One of the things that surprised me when I posted about the dire situation I find myself in is how many friends and followers came out of the woodwork wanting to help. In particular there's a buddy of mine I have known since highschool who apparently is friends with a literary agent.
He suggested I put together a query letter, synopsis and the first three chapters for whichever of my novels I felt stood the best chance of approval. I assembled all of that for him and mailed it off, but it left me feeling as if there must be more I could do to help myself.
Yet more friends, dear to me beyond measure, have intervened with advice and encouragement. One of them told me I should put all of my short stories and novellas, which are too short to be published on their own, into anthologies. They are grouped by theme: The Institute, Scifi, Horror and Scifi-Horror.
I was surprised I had enough for 4 anthologies between ~89k and ~120k words each. Here's the breakdown:
- 'The Institute' stories (89,393 words, 156 pages)
- Scifi (121,205 words, 211 pages)
- Horror (95,422 words, 164 pages)
- Scifi-horror (104,567 words, 177 pages)
Even so, there were stories that didn't fit anywhere in these themes, like "Okay I Guess". Perhaps one of these days I will write more comedy, just to have enough material for a comedy anthology. For the time being however, this is plenty.
Four huge anthologies, plus eight novels (Including the ones on Amazon). This is enough that, if I could find publishers for all of it, I ought to be able to live comfortably off the residual income. I've had an alternate livelihood prepared all this time, I still don't know for sure what held me back.
If necessity is the mother of invention, then desperation is the mother of motivation. It certainly is an act of desperation to power down hundreds of dollars, but with any luck it will buy me the time I need to finally monetize my writing through traditional channels.
I might still be in for some hard times in the near term. There might be nothing I can do about that. But finally getting the ball rolling on traditional publication gives me some hope that things may yet take a turn for the better.
Thanks For Your Support!
There’s so much out there that you can do and it’s only a matter of hard work and time that you find it and do it . Just like when I lost everything and found steemit
Failure is not an option and when you say "you must", that you keep on rolling and at one point of time you will take it through.
But finally getting the ball rolling on traditional publication gives me some hope that things may yet take a turn for the better.
I hope there are Good days coming for you alex, I wish you luck for the publication, hope all of your publications touch the stars.
Don’t ever give up hope! There is another writer I happen to follow getting his book published @talanhorne. It has already taken so long. He is soo positive about it. I’ve already read few of your novels and I love your style. I consider myself as an average Joe. There is millions like me. I just don’t belive your novels won’t get published. People would loose a lot not getting chance to read your work.
Hello @alexbeyman, thank you for sharing this creative work! We just stopped by to say that you've been upvoted by the @creativecrypto magazine. The Creative Crypto is all about art on the blockchain and learning from creatives like you. Looking forward to crossing paths again soon. Steem on!
Good luck with publishing, the fact that you had enough material for 4 anthologies is pretty impressive.
Hey Alex, you might also consider freelance writing to shore up your income in the short term. I know a place zerys.com that pays a minimum of .03 per word, or 30$ per 1000 words. You would write on titles that are created by content site owners. I've purchased content from them in the past, and I'm sure you could do it. There are other platforms, too. Fiverr.com, upwork.com, elance.com, etc. It might be a game changer for you.
Wow, thanks for the tip. That really could be useful.
Giving up is not in my dictionary,because I do plan be I go for what I want .the picture explained it very well.just look at that man who have already gone far in his quest for diamond ,gave up on the dying minute ,what if he put just a little strength more he would have achieved his aim.
We need determination,constancy and a good frame work (plan) before you go into anything in life so that we will not give up in the dying minute.
Thanks friend for this .
Remain blessed.
"If necessity is the mother of invention, then desperation is the mother of motivation"-- that is the fact👍
..You are gifted sir and it's obvious..Don't give up..hard times makes you strong..Am definitely certain that you will make it in your publication... "Never give up, great things take time" .
never loose hope :)
That's the spirit, bruh. There is always light at the end of the tunnel. Don't give up. Don't give in.
Friendship doing well
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
Good to hear you are not giving up, but then, maybe you are giving up on self publishing a bit too quickly. You have over 7500 followers here. I'm sure if you were to self publishing one of those anthologies (not just Amazon, go cross channel and add a POD outlet that isn't Createspace as well), you have the marketing channel right here. I know I would buy two anthologies from your list here, and I'm confident quite a few of those 7500 followers would likely do the same. Loving my Kobo reader, I'dd never buy any book that is published just on Amazon. I bought a few books on Amazon in the past, but never managed to find a way to get the bloody books on my e-reader. Sommige now these books are just sitting on my phone, unlikely to ever get read.
I'm just saying, don't blame self publishing as a whole for failing on your Amazon exclusive self publishing strategy, and if you decide to give self publishing a second chance, go all the way plus use this platform to do your own marketing to your 7500 followers and beyond.
Why not pick your "least likely to get through tradpup" anthology and give it a try. I could contact my cover art artist and front you the cover art (if needed), given he has a timeslot for you, and you might have your first anthology up in weeks. And if things don't work out, you could just pay me back in upvotes over time.
Whatever road(s) you choose, I really hope you don't have to dig into your hard earned dolphin status. SBD might not go up again if pegging does what it is supposed to do, STEEM market cap should be representative for the value of the platform and its content. As such, I'm confident STEEM market cap should go up again to round and about the one billion mark before the year is over. So power down by all means, but try not to sell yourself short by selling significant amounts of STEEM at current price levels. I understand, if you must you must, but if you can avoid selling at current price levels you should probably try. Maybe you could expand on what I suggested for cover art and see if you can sell some of us the promise of future upvotes so you could get your hands on some quick funds.
I have tried this before many times, it did not result in more than a couple of sales.
That's a generous offer. If my efforts at getting traditionally published fall through, I will be sure to remember this and hit you up. Thank you.
@alexbeyman I would like to read some comedy because it would be a very different change to your publications that are horror, love and also suspense, I know you've done comedy but I do not know if it will be all comedy or suspense and comedy together.
Good luck, I hope your friend intercedes for you, and I hope that your writings are a reason why they accept you.
That's the spirit @alexbeyman
When you write your stories use the tag steempress-io i told you yesterday.
I hope you read about them.It will be a boost for you and I'd like to see you smile!
Check it out if you haven't already
From what is worth, i think your stickman adventures has lot of potential as a comic strip on a newspaper or comic book.
You can refine and compile all stickman adventure posts into a book and mail a publisher too :)
I think it's never okay to give up. Trust yourself and never lose hope.
All the best, man. Your writing is really something and those publishers would be fools not to snap it up. It would be a shame to lose you. Your blog is one of the few that I check every day.
:) Thank you. That's encouraging.
I wish you luck and unfortunately that is all I can give. Really like your style of writing and I hope it works for the best and sooner than later!
8 novels and 4 anthologies is a lot of writing. Something should get published.
Do u have an agent? Might be good to get one as they can open doors for you.....and even read and make suggestions on how to improve the novel so that it is more appealing to a publisher. Or set you up with a good editor? Just some ideas I'm sure others have already suggested.
Good luck.
Honestly, I'm just too in love with these words.
God knows the best that I'm sure of if you're to go on with that what you have on mind there will be way all through. But I guess anything with is hard time will surely comes to is normal time and ease you achieve all you want in no time.
So glad to here this dear, I love the idea of putting all your stories into a book.
I hope it becomes one of the best selling books when released...
Yes man!
You got the chops.
and.... If ya run outta the chops, my buddy Vinnie downtown might be able to help you re-up. <<< I don't even know what that means.
You got something kid!
That was good though, it sounded convincing. I was encouraged.
Eeesh I hate being in the tough situation that you are in.
I'm praying that this works out for ya and you don't have to move.
I would say just focus on work stay motivate and keep patience good news will be on your door step.
Keep pushing bro, you may be too close to give up now
Good to see you getting some sort of motivation going through..you would be a great novelist and I mean it.. Good luck to you bro....you are going to get through.. Keep pushing..
yes,@ alexbeyman, It's reality.
Excellent post.
It is absolutely right that if there is lack of discovery, then disappointment is the mother's motivation.
Congratulations for this @alexbeyman. Never give up.
You are my inspiration sir,i know you have a strong attitude,keep calm and stay focus sir.
Tough times are needed to know what is life,if you have never faced darkness then you will never know the value of light.
Good luck man! Success is right ahead! Hopefully someone picks up your stories!
Ever onward, ever upward.
At some future point in time, these moments of hardship will make for a great story to inspire an upcoming generation of writers.
You've got the writing chops. You've got the brains. And now you have the motivation.
Stay focused, keep actively pursuing all avenues, and be flexible. That mining comic you used above may be truer than you would believe, success is there if you keep digging.
You deserve it. Cheers.
Hey Alex, I saw what you did and think you made the right decision. It will buy you the time needed to make things happen rather than drive yourself crazy. I would still at least monitor craigslist for some online teaching or writing gigs in the meantime while you're working on things.
Hey @alexbeyman that's great news, and sounds like you have some awesome friends, wishing you the best of luck!