Are
you making a lot of decisions this month? I am!
A
couple of years ago I decided I would need to publish my own books. My
collection of rejections pretty much convinced me no editors would fall in love
with my stories and characters. Some editors told me my writing was good and
that they liked things about my characters and/or stories, but... No
sales.
Last month I mentioned the editor for Sizzler
Editions, an e-publisher, who wanted to see one of my novels.When he offered a contract instead of the rejection I expected, I had to make a HUGE decision. I could
sign the contract and turn my book and some control over to someone else, or
publish that story myself. Funny, I'd always thought I'd jump over the moon to get a contract offer. No one has EVER
offered me a contract! I thought long and hard and read the contract word for
word a dozen times. I signed the
contract! I even mailed it in. Maybe I could profit from working with an
editor. The working title for this romantic suspense is Protective Instincts.
Now
I need to do a lot of reformatting so I can send the novel back to him to edit and
pray he doesn't want extensive revisions.
About the second news I mentioned in my earlier post. Can you say Gilded Dragonfly Books? You might want to practice saying it, since I am now an editor for them. You can check us out at www.gildeddragonflybooks.wordpress.comwww.gildeddragonflybooks.wordpress.com. The real website isn't live yet, but it should be soon. I just finished revisions for the short story I wrote for our anthology which will be available for our launch party February 23.
The photo is of some of my fellow editors at work.
So many authors have written wonderful stories that don't fit the molds used by New York publishers or even small presses and e-publishers. I get the chance to consider some of those books for our company to publish. Of course I will edit them to help make them shine the way they deserve to. Then I get to decide which books I can give the attention they deserve. More decisions!
Mary, congratulations on your contract and also on your job as editor! You are at both sides of the fence!
ReplyDeleteIt's great that authors have so many choices these days.
Morgan Mandel
http://chicklitfaves.com
Thanks, Morgan! I also sent off a query for an erotic novella. Not mentioning names, of course, since the Bad Luck Elf might read this.
ReplyDeleteI'm self publishing two books, and maybe a Christmas novella, plus I'm finishing a family book on my father's line. I'm glad you are giving a place to those authors whose books don't match NY guidelines. NY often misses the mark with what readers want. I'm pleased with my self-published success and am sure NY would not be interested. Why do I care, as long as readers are?
ReplyDeleteI agree, Caroline! I self-pubbed for that very reason!
DeleteInteresting post.
ReplyDelete