Pop the Virtual Champagne Cork

Okay, so most of you know today and tomorrow is the Transit of Venus, right? A rare phenomena that will not occur again for another 100+ years, the Transit has fascinated me ever since I came across it while doing research for my angel UF. (The Transit plays a significant role in my short novel.)

Now, I'm not saying that the Transit has anything to do with the following news, but it sure is coincidental. :-) Today, I received a couple pieces of good news, one of which I can't share yet. But the other one is my poem "Ophelia Lies Dreaming" is now published in the digital magazine Indigo Rising UK (Issue2). If you're interested in checking it out, here's the link: http://indigorisinguk.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/issue2.pdf You'll have to enlarge the text and you might have to use the horizontal scroll bar, but it's there. Promise. :-) My poem is supposed to be on page 32.

Besides the aforementioned news, I have another short story that just came out. "Family Heirloom" was published in the digital anthology Scared - Ten Tales of Horror. Any time you think you have an idea that isn't worth merit, don't listen. I thought my idea about a cursed kris (a dagger usually with a wavy blade) was a silly one no one would want. I came across stories about krises coming to life and killing on their own during my research on weapons. I jotted my idea down and filed it away.

When Rayne gave me the opportunity to submit a story idea, the kris story came to mind. I didn't know if it would fit the anthology's needs but it couldn't hurt to try. And it didn't. :-)

If you'd like to find out more about Scared, go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Scared-Ten-Tales-Horror-ebook/dp/B0088IBG0E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338937600&sr=8-1

Prolific Writers

The problem with only having one book publishing credit to my name is having only one book publishing credit to my name. "Backlist is king," or so fellow authors assure me. And while that may be true, unless I self-publish, each story I write must first be accepted for publication. Thus, I can have every intention of wanting to create a backlist but no means to do so. Cue vicious cycle.

I'm impressed at the dedication of writers who consistently publish a body of work. But is quantity really better? According to a recent blog post I read, many commenters bemoaned the fact their favorite authors' works suffered from lack of quality. These readers preferred authors concentrate on writing better stories rather than merely churning out material.

Prolific writers are nothing new. Walter B. Gibson, writing as Maxwell Grant, wrote "more than 300 novel-length" Shadow stories, writing up to "10,000 words a day" to satisfy public demand during the character's golden age in the 1930s and 1940s"  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_B._Gibson). Rod Serling, creator of The Twilight Zone and Night Gallery, wrote 92 of the 156 Twilight Zone scripts, not to mention the screenplays Patterns and Requiem for a Heavyweight, among other stories (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Serling). Charles Beaumont published over 70 short stories and 15 Twilight Zone teleplays before his death at age 38 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Beaumont).  

Of course, screenplays are different from prose writing. And the 1950s and 1960s are far removed from the publishing environment of today. But while print publishing opportunities may be dwindling, digital publishing is keeping doors open to writers. Not only can writers submit novels but also short stories and novellas. Not that print magazines don't exist, but I imagine that space is a premium and advertisers often have priority.   

While some writers may dream of a contract with the Big 6, I'm happy to seek opportunities with the electronic publishers. Not that I won't ever seek representation. And there's always the chance I will self-publish. But when I do, the work will be as polished as possible. Meanwhile, I plan to keep improving my skills as a writer while the plot bunny whispers ideas in my head. 

On agents

There’s a growing attitude that authors don’t need agents now that electronic publishing’s starting to take the world by storm. Nothing could be further from the truth.

While it’s quite possible for an author to navigate their career without the help of an agent, especially among the small presses where publishers are more hands-on, agents are, in my opinion, still going to be playing a role in the publishing industry in the future.

Yes it’s true that the industry is experiencing a massive revolution at the moment, with a shift in emphasis toward electronic publishing. I’m excited to see not only the emergence of so many small presses but also some of the bigger players showing a greater interest in electronic publishing and opening their doors to unsolicited queries.

This is good. It means authors are getting more opportunities to prove themselves and get a foot in the door. It means authors will be able to build a readership and a proven track record in sales based on a start in electronic and print on demand publishing.

These are good things. Those authors who rise to the top will be marketable assets to savvy publishers who know a good thing when they see it. And, in my mind, that’s where agents will prove their weight in gold.

Agents do so much more than read queries and sell books. They are valuable negotiators who are not only qualified to offer advice about where to sell your book but also decipher the often cryptic details in contracts. Trust me, nothing makes my eyes glaze over faster than those pages with all the fine print.

And, if you’re hot property, it means you’re going to need an ally by your side to make sure that no one gets you into a bind with a bum contract. A good agent will have her finger on the pulse, negotiate a better deal for you and will be well connected to put you in a position where you can concentrate on what’s important to you: crafting stories.

So, if you’re still on the query-mill with regard to agents, don’t give up. Query often. Work on your writing to make it better with each story you publish, even if it’s “only” with the small presses. Don’t despair if you don’t have an agent just yet. As I’ve learnt in the past, no agent is better than a bad agent. Be patient. Work hard. And enjoy your writing.

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