tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post8596512195760817569..comments2024-03-28T02:00:11.260-05:00Comments on A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: Guest Post by Mark Edward HallJA Konrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-36442739873474553252013-08-10T17:13:06.402-05:002013-08-10T17:13:06.402-05:00Hi again, Linda. I meant to add my email so that y...Hi again, Linda. I meant to add my email so that you can send the errors privately. Here it is. mark@markedwardhall.comMark Edward Hallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09348437062900925019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-88213657064180598542013-08-10T17:04:27.789-05:002013-08-10T17:04:27.789-05:00Hi, Linda, thanks so much for the kind review of A...Hi, Linda, thanks so much for the kind review of Apocalypse Island. I really do appreciate it.<br />I wonder if you kept track of the few errors you mentioned in the review, and if so would you mind sharing? Since my books are self published I really appreciate readers who share errors and I usually fix the problems immediately.Mark Edward Hallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09348437062900925019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-46541252989607047872013-08-10T14:57:47.730-05:002013-08-10T14:57:47.730-05:00Took advantage of your August Amazon promotion of ...Took advantage of your August Amazon promotion of "Apocalypse Island" and enjoyed the heck out of it. In fact, I spent this morning finishing it, putting other plans aside. I don't normally do reviews on Amazon unless the book is really good or really bad. I imagine you've guessed which category yours goes into. ;-). Thanks for a rattling good read! I'm anxiously awaiting the next in the series.Linda Branamnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-71726019795000499822013-08-09T07:11:51.588-05:002013-08-09T07:11:51.588-05:00I absolutely enjoying every little bit of this gre...I absolutely enjoying every little bit of this great post. It is a great blog post and nice share. I want to thank you. Good job <a href="http://www.oranroofing.com" rel="nofollow">San Antonio Roofers</a>San Antonio Roofershttp://www.oranroofing.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-67160148237229754152013-08-07T18:41:37.650-05:002013-08-07T18:41:37.650-05:00Hi, David. A guy by the name of Cyrus Wraith Walke...Hi, David. A guy by the name of Cyrus Wraith Walker did the Apocalypse cover. he's a really good guy and easy to work with. He does ebook formatting, book covers, book trailers, and he's the chief designer for Dark Discoveries Magazine. I don't remember what it cost. I provided the photo and he put it all together. Very reasonable as I remember. Here's his website: http://cyrusfictionproductions.bravehost.com/?page_id=2<br /> Mark Edward Hallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09348437062900925019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-26404393731572283882013-08-07T18:26:36.407-05:002013-08-07T18:26:36.407-05:00Who did your Apocalypse cover? Do you mind tellin...Who did your Apocalypse cover? Do you mind telling us how much it cost?David Darracotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13785993041003124038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-61999116243342162712013-08-07T14:14:59.522-05:002013-08-07T14:14:59.522-05:00Thanks for commenting, Vlad. I wish you success w...Thanks for commenting, Vlad. I wish you success with your writing career. Let me know when you have a book out.<br /><br />Yes, I agree, it is very liberating to be in charge of your own career. There is no greater pleasure in life. <br /><br />I hope you enjoy Apocalypse Island.Mark Edward Hallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09348437062900925019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-68645034170672228562013-08-07T13:47:08.287-05:002013-08-07T13:47:08.287-05:00Mark,
Thanks for sharing! My decision to self-pub...Mark,<br /><br />Thanks for sharing! My decision to self-pub in July 2012 is constantly reinforced when I read about experiences such as your own. I still have a day job, but I expect to be able write full-time in about 3-5 years, provided I continue to make slow (isn't it always?) but steady traction. And the best thing is that my wife agrees, and since she runs our finances...<br /><br />Very liberating being in charge of my own career!<br /><br />Writers such as yourself and Joe have broken a clear path into the literary wilds by bucking traditional models and by going against the status quo, which have allowed others like me to follow.<br /><br />For that, I thank you both! <br /><br />I'll definitely be grabbing Apocalypse Island. Good luck with Lion of God! Vlad Vaslynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04858030561616145165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-87871913834533910052013-08-07T12:07:07.898-05:002013-08-07T12:07:07.898-05:00Thanks for the comment, Dale. Congrats on your suc...Thanks for the comment, Dale. Congrats on your success. I'm looking forward to your blog post.<br /><br />I know what you mean about laughing all the way. It's very liberating to call your own shots in this writing business. And the money ain't bad either.<br /><br />I only knew King as a boy but he was a good guy. He deserves all his success.<br /><br />The first few signings I did with NEHW I was the only self published one there and initially some of those guys looked at me like I had two heads. Now I'm doing better than a lot of them, but there's no hard feelings. It's all good. That's just the way it was then.Mark Edward Hallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09348437062900925019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-66944152613169121312013-08-07T11:45:54.255-05:002013-08-07T11:45:54.255-05:00Mark, congrats on persevering. I had Stephen King ...Mark, congrats on persevering. I had Stephen King as a writing instructor back at U Maine, and it was incredible, with insightful feedback on what we wrote. Truly a wonderful person, and a great teacher- he definitely helped us hone the craft. <br />And up until 3 years ago, I'd have signed any terrible contract Big Trad Pub put in front of me, just to say I was legit. Then I talked to a lot of writers with horror stories about publishing big. With the advice of Joe, Dean Wesley Smith, and many, many others, I started looking elsewhere. Now after novel #3 just released, and 6 story collections out-- in just over two years-- I'm so very grateful that Big Trad Pub moves with glacial speed, so I could outrun them, laughing all the way. It's so heady putting out a book when and where and how you want. <br />Gotta say, the New England Horror Writers have changed for the better-- there's as much self-pub and small-pub now-- I've found a lot of great new friends, fans, and supporters there recently, even though my novels are mystery, not horror. <br />Downloaded your book, am hoping for a great read. Thanks for sharing your story. I'll be posting here in the Fall, with Vlad Vaslyn, another writer from NEHW, and we'll each have a new book to promote.Dale T. Phillipshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14792295949745520240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-85706325435237279322013-08-06T19:21:04.294-05:002013-08-06T19:21:04.294-05:00I just walked away, basically. I guess I'm pre...I just walked away, basically. I guess I'm pretty lucky in the sense that the three titles of mine they have aren't crucial to me. Well, except for the most recent one, but I just have to wait that one out.<br /><br />I guess I mean I'm ex in the sense that I won't publish through them anymore. Self-publishing all the way.S. A. Lusherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05936882420225083829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-65645335251679192482013-08-06T19:13:25.995-05:002013-08-06T19:13:25.995-05:00Hey, Sean A. Lusher. I wish I was an ex-Damnation ...Hey, Sean A. Lusher. I wish I was an ex-Damnation author. They won't release me from my contracts no matter what I do, short of hiring an expensive lawyer. How did you become an ex?Mark Edward Hallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09348437062900925019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-67769576327202027752013-08-06T18:40:44.230-05:002013-08-06T18:40:44.230-05:00great blog and great notes from Joe.
One quibble:...great blog and great notes from Joe.<br /><br />One quibble:<br /><br />While there are agencies with lawyers on staff - big, powerful, influential agencies - DO NOT let an agent negotiate a contract for you unless it is in partnership with said IP lawyer involved.<br /><br />Agents are NOT lawyers. The guy who handled your divorce or the closing on your house is , but he probably knows NOTHING about pub contracts.<br /><br />IP attorneys do this work. Agents are former publishing editors who needed a new job. Not lawyers.<br /><br />I am not saying agents are useless. Hardly. But your real estate agent doesn't advise you at closing on a house does he? (If he does, you might have an issue) You have an attorney deal with this sort of thing.<br /><br />Contract law - especially IP contracts - are WAY too intricate for agents if they are not using in-house IP attorneys.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-75671922895630397612013-08-06T18:35:44.136-05:002013-08-06T18:35:44.136-05:00Hey! A fellow ex-Damnation author. There seem to b...Hey! A fellow ex-Damnation author. There seem to be more and more of those...<br /><br />I myself am one now and...wow, I really feel your pain on that pricing issue.<br /><br />Lots of luck and congrats on your success.S. A. Lusherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05936882420225083829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-58360988405238464962013-08-06T16:49:58.896-05:002013-08-06T16:49:58.896-05:00Alan, thanks for downloading. Hope you enjoy. By t...Alan, thanks for downloading. Hope you enjoy. By the way, I very much enjoyed your story the other day.<br /><br />Patrice, thanks. I've never had so much fun in my life as I'm having now. And about your Stephen King question; I actually get asked that a lot. Truthfully he was just a normal kid. A real good guy, and one of our favorite things to do was make up stories and tell them to all the other kids. Surprise, right?<br /><br />Darlene, welcome to the game. I wish you every success.<br /><br />Franklin, it feels terrible to have three of my books held hostage by an uncaring publisher, but I vowed to keep writing and publishing. It's the only way to win. Don't ever give up.Mark Edward Hallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09348437062900925019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-83757466543502737172013-08-06T15:48:13.322-05:002013-08-06T15:48:13.322-05:00Thanks for sharing your story, Mark!
It's def...Thanks for sharing your story, Mark!<br /><br />It's definitely scary to consider doing all the work on creating a book from thin air only to have someone take away the payoff. eBook prices have been something I've debated about with friends and colleagues for a few years now, and it's wrong to price a digital item so high in many cases. I'll keep my fingers crossed that you can get your rights back and use those works as better assets than your publisher is doing in the future!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-56094920994264640762013-08-06T15:42:01.815-05:002013-08-06T15:42:01.815-05:00Thank you, Mark and Joe.
Mark, I also came to the...Thank you, Mark and Joe.<br /><br />Mark, I also came to the game late since life kept me so busy.<br /><br />Joe, if I may, my fictionalized memoir THREADBARE will be available free to Kindle on August 8, 2013. It’s certainly a change of pace.<br /><br />www.VermillionRoadPress.com<br />Darlene Underdahlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04862207573237585373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-76032364327998154152013-08-06T14:45:47.216-05:002013-08-06T14:45:47.216-05:00Thanks, Mark, for another excellent guest post! I...Thanks, Mark, for another excellent guest post! I remember hearing about Scott Meredith back in the old days. So sorry to hear about your experience with the legacy publisher -- but it sounds as though you will continue to put out strong new material while working on getting back the rights to your books. And you will, eventually. <br /><br />By the way, was Stephen King a scary kid? ;-) Patrice Fitzgeraldhttp://www.patricefitzgerald.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-67047292230018470952013-08-06T14:30:24.309-05:002013-08-06T14:30:24.309-05:00Mark, thanks so much for sharing your story. Good ...Mark, thanks so much for sharing your story. Good to know that it's never too late to start :-) Downloading your book now — sounds like a great read!Alan Tuckerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06003811594552160836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-24055309420645338462013-08-06T13:08:53.190-05:002013-08-06T13:08:53.190-05:00Hey, Nancy - Maine seems to have the perfect atmos...Hey, Nancy - Maine seems to have the perfect atmosphere for creepy. Thanks for downloading. Hope you enjoy. Mark Edward Hallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09348437062900925019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-4594499627837483022013-08-06T12:47:30.990-05:002013-08-06T12:47:30.990-05:00@Mark - Of course I d/l it, looks like it'll b...@Mark - Of course I d/l it, looks like it'll be a cool read.<br /><br />And Stephen King was right coming out with horror novels based in Maine - the parts I ventured into were totally creepy. ;-)<br /><br />Good luck!Nancy Beckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06214579721075450777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-75984375567146622862013-08-06T12:36:53.943-05:002013-08-06T12:36:53.943-05:00Thanks, Jill. Hope you enjoy.Thanks, Jill. Hope you enjoy.Mark Edward Hallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09348437062900925019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-74056136889391047032013-08-06T12:34:11.195-05:002013-08-06T12:34:11.195-05:00Mark, I got your book in my email this morning. Lo...Mark, I got your book in my email this morning. Looks cool. Off to download. Love your publishing story.Jill Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10754506629717417267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-63389818277956597822013-08-06T10:31:06.674-05:002013-08-06T10:31:06.674-05:00Joe's right about having a pro review your con...Joe's right about having a pro review your contract. My former agent deleted the clause in my contract with Bantam Books that gave them the ebook rights. This was back before those rights became as valuable as they are today, but he had the foresight to see what was coming. Saved me a lot of trouble. That's the kind of expertise that's valuable.<br /><br />Even so, these days I'd go with a good attorney with experience in the field who would work for a fee rather than a percentage of your advance/royalties.<br /><br />One more thing. My biggest mistake was not going to NY to meet my editor and publisher in person. Ask anyone who offers you a contract if they'll fly you out to NY to meet them before you sign. If they're stingy enough to say no, that will tell you what they'll be like to work with.Joe Flynnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17862186143599173970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-62534231004496932932013-08-06T10:07:38.878-05:002013-08-06T10:07:38.878-05:00Thanks Tabitha. Hope you enjoy.Thanks Tabitha. Hope you enjoy.Mark Edward Hallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09348437062900925019noreply@blogger.com