tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post2280419098986006445..comments2024-03-28T02:00:11.260-05:00Comments on A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: Review ReduxJA Konrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-38014521585432144532007-04-28T09:48:00.000-05:002007-04-28T09:48:00.000-05:00I had the opportunity to sit beside Oline Cogdill ...I had the opportunity to sit beside Oline Cogdill at lunch during SleuthFest. She reviews mysteries for the Sun-Sentinel. I mentioned that the recent restructuring of the paper’s format had cut the book section in half, and asked if it was due to lack of advertisers. She said publishers don’t advertise. That it was a result of the overall increased cost of doing business. So what was for many years a very generous book section has now grown quite slim making it even harder to get reviewed.Joe Moorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00028401465567502250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-14536541013578535422007-04-28T03:02:00.000-05:002007-04-28T03:02:00.000-05:00Some excellent ideas/advice here. I'm bookmarking...Some excellent ideas/advice here. I'm bookmarking your blog. :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00560147197082915677noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-88643094546222346992007-04-27T17:23:00.000-05:002007-04-27T17:23:00.000-05:00Great post, Joe, but don't forget about "off the b...Great post, Joe, but don't forget about "off the book page" opportunities. Does your novel tie into a current event or popular topic? If so, you might be able to score a feature story, or at least a couple of quotes in an article.<BR/><BR/>For instance, chick lit authors could make themselves known to reporters who write about dating and relationship issues.Lisa Hunterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16273391238820872246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-10748695267942683402007-04-27T14:55:00.000-05:002007-04-27T14:55:00.000-05:00Joe, interesting post. Do you fish? Odd question...Joe, interesting post. Do you fish? Odd question I know. While out on a walk today, I watched a couple of guys, and a dog, stock some nice rainbow trout into a local stream, here in Germany. I've posted a few pictures on my site. You are welcome to take a look, or not.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-3560232517936241772007-04-27T09:48:00.000-05:002007-04-27T09:48:00.000-05:00I came by your blog through a rather circuitous ro...I came by your blog through a rather circuitous route. After reading the last three entries, I found I really quite like it. Very thoughtful posts.<BR/><BR/>I've had a few items published, all non-fiction articles, both online and in print, but no fiction... yet. It would help if I didn't go through bouts of laziness, as I am currently. I have managed to garner several handwritten rejections - my metier is science fiction and fantasy - and they have actually outnumbered the blue forms of death.<BR/><BR/>I'm going to link to your blog (if you don't mind), and visit it more often.g d townshendehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02273940169271398206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1372907467988834742007-04-27T09:23:00.000-05:002007-04-27T09:23:00.000-05:00Anon.,The reason I talk about it openly is largely...Anon.,<BR/><BR/>The reason I talk about it openly is largely because if I just keep that kind of rejection inside and never tell anyone, it eats me up like a disease.<BR/><BR/>It genuinely helps to let people know, to get it out in the open, and to talk about it. It's my way of processing it.<BR/><BR/>If an agent can't look beyond what other agents have said -- and actually look at the person and his or her work, then that's not an agent I would want to work with anyway.<BR/><BR/>I do appreciate your insights, though. You're obviously a caring, thoughtful person. I can see that you actually care.<BR/><BR/>Stacey<BR/><A HREF="http://www.staceycochran.com" REL="nofollow">www.staceycochran.com</A>Stacey Cochranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14128613653591282474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-70336345947193918752007-04-26T22:39:00.000-05:002007-04-26T22:39:00.000-05:00Golden advice. If I ever do get published this wil...Golden advice. If I ever do get published this will help a lot. Thanks for all the great information you are giving us yet unknown writers. IT truly means a lot.Lucas Pedersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13072101177732602824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-65905101545554928982007-04-26T13:57:00.000-05:002007-04-26T13:57:00.000-05:00I was fortunate enough to have 2 reviews of my unp...I was fortunate enough to have 2 reviews of my unpublished novel (yes unheard of) and while it was great for my ego it hasn't garnered much clout on the road to publication. Lets hope reviews add to sales but will they surpass "word of mouth" as the best marketing device?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-28080631457968493532007-04-26T13:12:00.000-05:002007-04-26T13:12:00.000-05:00Stacey, you wrote:I wouldn't be self-publishing it...Stacey, you wrote:<BR/><BR/>I wouldn't be self-publishing it had it not been rejected by 440 literary agents this winter. (And before someone jumps on my case and says maybe I should move on to another novel entirely, consider that The Colorado Sequence is one of ten novels I've written, and they've all been rejected by everyone.)<BR/><BR/>And I've seen you mention the rejection numbers before....why would you continue to mention this over and over on the blogs? You think lit agents and editors don't look writers up on the web when they're considering manuscripts? What if they start to like your work, but then realize everyone else on God's green earth has passed on it, and have second thoughts? Brag about all the rejection AFTER you've published your first novel, and keep up the persistence (just not so publicly).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-26965864991224856052007-04-26T09:04:00.000-05:002007-04-26T09:04:00.000-05:00Joe wrote:You're a corspe in FUZZY NAVEL, which I ...Joe wrote:<BR/><I>You're a corspe in FUZZY NAVEL, which I just finished. Advance readers say it's my best yet. Thanks for the DM review!</I><BR/><BR/>I'm looking forward to reading the grizzly, Konrathian details of my death! Quite frankly, my friend, you've got some twisted things lurking in the darker corners of your mind. FN should be loads of fun.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-33811643687464465982007-04-26T05:31:00.000-05:002007-04-26T05:31:00.000-05:00Ah, reviews. I've gotten a lot of great ones, but ...Ah, reviews. I've gotten a lot of great ones, but since my current book's out through a small e-press the impact has been small. Congrats on the excellent PW review, Joe!<BR/><BR/>I'd love to review Dirty Martini. I thoroughly enjoyed Whiskey Sour and recommended the hell out of it to everyone. I'll email you, then...<BR/><BR/>(And thanks for stopping by to comment about confidence! :-)s.w. vaughnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09102544611773720262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-12242898050814529102007-04-26T00:45:00.000-05:002007-04-26T00:45:00.000-05:00"I've also seen authors give free books to blogger..."I've also seen authors give free books to bloggers, which is a somewhat better prospect, but even then you have to consider cost-effectiveness."<BR/><BR/>I don't recommend this approach for stand-alone books, but it could work for an ongoing series. I hope it does, because it's one of the weapons I'm deploying.Simon Hayneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02660767551431793439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-65721603194386017142007-04-25T20:52:00.000-05:002007-04-25T20:52:00.000-05:00Ty - For an ad to justify five figures, the ad/rev...Ty - For an ad to justify five figures, the ad/review would need to sell 334 copies.<BR/><BR/>It's posssible, but not probable.<BR/><BR/>Rob - You're a corspe in FUZZY NAVEL, which I just finished. Advance readers say it's my best yet. Thanks for the DM review!<BR/><BR/>Stacy - You have yet to get lucky. Keep at it.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-62796852725076437942007-04-25T16:32:00.000-05:002007-04-25T16:32:00.000-05:00For my latest Lulu-self-published novel The Colora...For my latest Lulu-self-published novel <I>The Colorado Sequence</I>, I considered sending out like 40 copies to well known writers I've met. I even wrote up a list of the authors most likely to respond.<BR/><BR/>Then, I buckled and worried that no one would want to write a blurb because it is a self-published novel with Lulu. Even though the novel is probably as good as just about anything coming out of New York, the stigma that it's self-published turns a lot of people off.<BR/><BR/>I wouldn't be self-publishing it had it not been rejected by 440 literary agents this winter. (And before someone jumps on my case and says maybe I should move on to another novel entirely, consider that <I>The Colorado Sequence</I> is one of ten novels I've written, and they've all been rejected by everyone.)<BR/><BR/>At some point, you have to make a stand.<BR/><BR/>So, should I ask my crime fiction friends to write a blurb for it?<BR/><BR/>I've heard it's not an unusual practice to actually write the blurb yourself and ask the famous author to "sign off" on it. Ever hear of that practice? <BR/><BR/>Stacey<BR/><A HREF="http://www.staceycochran.com" REL="nofollow">www.staceycochran.com</A>Stacey Cochranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14128613653591282474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-314771659311222712007-04-25T15:30:00.000-05:002007-04-25T15:30:00.000-05:00Interesting and useful post. I think that Internet...Interesting and useful post. I think that <A HREF="http://http://www.optimumresponse.com//" REL="nofollow">Internet advertising</A> is really changing the way businesses are being run. the internet allows access to more consumers and it also gives business more opportunities.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04288242825008748541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-31308694632276908042007-04-25T15:26:00.000-05:002007-04-25T15:26:00.000-05:00Joe said:Want to review DIRTY MARTINI? Email me at...Joe said:<BR/><I>Want to review DIRTY MARTINI? Email me at haknort@comcast.net.</I><BR/><BR/>Done! Finished the book on Sunday, <A HREF="http://52novels.com" REL="nofollow" TITLE="52 novels">posted the review</A> on Monday. It's now making the rounds through my office.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-23101641458274042352007-04-25T13:42:00.000-05:002007-04-25T13:42:00.000-05:00Joe,Being in the newspaper business myself, you're...Joe,<BR/>Being in the newspaper business myself, you're right that advertising at smaller or medium newspapers could lead to a review section. But here's the catch: It would have to be rather extensive advertising over a period of time. No smaller paper is going to create a books section with reviews just for the once-in-a-while ad that likely brings in less than a grand, probably much less. It would take some pretty hefty dollars, probably something near or at five figures, for a small to medium paper to even think about adding pages and space.<BR/>Paper and ink do costs money, and the price always seems to be going up. So, for a publisher to consider to add some pages would mean money coming in would have to be involved.<BR/><BR/>Also, keep in mind I was using very general numbers. Things are different at various newspapers and within different companies.Tyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09192814826756623212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-86917355334103403942007-04-25T13:14:00.000-05:002007-04-25T13:14:00.000-05:00The mid-sized paper I worked for had no book-relat...<I>The mid-sized paper I worked for had no book-related advertising, nor the small-town newspaper.</I><BR/><BR/>Wouldn't advertising lead to a bigger review section? Especially if that were part of the deal?JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-27520562299279114112007-04-25T12:53:00.000-05:002007-04-25T12:53:00.000-05:00Joe: What I've noticed is that there is a whole ne...Joe: What I've noticed is that there is a whole new era of brave reviewers who aren't afraid to pick up a book by a newbie, or by a small publising company, and see if it's worth telling the world about. To me, they play a more important role in the publishing industry than the traditional reviewer who will only look at a top ten bestseller. True, there are a lot of books out there. But there are also a whole lot of reviewers sifting through them. <BR/><BR/>And you're right that reviews sell books. When Library Journal reviewed my latest book, thousands of orders came in for the book from libraries across the country.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-79576981980290729202007-04-25T12:34:00.000-05:002007-04-25T12:34:00.000-05:00"As newspaper circulation dwindles, so does advert..."As newspaper circulation dwindles, so does advertising by publishers, which reduces or eliminates the book review pages."<BR/><BR/>This is bass-ackwards. At the major newspapers, publishers may buy ads, but not below that. The mid-sized paper I worked for had no book-related advertising, nor the small-town newspaper (except when the local bookstore wanted to publicize a signing; very rare).<BR/><BR/>The PDF offer to reviewers is a good idea. I've accepted PDFs twice, but both were from writers who I've had some relationship with (mostly through discovering their blogs). The book would have to be something I'd want to read otherwise to accept a pdf.Bill Peschelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15257587479467531187noreply@blogger.com