Hit & Miss in the World of Self Publishing

My first attempt at self-publishing came during an alcohol and type-writer fueled haze. I was working a second shift job, getting home around midnight and having several hours in my tiny studio apartment alone.

That is to say, my first attempt at self-publishing had nothing to do with self-publishing. Once my novel of sorts, Making News, was complete (in my mind, at the time) I proceeded to receive rejection letters from nearly every major and minor publishing house in the US. And a few in Canada. And maybe one in the UK.

Then I learned about self-publishing. I was living in Monument Square in Portland, Maine at the time, and directly across the square was Longfellow Books, a kickass little store if there ever was one. I spend a lot of time flipping through the books, trying to figure out what made a book a book, how authors were able to hook into the publishing world.

I found a lot of shitty looking books by local authors (self-published books of poetry and woe-is-me fiction) and I thought to myself, "Self - you can do that. At least you can't be any worse than these folks."

And I wasn't. I wasn't any better - but I certainly wasn't any worse.

In retrospect, the book wasn't ready and I didn't care enough to promote it because I knew it wasn't ready, I just wanted to have something I could put on a book shelf and say, "I did that."

I have since learned quite a bit more about all sorts of publishing - online, magazine, on-demand, mini-press.

I see a lot of potential in this thing called self-publishing. With tools like Twitter, Facebook - fuck - the entire fucking Internet, there isn't a place an author can't get to. Working into the Book Expo or a large city book festival may take a little work, but the book wasn't written without any sweat, and it sure as hell isn't going to sell without any.

I'm waiting for IndieBound to create a self-published author section (the indie of the indie) but all in good time, I guess.

My most recent book project, Rubes, Rakes, Rogues & Roustabouts started out as some pictures I was going to hang on the wall. It became it's own beast, morphing into some humor and typography-driven thing. While I was writing it and putting it together, I kept a list of all the ways I would market the book.

That's how this was different - I didn't think of a publishing house touching this one. Besides the fact that it's too difficult to categorize, review, or get into a bookseller, I just wanted to do it myself.

I designed the whole things, scrapped half of it and redesigned it again. And I loved every minute of it. I used some crowd-sourcing for cover ideas and content.

The future of self-publishing is not the authors with a desire to do it themselves, the future is having the full plan before word one is written. Writing is such a solitary venture by necessity, but by getting the word out that you're working on something, people want to know more about it. Let them interact. Let them engage you while you're engaged in your writing.

What do you think about self publishing? Let Backward Books know here.

Happy Friday

It is that day at the end of the week that causes much fantastic frolicking across this great land of ours, and I have a sneaking suspicion I should have a post here consisting of various whatnot I like.

Maybe you'll like it too.


Acme Cocktail Company

My friend Marty is back from his summer hiatus and the Acme Cocktail Company is now in full swing. Check back often to see what he's got to say on everything from health care reform to mint juleps.

Still wondering what he thinks of who Legal Seafoods hired to shake out drinks at the Harborside location that may be built by 2020. Marty?


Island Creek Oysterfest

I will be attending this event tomorrow afternoon and will update you on the food and fun.


Taxidermy

Because sometimes a stuffed squirrel says it all.


Drunk Man Throws Jellyfish at Teenagers

Without a doubt the best news story I have found. You have no idea how pissed I am I didn't think this one up.


Boston Book Festival

It's the first. Hopefully the first annual. John Hodgman and Tom Perrotta are MCing this shindig. I'm glad I have a month and a half to figure out my guerrilla marketing tactics for Rubes, Rakes, Rogues & Roustabouts. There is a possibility that it will have a juggling monkey, so be sure not to miss it.

If you are interested and will be in Boston on October 24th, the event is free, so contact me and we can storm the gates in proper fashion.


Writing

You know - that thing I should do more of. Well...looks like I have no immediate plans for Sunday, so I will finally site down after too long and make time to make up stuff.


Final Word

As always, if you are looking for a project to collaborate on, or have an idea you feel is pretty kickass and want to pursue it further, shoot me a line.

Crowd Sourcing Book Covers

You want to help me design the cover of my new book?

Keep in mind, this is not a novel.

This is not a non-fiction book.

This is not a crossword.

This is a collection of fictional truths attached to pictures of folks that have more than enough stories to tell. Unfortunately, I don't know what those stories are, so I had to make up my own.

Gimme a hand here:

Beat the Reaper

Like books? Read this one.

Like amazing characters and plot? Read this book.

Like knowing there are worse hospitals than the one you got your head stapled shut in? Read this book.

Josh Bazell does it right with his novel Beat the Reaper. The simple fact that he wrote this while doing his residency makes me not ever want to sit on a paper covered table with him and simultaniously makes me want to follow him on rounds.

Tough economy getting you down and can't fork over the dough for a new book? There's this thing in your town called a library. Use it.

Whathaveyous Of The Week

Plans coming to fruition...everything congealing like a nice soft cheese.

And verily I say unto you: If I speak gangsta to my fish is that, in fact, animal abuse or just an obscene hobby?

Short list of great whathaveyous from the week:

Steal Our Ideas
Jay Walker (yes, his real name) on the world's English mania

Digging For Dirt just got added to my to-read list.

Things Magazine

F My Life - Sample:

Today, I was standing around looking out the window at work when it became really dark and windy and started to pour. I watched a shopping cart fly across the parking lot thinking how funny it'd be if it hit someone's car. It hit mine. I need a new headlight. FML

And finally, a classic. Makes me want to play pool by the pool.

A recount of the past few weeks is in order. After this there will be a much more cohesive plan toward this blog. I'm feeling a new direction, a new focus, shooting through my fingertips to your inverted retinas.

Let's begin:

On Saturday, April 25th I was married to the beautiful Carol at Gibbet Hill in Groton, MA

After no sleep for a day or two and several plane rides down to Central America we landed in Costa Rica and began a week of hammock naps and pinto. And pina coladas....and more pina coladas.

On our second morning in Manuel Antonio, during the iced coffee portion of our show, we saw monkeys taking over the jungle outside of our place. Chewing breakfast bananas and mangoes, one monkey became a bit too frisky and decided that coming in to get a closer look was a good idea. This picture of our friend was taken after I told him that coming onto our porch was a bad idea.

He approached carefully atop the roof, the sneaky ninja that he is, and swung down over the edge to say hello.

"Monkey, no." I said, bracing my bride back toward the safety of the door. I soon realized that the monkey did not speak English as well as I had hoped - not nearly as well as most of the bartenders in the area. This was a Costa Rican monkey, and thus I needed to speak to him in his native tongue.

"No, mono! No!" Seemed to do the trick. He went next door to see what was going down over there.

While we were away, the media terror that is swine flu attacked the sensibilities of all around. Coming back into the states from Central America I was sure we would have a hard time at immigration in Miami. The several people in San Jose wearing face masks confirmed this.

Having sourced out a pharmacy in San Jose which sold prescription allergy medication by the pill (for which I had no prescription) I made sure neither I, nor my beautiful bride would give so much as a sneeze or cough on our way back to the Northeast. Although I had a sneezing fit at Miami International, luckily we were already cleared.

We are now safe and sound in the comfort of South Boston and life is working on getting back into a rhythm. Thank you to everyone who lent a hand in the ceremony and showed up to help us celebrate.

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I've talked several times about all of the good things that 826National and the rest of the chapters do for kids and now they've let me become part of the help. While I am an approved volunteer for 826Boston, I find it difficult to make it into Roxbury at a time during the week when i would have the ability to work with the kids.

I sent some emails. Actually, I sent all of the emails I could to every 826 chapter, asking if they could use a hand with some design work ffor their Twitter pages. The way I'm seeing social media evolving, it may be the absolute perfect tool for non-profits. The only overhead they really have is time. So I lent a hand and designed backgrounds for 826LA and their store, the Echo Park Time Travel Mart.

I'm also currently working on a similar project for 826michigan. It's a robot thing - you wouldn't understand.

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Random cool shit:

What's a BBQ without bacon-wrapped-bacon? A crappy BBQ.

Fish Slaps A Baby: Missing Dodgeball

Student suggest building organic wall to contain the ENTIRE Sahara Desert. (That's really, really big for those who don't know.)

Smashing Magazine: 40 Stunning & Creative Graffiti Artworks

20 Of the World's Most Kickass Libraries

FOOD, Inc. (poached from Acme Cocktail Co.)

From the back shelf - the Arcata Eye :: Police Log

The Literary Internet, Typography, Lists and What Inspiration Smells Like

How do I begin? How can I just jump into something as messed up as the way my brain is running right now? A long day of learning about...everything. Everything I can. Today was one of those times where you sit back and realize just how massive the Internet is. Perhaps more introspection because I'm at the point in Malcom Gladwell's Outliers which describes the 10,000 hour rule and how Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are both prime examples of the right person being in the right place at the right time.

In short: if you want something and the opportunity to get that something arrives, all you have to do is be willing to put in 10,000 to master it. Easier said than done. But if you really want that something, you will take the time needed to understand each and every aspect of it.

Today was one of those days when I hit the pause button on my 10,000 hour countdown. I have several book ideas swimming through my noggin currently -- one that (so far as my imagination is concerned) is complete and perfect so far as it can be. Instead of expanding on that particular project, or any other, I went surfing today. Below is just a sampling of what I found that I have the sudden need to share with you.

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Three TED talks I found particularly engaging. If you have not experienced what this site is, let me break your cherry here.


The Future of Sound


Why Typography Fucking Rocks


A Story In Few Words


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Lists of a Random and Not-So Nature:

13 Most Baffling Book Titles

6 Writers Who Accidentally Crapped Out Masterpieces

List of Banned Books and History Thereof

Top Ten Songs -- Vagabond Charlie Edition

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Haven't read Junot Diaz yet? What the hell are you waiting for?

New to social media and want to learn not just what it is, but how in the hell it can help your business? This is the book for you.

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Finally I would like to talk about inspiration. Perhaps today didn't turn out to be such a write off when I look back at it. I exposed myself to several thousands of thoughts and ideas, some new and some revisted. I may very well have added several hours to my 'research master' total.

A question that popped into my head recently is, "What does inspiration smell like?" Very much an abstract thought, but on the fly I created a quick list of what does it for me today. Egg rolls, new shoes, the creased spine of an old book, bacon, paint, lawnmower exhaust, beach breeze, and 3 o'clock in the morning.

What does inspirations smell like to you? @nickseagers nick@nickseagers.com