, I dont think my dad will be willing to pay. Soon enough. And wow. 6000 words a day is BRILLIANT! well done!
lani

 

[sirmyk]

Novella's novel she's not supposed to talk about

Well, Novella... progress?

 

[Marquis Rex]

It's because I'm trying to make a big jump, from someone who's published a load of ecclectic small pieces to a novelist with a known name. That's a really important step in my career development. My agent has asked me specifically not to do that kind of work at this point, to focus on the novel and get known as a novelist.

Basically the fact that I had a newspaper column for two years, a monthly interview column in a magazine for a year, a few short stories out, etc., will not help me get where I want to go. It's best to hit fresh. That's just a fact of the business. I'm not trying to get published, I'm trying to hit. There's a big difference. The big publishers want someone who will cooperate with their strategy, and I see the sense of it, having been on the publishers' side for long enough.

The fact is, I shouldn't even be posting here. But, frankly, I live in the middle of nowhere and work at home all day, and I need a little contact sometimes. So this is like my watercooler, but it's not an avenue I wish to use to publicize myself. That's not a good thing to do, from my point of view.

Sorry if you don't understand.

If you were representing a young actress with her first movie coming out, would you encourage her to put up a webiste full of her baby pictures and commercials she did for deodorant?

I understand TOTALLY what you're saying.
It makes alot of sense.
I hope you've made good progress since you originally posted this.
Do you have a different full time job as well as writing?
Publishers and agents, sound restrictive and different to the dreams alot of us have of making the big time after our first book (that hasn't been targeted to a particular audience) but I guess it's the real world.
I can also empathise about wanting to keep contact via the net, I do that also as I live in the country and these days don't like to suffer fools gladly.
I wonder if my profession as an Professional automotive engineer will count AGAINST me - if/when I try to publish the Sci Fi book I've been working on over the past few years?

 

[StillILearn]

I'm looking forward to the day when novella can say, "Okay, it's published, and you can find it here!"

I certainly do enjoy the things she writes for us here (just for the fun of it.)

 

[Ell]

I'm looking forward to the day when novella can say, "Okay, it's published, and you can find it here!"

I certainly do enjoy the things she writes for us here (just for the fun of it.)

Yes, but then she won't be able to maintain her anonymity and will have to quit posting as novella. Or she'll have to resort to the "I just found this fantastic new book and everyone should read it" ploy. Or she'll have to join as a new member on a different server - so as not to get banned for duplicate accounts - and plug the new book, at which time we'll all pounce on her for spamming and self-promotion. Or she could PM some of us and WE could promote it.

Just a thought.

 

[sirmyk]

Yes, but then she won't be able to maintain her anonymity and will have to quit posting as novella.

Maybe a new member will surface: Novel.

Or she'll have to resort to the "I just found this fantastic new book and everyone should read it" ploy.

We've seen enough "first posts" like these.

Or she'll have to join as a new member on a different server - so as not to get banned for duplicate accounts - and plug the new book, at which time we'll all pounce on her for spamming and self-promotion.

This is part of what I think is wrong with The Book Forum. Novella is stuck in a position where it is okay to talk about a book she is working on (or has been working on for the last 'x' number of years) but once she accomplishes that great task of publishing her work, she is unable to talk about it without risking banishment from this forum.

Or she could PM some of us and WE could promote it...

(shakes Novella's hand after last therapy session and nods in silent agreement)