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FREQUENTLY-ASKED QUESTIONS
I have this great idea for a book. How about you write it and we split the profits?
Not a chance. I had three great ideas for books yesterday. You write this one, get it published, and maybe we’ll talk about writing one together.
But it’s hard! Some days I just don’t feel like writing.
Some days, neither do I. I do it anyway.
How many books have you written?
Let’s see. Two fantasy novels, two d20 roleplaying game adventures, three dystopic thrillers, and I’m finishing the first draft of a mystery chick lit. Now ask me how many of those are published.
OK. How many?
The two RPG adventures. My fourth actual novel stands a chance of being published. The first three: none whatsoever.
That must take forever. I just want to write a book and get it published and live off the riches.
Good luck with that. The vast majority of first and second books are unpublishable. The vast majority of writers don’t ever get rich. It took me ten years to reach the point of having a chance of being published.
I wrote a book. I deserve to be published.
No, you don’t. Anyone with basic literacy skills can excrete words onto paper. That doesn’t make you publishable any more than slamming your fingers onto piano keys makes you Chopin. Write well, submit properly, and keep working at it. Maybe you’ll get published.
I found this publisher who wants to publish my book. They don’t even charge anything. Isn’t that great?
Let me guess. PublishAmerica? Run, don’t walk, over to the Absolute Write boards and read every post on PublishAmerica. If you still decide to go with them, fine by me. At least you won’t be competing with me--or anyone else, for that matter--in the marketplace.
And when you can’t get bookstores to carry your book, can’t get royalties you know you’re owed, can’t convince anyone who knows anything about publishing that you’re actually published (because you won’t be), then go back and re-read those threads. Then slap yourself a couple of times.
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