Authors & Publishers Must Die!

By James Roy Daley

From the mouth of an author, and a publisher: Authors and Publishers Must Die! is filled to the rim with straightforward MUST READ advice for the author in your life... with no punches pulled!

Includes:

What does a publisher want?
Star Wars and The Hero’s Journey
You Might Suck
The Publisher/Author Relationship
Submission Secrets
Simple Truths About Editing
6 Ways Darth Vader Makes a Better Villain
A Bestselling Book in North America
Support This Press!
Why For-The-Luv Publishing Needs to Stop
Writing Advice
The Principles of Basic Storytelling
5 Simple Tricks for Authors
Let’s Talk Marketing
5 Reasons Your Book Might Not Be Selling

• Language: English
• Publisher: Books of the Dead Press
• Release date: Oct 7, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301757404

James Roy Daley

James Roy Daley is a writer, editor, and a professional musician. He studied film at the Toronto Film School, music at Humber College, and English at the University of Toronto. In 2007 his first novel, The Dead Parade, was released in 1,110 bookstores across America. In 2009 he founded a book company called Books of the Dead Press, where he enjoyed immediate success working with many of the biggest names in horror. His first two anthologies, Best New Zombie Tales Volume One, and Best New Zombie Tales Volume Two, far exceeded sales predictions, leading many of the top horror writers in the world to view his little company as one worth watching. 13 Drops of Blood is his first collection.

Book preview

AUTHORS & PUBLISHERS MUST DIE!

By:

James Roy Daley

- BOOKS of the DEAD -

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Authors & Publishers

Must Die!

Copyright 2013 by James Roy Daley

For more information visit:

BOOKS of the DEAD

The Publisher / Author Relationship

When a publisher publishes an author’s short story, novella, or novel they are entering into a relationship. I suspect that all publishers that have been around the block understand this. I also have reason to believe that many writers do not.

As a writer, I know about that me against the world feeling that finds its home inside your heart during those first few years––nobody is on your side, nobody is saying your name, nobody seems to care. You are all alone and prepared to work with anyone, become partners with anyone. In many ways you are like that pimple-faced kid leaning against the wall at the high school dance, thinking, I wish someone would dance with me… I don’t care who it is… I just want to dance. When you send your work to a publisher––know it or not––you are asking, Would you like to dance? Would you like to go steady? Won’t you be mine? And between the time the question is asked and the answer comes you can’t help but wonder––after all, nobody likes to be kept waiting.

There are so many publishers that come and go. One day they’re putting out their first book, quite possibly talking about their unrealistic publishing schedule––we’re going to put out 25 books in our first year, and 50 in our second… oh boy! Or perhaps they’re bragging about things beyond their control––I’m going to make sure that all my books are bestsellers, and anyone that submits to my press will find out if they are accepted or rejected within 30 days, you betcha!

Doesn’t this press sound absolutely perfect for you? This is a match made in heaven, for sure!

But life isn’t like this.

Pretend YOU are the publisher. That first publication is almost easy. You have no fan base, no track record, and in some ways, nothing to lose. The amount of people that care about what you’re doing is at an all-time low, the amount of people contacting you can be counted on your thumbs, and the number of projects you need to maintain, promote, and answer for, is zero.

Things change.

You’ve signed a few authors, sent out a wave of contracts, put out your first anthology. No sweat. After all, if the first book doesn’t sell it’s not the end of the world; you only paid the writers 1¢ per word. You can bounce back from this. Of course you can! You’ve got a job, some money in the bank. You’ll survive.

Good news: you don’t fail.

Things are going well. Your first book––The Giant Two-Headed Lobster––looks good. You’ve made a few sales and gained a few fans. You’ve got an anthology to promote and you’re doing a great job promoting it. Hey everybody, do you want to buy my book? It’s my first one; help a brother out! Time moves on. People are contacting you. One book becomes five. Promoting becomes tougher, but things are still good; you landed two reviews in one day and both are saying that you’re the best thing since sliced bread. Congrats! However, you’re now juggling a handful of things: emails, formatting ebooks, creating paperbacks, watching your sales reports––what’s working, what not––got a blog? Good for you, better keep that shit up! Got a website? Why not? Don’t you want to be taken seriously? Get on it! Before you know it you’re getting 10 emails a day.

Sales for Werewolf Slumber Party are up, sales for The Vampire & The Hobbit are steady, and sales for The Creature from the Blue Baboon are nonexistent. That 1¢ per word is starting to feel different. Why? Because 80,000 words @ 1¢ per word is $800.00. Plus you’re working with different editors, more cover artists, new graphic designers. All of them want money. Each book is costing over $1,500.00 now, assuming you DON’T include the time you’re working on them. Five anthologies at $1,500.00 equals $7,500.00––and you know that number’s low because you paid some of the writers more than 1¢ per word, and sending out contributor copies––you’ve realized––costs a shit-load: 20 authors, $8 per book plus shipping? Damn… should have seen that one coming. Lets be honest––are the books costing $2,000.00 each? Try not to think about it.

Two more books out the door. One book is making money; one book is losing money. Something needs to be done, but what? Now the big names are calling. Fantastic! You just signed who? You’re putting out what? You offered an advance of how much? Do an interview here, help a publisher there––hey mister, won’t you read my manuscript? You know what would make a great anthology? Can I get a blurb? More emails, more books out the door. You should feel great except