What’s a writer to do?

It’s a conundrum—for most publishers, a writer needs an agent to market a novel manuscript. But today’s market makes even connecting with an agent damned difficult. Here’s what agent Kristin Nelson said on her blog, Pub Rants:

“I’m passing on really good novels because currently I believe that really good might not be good enough in today’s market.”

I’ve run into that response consistently with a novel of mine, The Vampire Kitty-cat Chronicles. Several top agents have asked for partials, and here’s their reaction:

“I love vampire kitty, I just don’t know what to do with it.”
“This is unique, voicey and hilarious -- and not quite right for me. Gah!!!”
“I laughed out loud and thoroughly enjoyed the feline perspective on vampirism. Still, I worried that it’s the kind of project that many editors would love but wouldn’t necessarily be able to buy.”
“I think it's original and very cute. Unfortunately, I don't think I can sell it.”

Okay, so it’s an agent’s job to sell—or, perhaps more accurately, find a willing editor. I understand that.

On the other hand, plenty of beta readers, perfect strangers who encountered my kitty-cat novel on Authonomy, reacted this way:

“Oh, hell, how funny is this?????”
“Patch, the vampire kitty, has risen to the ranks of one of my all-time favorite heroes.”
“Bravo. I was looking for laughs and I got them. What a pleasant escape from the daily grind of life.”
“This is a cat I want to know. I love this character.”
“Pure comic genius.”
“The best vampire book I've ever read. Delightfully funny!”
“I wanted you to know that I adore Patch.”

And yet I can’t get this beast represented. As one agent said, “Gah!!”

So what’s a writer to do?

Here’s what I’m going to do, and you can help.

You saw this coming—I’m going to publish this myself. Time is a factor: the vampire craze will simmer down soon or later (especially now that zombies are the new vampire); I have a fresh twist on the vampire myth that just might cut through; and a star character. Here’s a rundown of the steps I’m taking:

1. I’m going to launch with a POD trade paperback, a bunch of e-book formats, a free podcast and, if I can get it listed on Audible.com, the gatekeeper for the iTunes store, an audiobook.

2. I’m putting up a website at vampirekittycat.com (it’s not live yet). It includes special promotional features such as:

• I donate a percentage of each sale to the ASPCA. The ASPCA is willing to consider the book for placement in their online store.
• There are two cat “social” features: a photo gallery to post a pic of a Cat You Love; and a “tell me a story about your cat” section.

3. I’m doing a video book trailer with the help of a designer friend, no charge.

4. I’ve hired a copyeditor to do his thing with the manuscript.

5. I’ve bought an ISBN number, and been assigned a Library of Congress control number.

6. For the POD book, I’ve

• Designed a cover and the interior
• Created an account with Lightning Source, the biggest print-on-demand printer around, I think, and a partner with Ingram, the biggest distributor around. I’m signed up for distribution, too. Lightning Source doesn’t offer the kind of complete service that Lulu.com or Create Space does—you have to provide your own press-ready material.

7. I’ve written to 17 published authors to ask for a blurb—so far, 4 have said they’d take a look. I made sure to disclose that this is a self-published book. I also gave them the agent comments above and this little snippet from the first page:

Just after dark, death grabbed me by the tail. The moon was full, and cool September breezes were scented with earthy hints that fall was coming. I trotted over a mound of fresh dirt, not an uncommon thing in a graveyard, my mind on a svelte little Siamese who was coming into heat--and a hand shot up and grabbed my rear extremity.

I twisted and went for it with my claws, but another hand burst out and seized the scruff of my neck. I went limp, just like when I was a kitten and my mom picked me up. The hands snapped my body straight, and then a woman's face poked out of the ground. She sat up, holding me in front of her. I figured I was about to kiss my furry butt goodbye, and I was right.

Sort of.

8. I’m going to send an ARC (advance review copy) to

• Authors for blurbs
• About 20 vampire websites
• As many cat websites as I can find—surprisingly, there aren’t many
• The makers of Vampire Wine (I have a bottle, to be opened on publication day)
• The makers of top cat food brands to try and sell advertising space and product placement in the book and on the website—hey, this is a business, right?

9. The e-books I can do for free on Smashwords, and earn a healthy percentage of the sales. They even do the Kindle format. I can also list it with Amazon for the Kindle—I need to see what the return is.

10. The free podcast, taking a page from fellow WU contributor J.C. Hutchins, will be performed by me. A nice plus—there’s a song by the Grateful Dead, Dire Wolf, in which the chorus says “please don’t murder me.” It’s my character’s favorite song. I’ve secured permission, subject to seeing the book, to use an excerpt of that song for the intro and outro on the podcasts and the audiobook. I’m going to credit the song everywhere I can, and they’re not charging anything for the right to use it.

11. Through Lightning Source, distribution will be open at Ingram, Amazon, Baker & Taylor, and other national distributors and book marketers.

12. Oh, and I’m going to send an ARC and my marketing plan to a couple of likely publishers on the extremely unlikely chance that they’ll partner with me on the production of the paperback, which would give it the advantage of being available in bookstores. If they like the book, my design work, and the promotional plans, their production costs will be quite low.

13. I’ve designed graphics for t-shirts and coffee cups to sell on Printfection.

13. And I’ll put ads on my Flogging the Quill blog.

Whew!

Want to help, just a little?

First, if you think of a marketing or promotion angle that you don’t see above, please suggest it in the comments or in an email.

Second, if you are a published author and might be interested in taking a look at the book with blurbing in mind, please contact me at that email address with your information and a mailing address.

I’ve ordered the first proof of the book, and hope to be making the ARCs soon.

What’s all this cost?

Like many folks, I don’t happen to have a whole lot of money these days. So cost is a factor. Here’s what I’m looking at:

• Paperback book: $75 for setup at Lightning Source, $30 for the first proof, $4.12 per book for the ARC copies, plus shipping. After than, no out-of-pocket costs.
• ISBN number: $125
• Audiobook/podcast: microphone and other equipment, $200
• T-shirts, etc.: no cost to produce, they do it all and take a cut.
• E-books: no cost
• Copyeditor: don’t know yet, estimate $200
• 30 ARCs: estimate $150

Total anticipated investment: about $800 bucks, not including the website at about $8 per month.

What do you think? Have any ideas? I’ll keep you posted as things develop.

Cross-posted today at Writer Unboxed.

© 2009 Ray Rhamey

Comments

[Lexi Revellian]

Ray, you seem to have everything covered - lots of good ideas.

The current situation is hugely frustrating, when a writer can produce a good, polished book he knows readers enjoy, yet the publishing world is in the grip of terminal timidity and doesn't want to know.

I wish you all possible luck with it!

[Mystery Dawg - Aldo]

Ray,

I can provide help with the podcast part of the project. Email me off list if you are interested.

Aldo

[Mystery Dawg - Aldo]

Ray,
I would be willing to help you with the podcast aspect of the project if you are like. If you are interested please email me off list.
Aldo

[Lori]

Ray, I have an ebook out with an
e-publisher (cantarabooks.com). I called around my local independent bookstores to see if I could set up a book reading, and some were amenable to the idea, even if they weren't getting proceeds. (Though after discussing with my publisher, I was able to download the ebook onto disks, print up a snazzy jewelcase cover, and offer them for sale at the bookstore. Also, I think this is a terrific idea: have a paper foldable created (or business cards) and place them everywhere - metro, etc... http://www.canalpublishing.com/images/foldables/LBIH_Foldable.pdf

[Christine H]

I have nothing to offer but sympathy. I think this is a great concept and would certainly buy a copy for my mother-in-law, who loves cats. We are always looking for cat-themed gifts for her. I'm sorry you can't get a publisher to bite. I teach college students and I think they'd love this! As well as my nephews (ages 11-14).

I am learning so much by watching you. Thank you for sharing this process with us. Best of luck!

[Richard Davies]

Wow! Some really great marketing ideas. Ever heard of Writing Excuses? It's a blog/podcast by a trio of writers - one of whom is Brandon Sanderson. They advertise audible.com releases and I believe that they are up for private advertisements as well. Their podcasts are weekly and get around 5000 downloads per episode from their website alone.

Other than that I think you have a great handle on the marketing skit. I find it shocking that an Agent would provide positive comments like the ones above and not represent the work. Very frustrating and short-sighted. I almost feel like banging them on the head on your behalf ;-)

Good Luck - it is a great book.

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000092748526]

Hi Ray. I have been very busy the last month or so since I partially came out of retirement to help some friends and family.

I offer whatever assistance I may in return for all the guidance and perspectives I have received from you.

I would be honored to review/blurb an ARC and post an announcement and/or ad on all my networking sites. [personal and professional]

For additional marketing brainstorming, I recommend Jonathan Fields' Tribal Author at this link : http://tribalauthor.com/

Please feel free to contact me at my email or ask for my contact numbers. My motivation is not completely altruistic, I expect to get some live fire experience for my own novel launch which is targeted for 2/2011.

[Von]

Wow, that seems expensive for the first proof etc. Lulu was a lot cheaper. Any reason you chose that route.

[thevoice]

You have a great marketing program and should probably look into this site http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/ he had a post with what seems to be a good ideahttp://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2009_09_14_archive.html. The site is totally informative and he is having great sells with his books in the e-book format. Good luck

[Ray Rhamey]

On cost: the ultimate cost per copy is considerably less with Lightning Source.

[Brutal]

Hi Ray. I'm just going to ask questions. Maybe you've asked yourself the same questions, and if you have, then forgive me. If not, I hope in answering them it makes your decision easier.

The average sales of a self published book is 100 copies, or roughly 2/3 of friends and family. Considering this blog you very well could do better than the average, but what if you don't? Will that satisfy you?

Publishing costs are just a small portion of the iceberg. After that you have to promote and market your own book and that costs big money. For the majority (well over 95%) Self publishing is a losing propositions. What makes your book and the things you're doing different?

Have you submitted directly to small publishers? If not why do you think they'll find an arc more attractive than the manuscript? (And other Arcs from other self-published authors?)

Some publishers see electronic versions as "competition". Will a small publisher who knows they're only going to sell limited copies want your book when your marketing strategy could be competiton?

Authomony is a networking site.(Nobody's beating the slush, because it is the slush) People write positive things, in hopes to get positive reviews on their own book to move it up the ranks. Whether you move up or not, isn't based on merit, it's based on their networking skills. How are your networking skills in caparison to other Authors? (You'll need these skills to sell more copies of your book.)

What if the results on Authonomy haven't been 100% honest? (Because of all the reasons above)

How many queries have you sent out? How many agents have requested partials? What percentage total queries have had positive feedback? What if the agents you're sending it to, can't market it, because they're the wrong agents? (wrong genre etc)

You say you don't want to miss out on the Vampire craze. How does your book stand up against all the other self-published vampire books looking to cash in on vampire popularity?

What would happen if you set this book aside and wrote another? Often books that aren't sale-able when an Author is unknown, become sale-able when the author is.

By self-publishing, you are essentially starting a business. Writers tend only to focus on market strategy. But again, this isn't just a book, it's a business. Not only do you need a marketing strategy, something the publishers sometimes do and sometimes don't, you need a business plan (something authors don't normally worry about.) Here is a great link to educate yourself. http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/index.html

While you won't be applying for the loan, you should still do the plan. Most business fail because they don't fully understand what they're doing. The plan forces you to completely research what you're about to do. You really do need to know things like, what percentage of the market share (sales) are self-published books. What are the most successful sales avenues for this type of book? (I believe it's family and friends.) What percentage of buyers, purchase self-published books? What are your direct competition? (Known authors, publishing houses, books store, other vampire books etc.) What are your indirect competition? (Pet books, Amazon, Ebay???)

I know it probably feels like I'm saying don't do it. I'm not. I'm saying don't do it on the idea that the market is tough. How many millions of people write? How many books are published (100,000 a year). Not all of the once not published are bad, either. Lots of books just don't get published, just like lots of actors, singers, and musicians never get a break.

Remember, the market is always tough, but the self-published market is even tougher. On the other hand you will have a nice hard copy of your book. If seeing your words in actual print is what's most important to you, then go this route with or without a business plan. If not, tread carefully before continuing.

I wish you the best of luck, and I hope whatever you decide works out.

[Ray Rhamey]

We'll see, won't we, Brutal.I've spent a few decades now in advertising and marketing, and I trust my sense of what will sell to the public and what won't. I've made millions for advertiser clients using my instincts and creative work, and I believe it applies to my own work. As for querying, I've targeted the most likely agents. I've had five of them, because of how much they liked the work, recommend me to other agents--and even those highly targeted, referral agents passed for the same reasons. I think I have a chance, and a fresh-enough idea to draw the attention needed--in writing to vampire websites for reviews, I'm finding that even people who are immersed in the vampire scene find a vampire kitty-cat to not only be a fresh idea to them, but an intriguing one as well.

If the book doesn't take off, the cost isn't going to be anything like what you've suggested because I'm just not going to spend a fortune I don't have to market this. And the funds I'm using have come from fees paid for workshops I've done this year plus a little editing income. You've asked good questions, and I've already asked and answered them. I know about Authonomy and gaming the system, and know enough to discount the obvious networkers who are gaming the system. I know about business plans and have made them before.

We'll see.

[brutal]

"Let's all remember that authors are required to sign contracts that include a clause forbidding them from publishing, or arranging to publish, distribute or sell any work which will diminish the value of the work covered in the contract." ----------Janet Reid.

Self-published books diminish the value of the product. Arc's don't attract publishers or agents. It's why everybody is so up-in arms over Harlequin.

I've know doubt you can sell more copies than the average self-published author. All you have to do is piggy back your new business onto your editing business.

Self-published books are just like self-bought trophies. I can go into any trophy shop and order first place from x sport. But if add it too my resume, I'm a liar.

Most self-published authors add "published author" to their resume, dropping the self. I find this sleazy.

The only thing lower, is quoting rejection slips to promote said self-published books.

These are just but two of may reasons why self-publishing diminishes an author's reputation.

And you haven't done all you can do. You pinned your hopes to a very narrow pool, got good responses, and rather than cast a broader net, decided to buy the award for yourself. Don't expect too many people to think that's noble.

[Ray Rhamey]

Brutal, you're such a breath of support and good cheer. You seem to think that all self-published books are the same--virtually worthless, "self-bought trophies." Things are changing in publishing because of the current economic drought, and self-publishing is an evolving factor. It is entirely possible that some self-published books are better than publisher-published books. It is possible that one of those self-aggrandizing trophies can connect with readers. Oh, not you--if it's self-published, by definition it isn't good enough to interest you, or an agent, or an editor, or a reader.

I especially liked your thought that quoting rejection slips to promote such a books is lower than sleazy. That would be me, I guess. I'll let the quality, or lack thereof, of my book determine my reputation, not an idiotic bias against the means through which that book gets into a reader's hands.

And what you must think of the free e-books and podcasts that my fellow sleazes do to promote their books.

And, hey, good luck with your next writing venture.

[A.S. Peterson]

It's certainly doable and there's a chance you're going to make more money self-pubbing than you would with a traditional publisher.

I've done basically the same thing with my own book, and for the same reasons. Agents and editors loved it but didn't know how to sell it.

After looking at the quality of the product that Lightning Source produces, though, I decided to go elsewhere. I believe strongly in the aesthetics of a book and LS isn't up to snuff. Glossy covers alone make me shudder.

I decided to go with an off-set print run of 1500 copies. That gave me the flexibility to produce a beautiful book and to do it for under $3 a copy.

To pay for the print run I asked folks to buy patronages (which you can read more about here: http://thefiddlersgun.com/files/Be_A_Part.html ) and I was humbled by how many people supported me. I was able to write the check to pay for the entire book without having to dip into my own bank account--which is good because there isn't much there.

Now I'm taking pre-orders and that's going well, too.

I'm happy to see another author coming to the same conclusions I did and treating it as a solid business-plan instead of just shuffling the manuscript off to the POD under the delusion that it'll simply sell.

I blogged the entire process of publishing my own book. You might find some good ideas at the website. http://thefiddlersgun.com

[Chris]

Wow.

I do have to say it's discouraging that an author with your cred can't break through the traditional publishing phalanx, even with a unique concept and a work that generates nothing but positive feedback.

What's that say for the chances of an aspiring hack like me???

Still, I have to give you credit for putting together a solidly thought-out alternative plan.

Self-publishing may be thought of as a futile waste of money for the desperate wanna-be-author who simply doesn't have the chops to succeed, regardless of how their book makes it to print. But it seems like you've got a very realistic and achievable plan, and you certainly aren't a naive head-in-the-clouds new author blindly diving in to the self-publishing maelstrom money-first. If anyone can succeed with a self-published work, I'm convinced you can.

I wish you nothing but great success. Go for it!

[Kathy]

Ray,

I don't have the guts to go the self-published route, but I support your plan. It sounds like you've covered all the bases.

Good luck.

[Jordanscroft.blogspot.com]

Ray, please keep updating this. I'm very interested in knowing how this turns out for you.

I'm just amazed that no one would pick up the story when there is such a market for the light and humorous side of the vampire craze.

Best of luck!
Kat J.

[Doug]

Ray, would it be tacky to ask for a posting about what all you've learned over the past four months?

What worked the way you thought, what didn't, and how you've changed your plans as you went along? What you'd do the same next time, and what you'd do differently? Or would there even *be* a next time?

And the really tacky parts which I'd understand if you'd rather not discuss: how much money and time did you end up putting into this so far? And is it paying off yet, either in lucre or in personal satisfaction?

[Ray Rhamey]

Doug, that's a good idea. Let me get a little more experience under my belt and I'll do that. Thanks for the suggestion.