This past Monday I took one giant leap closer to releasing Murphy’s Troubles on Amazon.  I had a telephone conference with my design team at Create Space.  I panicked when my manuscript file was converted to a book format came in at 501 pages.  I attempted to change the formatting and physical dimensions of the book (called trim size) to reduce the page count.  It became clear that I had stumbled into the realm of graphic design experts and I was lost.

For a $349 I purchased the Create Space interior design package.  They sent me a document with recommendations for:  trim size, body copy font, accent font and fleuron (that squiggly thing separating major paragraph breaks within a chapter).  Before purchasing the package I was asked three times if I would like to try to do the interior design myself.  I appreciated not having a hard sell but I knew I needed help.

My graphic designer, Anna, led me through a series of questions to make the decisions that will shape the physical book.  I didn’t hesitate to ask for recommendations.  First choice – trim size.  Originally I chose 8.5 x 5.5.  Anna recommended 8 x 5 because it was more common for my genre.  She was able to tell me that size would result in a 330 page book, perfect.  I reviewed the various font options with my cover designer because I trust his judgment in the visual appearance of the book.  We chose Mercury for the body copy font (interior paragraph font); Charlemagne for the accent font (chapter headings) and a simple fleuron.  Next I was asked if I wanted the right page chapters.  That means each new chapter would always begin on a right hand page.  At first I thought that was a good idea.  However, Anna pointed out that could add 30 pages to the total page count.  I didn’t want to do that and she explained that most fiction books don’t have right page chapters.

Finally, we reviewed the image size of my book cover.  When I uploaded the cover file several months ago we guessed at the trim size.  We downsized the book so now the image needs to be adjusted.  I notified my cover designer and will have a properly sized image in about a week.

With all these decisions behind me the book seems much more real because it’s taking on physical shape in the real world.  I’ll be sent an electronic proof on 10/28 but I asked to be sent a physical proof which should arrive in early November.        

I have been down the path of working with a traditional publisher and it didn’t work out.  After two and a half years of many versions of my manuscript, my former publisher didn’t meet two publication dates they set in 2012.  Each time a date was missed there was no explanation.  I tried to negotiate a publication date in 2013 but the publisher refused to negotiate.  I threw up my hands in disgust and terminated that contract.

When I started my journey to publication in early 2010 I was hell bent on traditional publishing.  I felt there was a dark cloud over self-publishing.  I was convinced that I wouldn’t be a legitimate author if I self-published.  Check the definition of author, then you’ll understand.

For years self-publication meant vanity press but now there are legitimate alternatives.  I was approached by a subsidy publisher but after careful analysis I concluded only the publisher benefited from that relationship.

For self-publishing I selected Amazon’s Create Space because the Linkedin groups I belong to rated their experience as very good to exceptional and because my friend and author, Marshall Cook, selected Create Space after his publisher of many years went out of business.

Create Space is completely transparent in the services they provide at no cost and those that have a fee.  I have called them for help and written e-mails.  They are patient with me and always offer a solution.  When my browser didn’t work to upload my manuscript file, they did it at no cost in the format they needed for publication.  They offered this solution to my problem, I didn’t ask.

My goal is to publish MURPHY’S TROUBLES in November; I’ve been assigned a Create Space publishing assistant to guide me through the publishing maze.  I consider myself fortunate to have the services of Create Space to help a novice publish my debut novel.  A few years ago, I wouldn’t have had this opportunity. 

Traditional literary agents and the publishing industry is risk averse because they are in the business of making money, not encouraging literature.  Create Space has developed a publishing model where there risk is minimal and the cost to the writer is only what they can reasonably pay yet have a high quality book produced.  So what if Amazon is the 600 pound gorilla in the room?  I like gorillas.   

In February I terminated my contract with Mischievous Muse Press to begin the journey to self-publication.  Since then the book cover has been completely redesigned and the back of the book blurb tossed and re-written.

The first edit the manuscript had was a substantive edit by my friend and mentor Marshall Cook.  As a result I added two chapters and re-wrote the last chapter, dramatically changing the ending of the book.  Marshall convinced me that making the last paragraph of the book a cliff hanger just wasn’t fair to the reader.  Of course, he’s right.

Next, my website:   www.rexowens.us had a complete make-over.  I actually hired a pro to provide me with an analysis and make specific recommendations for change.  I accepted all the recommendations and in a single month saw a 25% jump in hits.

It took quite a while for me to find a compatible copyeditor/proofreader.  In August I found Christine Keleny of www.ckbookspublishing.com, who lives in a small town right here in Dane County, Wisconsin. Christine provided both insightful copyediting and line proofreading.  It has taken me about a month to review Christine’s recommendations and incorporate about 98% of them (Christine would prefer I write out all numerals).  In September I also took a one day brush- up course on grammar and punctuation because my experience with Christine was proof it would be beneficial for me.

I am now on the brink of publication.  First, I will be doing technical editing on formatting and consistency in the manuscript.  Then will come the day that I upload the manuscript to Create Space.  Recently, Create Space is offering more options on what is called interior design.  I want to take my time to get the “look” that I want for the book.  Create Space will also send me a hard copy galley to review and make final changes.  Then, the hour will arrive in October when MURPHY’S TROUBLES is published.

I want to choose a date for publication that coincides with a significant event in the history of the Provisional Irish Republican Army.  Right now I’m leaning toward 27 October (1980) the day the first Hunger Strike began.    

  

When I decided to terminate my contract with the California micro publisher I was naive about the self-publishing world I would enter.  Where does a self-publisher find resources needed to publish a novel if you want to avoid the vanity houses that have been around for years.

There are private companies now that specialize in helping self-publishers find resources for editing, printing, marketing, and distribution.  I signed a contract with one.  I turned down two proposals to content edit my manuscript.  One proposal was for $5000 and the other for $2700.  A Madison friend offered to content edit in exchange for a contribution to his favorite charity.

A Sun Prairie friend offered to design a book cover.  He didn’t want to be paid but I researched the going rates for design work and gave him a check plus paid the picture he got from the internet.

My book was ready for copyediting and proofreading.  I contacted the firm and they put me in touch with an editor in South Dakota.  That editor wanted over $3000 for the job.  I was discouraged because I don’t have that kind of money to spend on my book.

My wife recalled that we attended a seminar at a local independent bookstore in April and one of the presenters was a copyeditor.  I searched through my notes and found her contact information.  She responded to my request for a proposal the same day I sent the e-mail.  The quote was very reasonable; she could start immediately and be finished in a week. Tilt! Tilt!  The copyeditor lives in Dane County, Wisconsin.

I have been fortunate to find the resources I need to self-publish Murphy’s Troubles and all within My Own Back Yard.    

I’m at the stage of self-publication to need copyediting/proofreading services.  I asked one of my writing teachers for a recommendation for a local person and received one.  I dashed off an e-mail to learn if the person was currently available to take on another client.  The response I received corrected me; she was a line editor, not a copy editor or proofreader.  I thought the response was a bit high minded but the description of the services made sense. Her fee was $45/hr which was within the range I had researched on line for this type of service.  She asked for the first chapter of my novel and I sent a file on July 6th.

The first chapter is six pages, about 1830 words.  How long can it take to read those few pages and make a proposal?  It took three follow-up e-mails to receive a response on July 21st.  She estimated she would charge $200 for the first six pages.  At that rate line editing my novel would cost over $9000!  After reading just six pages she concluded:  I’m at the beginning stages of the novel and stated:  “My strong suggestion is to take a class in constructing the short story –this will strengthen your understanding of how to avoid cultural stereotypes and produce a complex protagonist who is a real individual; how to stick to a strictly internal POV; how to introduce back-story convincingly; and above all, how to expose conflict gradually, instead of all at once.”

Guess what?  The editor teaches short story writing.  Also, the editor has only published short stories, never a full length novel.  The critique is harsh and not transparent in being self-serving to attempt to get me to take one or more of her short story classes.

I understand that short story writing is a difficult and unique form in the writing profession.  I’m not writing a short story, it’s a novel.  A short story is a song while a novel is a symphony.  Her comments also convinced me she hasn’t kept up with current teaching on novel writing such as Donald Maass’s, WRITING THE BREAKHOUT NOVEL, where he implores authors to have conflict dripping on every page.

While her response was both subtle and tactful it still had the affect of slicing and dicing my novel to shreds.  Where is her support for a first time novelist?  She broke the cardinal rule of critique, praise the good and make suggestions for improvement.

I admit at first reading her comments were devastating and sent me into deep depression.  With this blog I’m exorcising her from my psyche and moving on.  I’ll find an editor I can work with.  

 I below to a lot (read +15) author/publishing chat groups on linkedin.  In the spring I posed a question on independent authors experience with create space, lulu or other sites.  I was pleased to receive responses for three weeks and a number of very detailed responses.  Due to my less than scientific survey and my own review I’ve decided to use the create space services available through Amazon.

I am now in the market for copywriting services. With my previous success I decided to query 10 of my linkedin chat groups with the question – what are you paying either per work or per page for copy editing services?  This time the responses varied.  I received four offers, with a fee quote for each.  The best response provided a website, www.the-efa.org for the Editorial Freelances Association.  I wasn’t aware such an organization existed.  All writers who need factual information on the type and professional fees charged for a variety of editorial services should visit this site.

I plan on using this site to determine if the fees proposed are current, fair and represent professional work.  For me, having an editor belong to this organization will be critical.  Once again, experience has proven that there are a myriad of ways for independent authors to network, share information, and be supportive in our “Brave New World of Publishing” (sorry Aldous).  

Several years ago at a Writer’s Institute Conference I was convinced of the wisdom of having one or more beta readers for my novel.  The first person that had the job I didn’t know.  It was a relative of a friend I met at the conference who swore by his sister-in-laws skills at reading and commenting on fiction.

Several weeks after submitting my manuscript to her she sent me a three page, scathing e-mail that ripped my manuscript and me apart.  It was very personal and disturbing.  She closed her written critique by stating she hated historical fiction and felt she had wasted her time in reading my manuscript.  My friend was embarrassed and I felt I wasted my time in letting a stranger serve as a beta reader.  Lesson learned – ask someone you know and trust to be your beta reader.

I asked my friend Rob for his help.  He was thorough and insightful and helped me with theme and timeline but he insisted on telling me what the title of the book should be.  In fact, he obsessed about the title and would even call me for weeks with his latest rendition of what the title should be.  That should have been a warning to me but I didn’t heed it.

After getting a galley back from the publisher I parted ways with in February I asked Rob to serve as my beta reader again.  Again, he took about three weeks to give it a good read and took copious notes and made many notes in the manuscript.   I also gave him a copy of my latest version of the back of the book blurb.  When he called me to arrange a time to meet to review his comments he proudly announced that he had re-written my back of the book blub.  What?  

Making comments, suggestions, having a discussion is fine.  But re-writing just isn’t acceptable, it crosses the line.  My friend is a song writer and we discuss his songs, I make comments and suggestions but I’ NEVER re-written the music or lyrics to one of his songs.

He also claimed I had a number of misspellings.  One he constantly corrected was Midleton (one d) a city in Ireland east of Cork and the location of the distillery making Ireland’s finest single malt whiskey.  He corrected everyone to Middleton (two d’s).  He didn’t take the time to ask me about the spelling or research it himself, he was arrogant enough to correct me.

So, as you might imagine, I’m searching for a new beta reader.  Anyone interested in being a beta reader to help a writer? 

I’ve always been a person who begins all relationships with trust.  For me, it is the civil approach, to just expect that you can trust people.  I have had friends (people I’ve trusted) tell me that I am naive and leave myself vulnerable to be both disappointed and hurt.  Their advice is that trust must be earned over time.  The problem is, I’ve never figured out what the criteria is for earning trust.

In the real world there have been a few times when my friends are right.  I had a contract with a micro publisher for my debut novel since April 2011 which I terminated in February 2013 – only 22 months.  My initial reason for terminating the contract was their refusal to schedule a publication date for the novel in 2013 after making promises to publish in April and then November 2012 and failed to do so.

For most reasonable people, I believe, that would be sufficient cause to terminate a contract.  However, after reflecting on my experience with the publisher, I’ve decided the real reason was that we never developed trust.  Without trust any relationship is doomed to failure.

I also have a beta reader that I trusted, until recently.  I gave the reader the latest draft of my novel along with a draft of the back of book blurb.  Rather than commenting on the blurb, discussing it with me or making suggestions – he re-wrote the entire blurb.  I was offended.  I considered his attempt to re-write the blub arrogant even though he thought he was being helpful.  No writer needs that sort of help – so in this case – trust was shattered and can’t be repaired.

The lesson is simple.  To help you create your book or whatever creative writing you undertake is careful to work only with people you would trust with your life.  You’re writing is the purest expression of yourself so share the creative process with only those you trust.  

I have not posted a blog since early November 2012 because I was waiting to hear from my publisher when Murphy’s Troubles would be launched.  In late November I received an e-mail telling me while originally planned for publication in 2012 it would not be published until early 2013.

The 2rd week of January I wrote my publisher at e-mail asking when my novel would be scheduled for publication since I submitted edits to the galley August 1, 2012.  I received a terse e-mail response that the publisher hadn’t received the galley back from the editor (I was not allowed to have contact with the editor – the publisher claimed it was their policy to retain the independence of the editor).  The publisher refused to offer a publication date stating:  “. . . when a book is ready to be published it tells us.”  The publisher also informed me that more money has been spent on my novel than any other title in their catalog and I needed to be patient.

My journey with the micro publisher in California began in December 2010 and now it was time to end it.  On January 28th I sent the publisher a registered letter terminating the contract.  It is now time to follow a new path.

I would never consider using a vanity press but do want to explore self-publishing with either Create Space or Ingram.  Recently I learned that I can use Create Space for publication, distribution and marketing and still submit the book to Ingram for distribution because I retain the rights of the work.

So, I am embarking on the self-publication journey.  When you take on a task such as this you find out who your friends are right away.  One friend, a retired Journalism professor has agreed to be my editor.  Another friend has agreed to design a new book cover.

When asked how I felt about terminating a contract with a traditional publisher and venturing on the self-publication path my immediate response was – relief.  I am now totally responsible for all aspects of bringing my historical novel to the world, I am up to the task and energized.  My target – a September release of Murphy’s Troubles.

Join me on the journey.  Give me your comments, suggestions, thoughts, what to avoid and what not to avoid.