Publish or Perish
For much of my life, this was the motto. You have to publish or you’ll perish in achedemia. Day by day, research grant by research grant, theories and bullshit were pulled together into papers. Most papers were published because:
- Frank knew Sam
- Sam knew Joe
- Joe sits on John’s research grant committee.
- John’s brother’s wife’s sister’s husband runs a scientific magazine.
Of course they have ‘peer review’ but that’s mostly Sam, Joe, John, and Frank. Yep, that’s how it works.
Have friends? You’ll get published.
When this thing happened to me, and I had to had to had to write a novel, I had friends. Just not friends in publishing. That’s not exactly true since Lynda Sandoval and I are friends. Still, you know what I mean.
First, I was arrogant. Write a great book, it will get published. (I’m sure you’re laughing WITH me here….)
Because I wrote for the Open Grove for ten years, I knew that a great novel needed a peer review. The first draft of the novel went out to twenty-five friends. Their responses were amazing, helpful, and fabulous. One woman bought me a copy of her seventh grade English book so that I would have it. People were so generous with their time.
A second draft came. Another round of peer reivew with fabulous helpful suggestions. Amazing.
After revisions, the second draft made the rounds of agents, publishers, and anyone I could show it to. The rejections were immediate, painful, sometimes personal and worse, impersonal dismissive. Wow.
Until Scott Eagen emailed me to say, “Love the characters, but you need to rework it”.
Fuck.
The third draft happened and made the rounds. ?In the process, people said things like: “The best book I’ve read all year” or “If I was on the bus, I’d have missed my stop”.?
I was thrilled! I finally have a book ready, really ready to present to the publishing world.
And the publishing world fell apart.
Three years of work, fifty people’s time and effort, and… the publishing titan are falling down. I couldn’t imagine putting my three years of work onto the Titanic and hope that it makes the voyage. I’m not stupid.
Out of frustration:
- ?I started the Denver Cereal. And loved it. ?
- I read a few interesting articles.
- I watched?Cory Doctorow?create a career for his fiction online. ?(If you haven’t read the article?Giving it away, it’s worth a read.) His latest book was on the New York Times bestseller list for months.?
What should I do??
Then Black Wednesday happened. December 3, 2008, the publishing industry downsized.
Crap.
After a long, heart wreching conversation, I made my decision. ?I’m releasing the novel, called The Fey, into the wild.
To that end, the group of us started Cook Street Publishing. We plan to specialize in novels released on the web. Our motto is “fiction that’s written to be read.”
The Fey will make it’s debut appearance on this blog on Friday. Like Denver Cereal, I will release one chapter at a time on this blog and StoriesbyClaudia.com. The book will be available every day at AlextheFey.com. And the book is available for purchase.?
Unlike Denver Cereal, which is a serial fiction, this is a novel. It has a beginning, a middle and an end. The Fey is a thriller and the first of a series. The second book, Learning to Stand, is another waiting in the wings to be released, probably next year. The third book, Who I am, will be released in 2011.
At least that’s the plan so far.?
We’re starting something that’s sort of new and sort of old school. Remember James Joyce published the Dubliners himself. Walt Whitman sold his books door to door. Even Mark Twain owned a publishing company.
In the end, I can either leave the manuscripts rotting on my hard drive or share them.?
I guess I’m fool enough to share.
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I wish I knew someone that knew someone, and so on! However, I am happy that you didn’t let things stand in your way of publishing!!
I’m glad you decided to share. It was the right choice. No matter how good a book is, it makes no difference if nobody reads it.
(A variation of “if a tree falls in the forest…”)
Congratulations, Claudia!!
Well since I’m really looking forward to reading it I guess I’m the winner here.
I’ve met Cory Doctorow – you’re nicer.
Ol’ Whitman was a genius. Used his newspaper job to write his own reviews of Leaves of Grass. Of course he wrote the reviews under a pen name and wrote a new one every time he updated the mss.
http://laurabenedict.blogspot.com/2008/12/in-handbasket-mark-tavani-senior-editor.html
The above is a short blurb from Mark Tavani, a senior editor at Random House, on the changing tides of the paper and ink industry.
New century, new times and new methods of getting read. It is a bold new future for writing.
For some crazy reason I likes writin’ ‘em more than I does marketin’ them.
I am SO EXCITED that The Fey will be available for everyone to read, even if it isn’t in the format you wished it would be. I cannot wait until you post the second and third books in the trilogy because you know I have been on the edge of my seat waiting for more!
Congrats!
Congratulations on The Fey and on your publishing business! I completely agree with you that when a person has to write, that’s what that person should be doing. I had much the same experience as you did in my own decision to write.
You made some interesting comments about the world of academia, too. I’ve been in it for 20 years, and you’re absolutely right; there is a great deal of pressure to get one’s publications “out there.” Many times, too, I’ve found that work is accepted or rejected for reasons that have nothing to do with the work’s perceived merit. It’s got lots more to do with who knows whom, who owes whom a favor, etc. In fact, that ’s one of the themes in my own novel, Publish or Perish (http://www.strategicbookpublishing.com/PublishOrPerish.html). I truly wish you well with your new venture!!
Claudia – Oh me too for you! I remain grateful that we know each other!
Heart in SF – I love that idea. I think I’ll post that on my computer. And you’re absolutely right. What’s important to me is to be read – make a little money – but read first.
Moobs – Ah shucks, you know how to make a girl blush.
TWMark – I think most authors are in that boat. Unfortunately, after interviewing hundreds of authors, everyone has to market your work now. There’s no getting out of it. Thanks for the link! I agree new times require new moves.
Perpstu – Thanks! I’m hysterically nervous and excited.
Margo – Good for you for transforming all of that into a novel! Congratulations to you!
I am excited we will get to read it. I wish, though, that you were able to publish it as you dreamed.
xoxo
So far I’ve read one novel called “The Big Bang Theory” on the internet. After shopping his manuscript around (and the arrival of a t.v. sitcom by the very same name) George Dila decided to post it.
I like this idea; however, I think flash fiction is “where it’s at” for internet reading.
Oh Claudia, I so wish the publishing world was a different place right now for your sake, but I am excited to get to read your novel. I very much look forward to it.
Also, I shall be taking you up on the gardening help very soon. I will send you an email of what heirloom seeds I purchased and I am hoping you can tell me which of them I need to start inside to transplant as seedlings (as much to my surprise once I got the seeds and started reading it appears I cannot sow them all directly into the garden). I sure appreciate it.
It’s good to have a plan. Good luck and I hope to be seeing more and more books with your name on the front.
The nature of the small press is that writers who want a forum create one. Small is beautiful. I have an imaginary small press with a name and all but I don’t have the business sense or knowledge of printing to do anything with it. At least we have our own area literary magazine now.
I’m so proud of you for taking charge of your destiny. Most writers would have thrown up their hands. But your love for this story and your craft will be clear to all who are blessed to read you.
(hugs)
What a difficult decision it must’ve been after your focus was clearly on publication through the “older “channels. But, now that you’ve made the decision, may your novel journey grow in leaps and bounds and in ways that surprise you with joy!