Mood:
irritatedNow Playing: Gaither Homecoming Friends: "Oh, Come Angel Band!"
Topic: My Writing Life
I am not much liking my options for NaNo 2006. They include: One of three books in an as-yet unnamed Trilogy that I hate, a continuing book in the "The Grand Organ Mysteries" series (not a bad choice, actually), or an as-yet un-conceived stand alone novel of indeterminate genre.
At one of my primary writing sites, I am reviewing my abilities with the technical aspects of the writing craft. My instructor has given the class the classic definition of "plot" (what happens in a book). Here it is (Thanks NavWorks):
"Once upon a time something happened to someone who decided to pursue a goal. So this person devised a plan of action even though there were forces trying to stop him or her. This person moved forward because a lot was at stake. Just when things seemed as bad as they could get, the person learned an important lesson and prevailed. This satisfied a deeper need within formed by something in this person's past. So in the end he or she was better off and in a favorable position to continue to live happily ever after."
This is, then, the essence of the elements of the novel. All I have to do is to plug in the salient parts, and the book will write itself. Yeah, right!
While it is technically true that if you can clearly plug in the several different aspects of the definition, you will have a workable outline, or plan for the "black upon the white within the covers of your next book", it isn't quite as simple as all that. Let me give you a couple of reasons why.
In the first place, you can completely "fill in the blanks" to the plot (as so eloquently defined above), have a completely workable outline, and not have a story--much less the one out of 10,000 that will have the legs to go somewhere between 80-120,000 words, which is the standard length "trade paperback" novel. (Most publishers use a "Standard Manuscript Format" or SMF that says there will, upon average, be 250 words per page. Do the math. It actually gets pretty close to that in the average novel.
The point is that it takes some rather amazing characters to take a story that far. It takes a pretty good story, too--most of the time. Now, it is absolutley true that there is some mighty poor writing that gets sold, published, and put on your bookstore's shelves each and every week.
Sometimes, in the doldrums between "The End" and The Contract, I think perhaps I need to find one of these trash-sellers, and get hooked up. Goodness knows, I sure could use a little less "principle" and a ton more "principal" if you know what I mean.
But, while it is true that pretty much anyone can create a publishable work, it is also true that not just anyone can create a publishable work that lasts. If it were just about seeing my name on a bookstore shelf, there is an entire industry available to me.
It's referred to as "Vanity Publishing", and it is a very lucrative business-for the publisher. You pay them a very large sum of money ($5,000-10,000 or more) for that particular privilege, on average. Of course, this particular type of publishing has some distinct advantages-potentially.
You get published. Your friends get to see a novel, whose author they know. They can purchase your novel from your website, or directly from the publisher (P.O.D.- Publication-On-Demand). They generally do not edit your work, so you do not have those particular issues to deal with. They also do not, generally, market your novel. The extent, then, of your "sales" is usually about 30% of your address list--if you are incredibly lucky.
Another advantage to P.O.D. is that there are, generally, zero "returns". You also must create, and manage, the Press, Public Relations, and every other aspect of selling your work to the public. That presumes, of course, that you are writing this work for profit. The P.O.D. market made its place in the publishing world by catering to the Family Calendar, the Christmas Letter, etc. It serves a very large market, in and of itself. Catering to the novelist without an Agent or Publisher is also profitable for P.O.D.s. This is most often the step before failure for the aspiring author. It is not, by itself, a bad step. And there are some authors who (for reasons I have yet to fathom) prefer it. Some say that they really prefer maintaining complete control over there work. They like, or learn, the skills required to effectively market their titles to that level they are willing to accept. The numbers are a lot different, and sometimes just making back your costs of publication is impossible. There are also, just like with traditional publishers, some really disreputable P.O.D.s.
I'm just not yet in that groove. A few realities that all writers must face are that approximately 50,000 titles are submitted for publication each year, in the USA. Approximately 1,000 titles will find their way to a bookseller's shelves. Of those, approximately 700 will not be successfully sold, which means that the author will never meet (much less exceed) their usually paltry advance payments see returns). With the traditional publisher, the author works every bit as hard as with the P.O.D., it is just much more of "team" effort.
Agents are essential to the success of the "mainstream" author, and earn every penny you pay them (usually 15% of every dollar your work creates). These folks can, single-handedly create a best-seller. Most traditional publishers (honestly, out of self-defense) will not accept a manuscript for consideration from any "un-agented" author.
These are just some of the considerations which begin with that paragraph above. In the end, it is the quality of the writing that makes it all possible. The writer that writes, every day, can only make his/her writing better with better writing! Sorry, but that's the truth of it. Only truly outstanding writing even gets to the starting line. So, in that paragraph above lies some pretty amazing, and some pretty amazingly difficult stuff.
That's why that simple paragraph can be pretty darned intimidating. And, until you plug in the components that, in the mix, create an outstanding concept that will compel the writer through the undeniable minefield of excellent writing, you are just writing. That is a completely fulfilling pasttime for many millions, and I highly recommend it. It also tends to make, interestingly enough, much more informed, and active readers. I like readers--a lot!
If however, you aspire to be on the "Best Seller List" of the New York Times, you look at that simple paragraph in a little different way. But, then again, that IS the writing life.
Bud
New Writing Terms Today:
"Clean Screen": Like a blank page. No words. Before the beginning. The condition usually responsible for a minimum of 50% of all "Writer's Block" (See below).
"Writer's Block": A psychological dilemma of the writer, where for whatever reason, an inability exists on the part of the writer to create new words on a page or screen.
"P.O.D." Publication-On-Demand. Non-traditional publishing houses who cater to the casual, or special event writer. You can google IUniverse, Exlibris, AuthorHouse, Lulu, or Book Surge for examples of these publishers, and get an overview of how they work. There are some decent operations. There are also, however, some amazingly BAD operators in this category. The traditional publication industry very much looks down on P.O.D. Most titles published in this manner are not available for publication by just about all traditional publishers. Yes, it is in some senses a self-serving prejudice within a cut-throat industry. It is also, however, based upon a rather ugly reality that there are some amazing "Preditors" in the book trade. One of the most trusted websites for authors is Preditors And Editors and I highly recommend them to any writer considering publication of any type.
"Returns" In traditional publishing, book publishers work with booksellers in staggering numbers. For example, the leading booksellers include Amazon.com. Every author in the world wants to be listed on Amazon.com's catelogue. Likewise, Barnes and Noble's is a leading bookseller franchise that purchases gazillions of books each year.
Let's take an example with B&N. Your marvelous Title "My Book" has been purchased for publication by "Legendary Publishers". Their history with B&N is way past impressive. B&N has, say 2,000 outlets in the USA. (Let's keep it local. Foreign sales is a whole 'nuther bailywick!)
Publisher of yore contracts with B&N to provide 5 copies of "My Book" to each outlet! That's 10,000 copies of your book! YAY!!!!! You are a hit!! Right? Well, right?
Nope, not by a longshot. The average payment to the author per copy is $2,00. Now, that sounds like a payday, doesn't it! A $20,000 contract sell is a pretty nice number. It's even, it's round, and it's bogus. I'll tell you why in one lousy word: returns.
If, let's say, each outlet only sells 2 copies of your book (for whatever of the thousands of possible reasons work this week). Under the agreement with Legendary Publisher, B&N can return any unsold copies for FULL reimbursement. Thus, that nice payday just went from $20,000 to $4,000. Not bad, you say. Not bad IF it covers your advance payment (and it usually will, because advance payments are usually not more than $5,000 from the best houses--especially for a new author that has no proven sales track record.)
It generally takes 100,000 copies sold to create a viable author! PER Title! Your royalty payments are established to be paid on a quarterly basis, which is measured one quarter late. Sales in January will create (maybe) a royalty payment to your Agent (who handles your money--and extracts his/her payment first!) will usually show up sometime in July. I hate returns. And, when you check out your "listing" at one of the three significant author listing services, you can believe me when I tell you that they deduct returns. Your 10,000 copy sale shows up as the 4,000 copy reality that it is. That is NOT conducive to reaching the 100,000 "Mid-list Success" mark that virtually every publisher on the planet uses to determine your viability as an author now, or in the future.
You write for profit. They publish for a profit. Booksellers sell for profit. And so it goes in the writing life.
