In today’s Journal
▪ Topic: An Apology
▪ A new blogger
▪ The daily diary
▪ Of Interest
▪ The numbers
Topic: An Apology
Yesterday in “Of Interest” I posted a link to “Nine Lessons from a Small Indie Publisher.” Had I read it first (I usually do), I wouldn’t have posted it.
IMHO, this is not a “small indie publisher.” This is a traditional publisher doing his best to make indie publishing look bad, and he’s doing such a bad job at it that the attempt is transparent. How low will they stoop?
Yes, in true indie publishing the hours are long and the work occasionally piles up, but the reward is fantastic: 100% of net royalties for the life of the copyright (intellectual property), which the author also retains for the duration of his or her life plus 70 years.
As noted by TPG (and verified by me), this publisher priced his book in line with traditional publishing prices. Hence the article leaves me wondering whether the Mensch contract also mimics tradpub by assuming all rights or outright ownership of the copyright (again, valuable IP) like other traditional publishing contracts do.
In exchange for a pittance of an advance (maybe) and a ridiculously low royalty rate.
No, this is not “how it is” (per another comment on the OP), at least not at the majority of true small indie publishers, one of which I have been (successfully) since 2011.
Believe in yourself, believe in your work, and get it out there.
***
This morning I added a new blogger to the collective, a good looking young gent from New Zealand named Sean Monaghan. (grin) See his website at https://seanmonaghan.com/.
By the way, it isn’t live yet, but the new blog will be called Pro Writers Writing. When it’s live, probably sometime in March, I’ll announce it. (grin)
***
Rolled out way late at 4:30. Ugh. I guess I needed the sleep.
My friend Robert and I finalized (on the phone) details of the logo that will span the top of the new collective website. Thanks, Robert! He will also be one of the bloggers, so that’s a double-win.
Searched for (and read) items for “Of Interest,” worked out details for the logo, etc. and finally (still) got to the novel by 9 a.m.
Probably not a big day today. For one thing it’s a half-day, but more importantly, my protagonist has wrapped up an assignment and is on the way home to see what her sister’s up to. So I need to re-read the chapters on her and her sister again before I start the next chapter. (Feed the subconscious and it will feed you.)
As I’m searching for those chapters, I’ll also update my reverse outline, which I stopped after Chapter 2. (I’m on Chapter 17 now.) If I’d kept up with it, I wouldn’t have to search so hard. See?
I did some cycling too as I was looking over those older chapters. Found one minor glitch and fixed it in about six places.
When I finally got the cycling done and the reverse outline caught up, it was almost noon. Today was the shortest writing day in a long time, but I suspect I’ll more than make up for it tomorrow. (grin) It feels great to know all I have to do to check an earlier point now is go back to the reverse outline. I’m tellin’ you, folks, these things are priceless.
Talk with you again tomorrow.
Of Interest
See “Writing a Novel Series: Tips for Developing Spin-Offs and Sequels” at https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2013/11/21/writing-a-novel-series/.
See “Happy Valentine’s Day” at https://terryodell.com/happy-valentines-day-2/. Note: Free short story!
Via Reedsy, see “Four Key Elements of a Successful Romance Series” at https://diymfa.com/writing/four-key-elements-successful-romance-series.
Some great comments on “Got Pushback On App Idea” at https://www.deanwesleysmith.com/got-pushback-on-app-idea/#comments.
See “The 10 Most Cynical Things [Prolific Writer] Georges Simenon Ever Wrote/Said/Pontificated” at https://crimereads.com/the-10-most-cynical-things-georges-simenon-ever-wrote-said-pontificated/.
See “Business Musings: Learning, The Future, and CES” at https://kriswrites.com/2019/02/13/business-musings-learning-the-future-and-ces-contracts-negotiations/.
Fiction Words: 0775
Nonfiction Words: 630 (Journal)
So total words for the day: 1405
Writing of Blackwell Ops 3: Marie Arceneaux (novel)
Day 10… 5757 words. Total words to date…… 31706
Day 11… 0775 words. Total words to date…… 32481
Total fiction words for the month……… 35603
Total fiction words for the year………… 119006
Total nonfiction words for the month… 13060
Total nonfiction words for the year…… 38470
Total words for the year (fiction and this blog)…… 157476
Calendar Year 2019 Novels to Date………………………… 2
Calendar Year 2019 Novellas to Date…………………… X
Calendar Year 2019 Short Stories to Date……… X
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)………………………………………… 39
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)……………………………………… 7
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)……………………… 193
Short story collections…………………………………………………… 31