Publishing Contract Question?

[TheUltimateChosenOne]

I've been writing for a little while and thinking about possible publishing. But I have a question.
I've heard that when publishing, there are books signings, tours and traveling involved. I was wondering if there is possibility of a contract where you don't have to travel, do tours or book signings.
I'm only 20 years old, but I have a heart condition and I tend to get very tired after just a very short traveling in cars or flying. And I'm not comfortable outside of my house.
Could it be possible of a simple contract where I stay at home and write and then hand my book to my editor, publisher and then they make my book?

[ctg]

Well, you don't have to worry about those sort of things for a while. At least not before you're a best selling author. Even then your publicist can deal without you touring around the country / world. Then again, you can limit your exposure to certain occasions and be as elusive as you can.

[SJAB]

To be honest I would not worry about that sort of thing. If you are serious about getting published you need to work on getting your book written, edited and ready for submission to agents/publishers. You also have to face the fact that this first book will most likely not be picked up. Those cases are very rare, most "new authors" are picked up on their fourth, or even tenth effort. You just need to keep working at improving your writing skills, hoping that each time you send a manuscript out that this is the one.

A published author once told me that if I kept working hard, learning the craft, etc, I might start to get my work noticed in about ten years time. It is ten years this year, and I have had more requests for sample chapters from my work from agents and publishers than I have had in all the pervious nine, but even this does not mean I will make it into print any time soon. In fact I honestly expect to be rejected when I submit work, as the take up is so small and an agent/publisher has to really believe/love your novel.

It is not a matter of just being a good writer these days, it is having in your work/story that extra something that will make a publisher risk money on you, and they are taking a risk, even a well known author can have a book that flops. Publishing is a business and a very tough one to break into, you do have to work at it.

Yes, health problems do make it hard, I know, they make even normal life hard. I suffer from a couple myself, yet I make the effort to go to Conventions, meet authors, publishers, agents and to study the business of publishing. If you want something bad enough you find a way to do get it, health problems or not.

Getting published is not easy, nor is it a get rich quick scheme. Most authors I know still work at the day job, the percent that can actually earn a living wage from their writing is very, very small.

[I, Brian]

Originally Posted by TheUltimateChosenOne

I've heard that when publishing, there are books signings, tours and traveling involved. I was wondering if there is possibility of a contract where you don't have to travel, do tours or book signings.

As mentioned above, worry about getting into print first - unless you can succeed with that, nothing else matters anyway.

In terms of the signings, etc - this is called "marketing" is absolutely essential. So far as I understand it, once published there is no free easy ride - sales targets are key to getting a contract renewal to keep you in print.

Look at people like Mark Robson here on the boards - he has turned himself into a successful published author not through trying to take any easy ways out, but through constant sheer hard work in achieving and maintaining a goal. As the old adage says, success is 10% inspiration, 90% perspiration.

On the issue of health, though - if there's a genuine problem gaining medical insurance for travel, then I'm sure all concerned would be understanding, but I would also expect you to seek other ways to engage fans.

Signings and conventions are major fan hubs - major marketing events. If you can't take that angle, I would - as a businessman - expect you to come up with alternative methods, such as a strong internet presence.

At the end of the day, being published is about becoming a business. I think it needs treating as such. If you want to make that business succeed, you need to work at it.

Just my 2c.

[ctg]

Originally Posted by I, Brian

In terms of the signings, etc - this is called "marketing" is absolutely essential. So far as I understand it, once published there is no free easy ride - sales targets are key to getting a contract renewal to keep you in print.

I don't want to go against you Brian, but I have no other choice as I live with a publicist. Signing, interviews, free books to journalists etc. are tools of the PR, not the marketing department. Advertisement, placement, getting your book at any shop is marketing department task, not PR. Anything to do with raising Author or Book profile in free terms comes under PR, and when it comes to pay money, that's marketing.

So if a publisher sends an author in book signing tour, that's a PR stunt and it has nothing to do with the marketing department. The only thing the marketing department might do, is that get an advert at the side of the bus and hope that will bring enough of people to the book. But if a PR gets a journalist to write about you and/or your book, that's PR, not marketing.

I hope I didn't confuse anyone head.

[I, Brian]

No worries, ctg - I think you make a very valid distinction between what the different publisher departments are expected to do.

What I mean is that regardless as how it is classed at the corporate level, book signings etc are still a reasonably essential marketing activity (PR as a specialised discipline within marketing, even if different marketing activities are set up and paid for by different departments).

A new author is unlikely to get much if any budget from the marketing department unless there's strong confidence that it's going to be a run away success - in which case, speaking, signing, and other touring events would be essentially the only real marketing process the author is able to use - low budget but valuable work.

I think any authors here who do book signings and events know they can sell a lot of books from doing so, create new fans, and make connections with existing fans and upsell further books. They present a great overall marketing opportunity.

I'm approaching this as personal opinion from my observations, so anyone who wishes to correct me is absolutely welcome to - I am not infallible.

[cdel]

I think that now with the internet you really don't have to worry about tours and signing and all that. Either you create your personal webpage explaining your condition and arranging to send signed books (and answer mails and comments) or you do nothing and create a mystery around your name.

[TheUltimateChosenOne]

Thanks for your info, you all.

I'm sure I can make a deal with a publisher. I really don't want the celebrity statues that will probably come with being an author/writer. I know I will use a different name other then my own to cut that celebrity author statues.

[Scarfy]

Originally Posted by TheUltimateChosenOne

I'm sure I can make a deal with a publisher. I really don't want the celebrity statues that will probably come with being an author/writer. I know I will use a different name other then my own to cut that celebrity author statues.

Please excuse this, but I really think you're getting ahead of yourself here.

I don't know where you're getting a celeb status idea from, maybe you've been watching too much TV, but 99.9999999999% of writers can walk into a supermarket and won't be recognised.

Trudi Canavan, who wrote the very popular BLACK MAGICIAN TRILOGY, stated this in her blog (she's actually rather straight talking, it makes for good reading).

Ever since JK Rowling wrote a story about a bespeckled boy wizard and became one of the richest women in the world, a lot of people believe writing a book is a get rich quick scheme.

It's been said in these forums time and time again: You should write for the love of it and not to gain fame and fortune. If you DO achieve these things, then good for you, congratulations.

But otherwise, write your stories and enjoy yourself.

(note - sorry if that response makes me sound like a complete prick, I'm just trying to be honest and helpful. Hopefully this post won't sour anyone's opinion of me!)

(oh... and please excuse my spelling, I'm using IE, without the benefit of built in spell checking!)

[TheUltimateChosenOne]

Well, Scarfy...

What I was refering to with the celebrity statues is that I've seen certain person obsessed with writers. I don't at all feel like(if I did) going to places and signing books for people, mainly because I find fans a bit annoying(especially the ones who dress up, collect every books andor merchandise sold pertaining to the content).
I'm not saying celebrity, like I won't be able to walk out of my house or go places without being spoted, I just really don't like being around fans and I'm not a people person. I think if they met me, they would think I'm weird and would refuse to read anymore of what I write and pass on to make my stories look bad.
Thats all I was meaning.

[SJAB]

Originally Posted by Scarfy

note - sorry if that response makes me sound like a complete prick, I'm just trying to be honest and helpful. Hopefully this post won't sour anyone's opinion of me!

No it doesn't, Scarfy, because it is the truth. I have talked to many authors over the years and they all say the same. One, after getting five books published (mainstream) has finally been able to give up the day job. He said it was a long hard slog, but worth it.

When you read that most agents are getting 30 to 40 queries/sample chapters across their desk per week and they might take on maybe two or three new clients per year, you begin to realise the odds. And being taken on by an agent does not mean your book will be published. Sometimes the agent can't place the work. It is rare, but it does happen.

[SJAB]

Originally Posted by TheUltimateChosenOne

I think if they met me, they would think I'm weird and would refuse to read anymore of what I write and pass on to make my stories look bad.
Thats all I was meaning.

Ultimate one; writers come in all shapes and sizes, try an go to a Convention and you will see that you are not as weird as you think you are... Most readers tend not to judge books by how a writer looks or speaks, it is the work that counts.

[Scarfy]

That's cool, Ultimate Chose One, but one little thing,

Originally Posted by TheUltimateChosenOne

mainly because I find fans a bit annoying(especially the ones who dress up, collect every books andor merchandise sold pertaining to the content).

Do remember that these would be the people buying your books and the ones most likely what spread the word about your work.

I do understand what you mean but if such a situation did arise, I'd say just grin and bear it...

[ctg]

Originally Posted by SJAB

No it doesn't, Scarfy, because it is the truth. I have talked to many authors over the years and they all say the same. One, after getting five books published (mainstream) has finally been able to give up the day job. He said it was a long hard slog, but worth it.

When you read that most agents are getting 30 to 40 queries/sample chapters across their desk per week and they might take on maybe two or three new clients per year, you begin to realise the odds. And being taken on by an agent does not mean your book will be published. Sometimes the agent can't place the work. It is rare, but it does happen.

Certainly many of those queries and samples are not good enough, so it makes the job much easier to filter through the positive ones. You have seen the same thing in the critiques so many times before. Many people are trying but not that many people have enough of time and effort to really finish it. I believe you will get published very soon SJAB. Don't give up.

[Teresa Edgerton]

Originally Posted by TheUltimateChosenOne

What I was refering to with the celebrity statues is that I've seen certain person obsessed with writers. I don't at all feel like(if I did) going to places and signing books for people, mainly because I find fans a bit annoying(especially the ones who dress up, collect every books andor merchandise sold pertaining to the content).

The vast majority of writers do not have that sort of celebrity status or that sort of fans. I've had eleven books published, and I've corresponded with readers who have indeed read all of my books (sometimes multiple times). Occasionally I meet them in person. Whether by letter, internet, or face-to-face encounters, they are invariably polite, enthusiastic (but not in a scary way), and I always find myself as excited to meet them as they are to meet me. Possibly more so. They ask me to sign their books, say a few kind words, and they're gone. No chance for either author or fan to discover that the other one is weird.

(And I agree with ctg. One of these days very soon SJAB's hard work will pay off. In my mind, her dedication to her craft and her level-headed approach to the business of writing already make her a celebrity.)