@Bumple101 Thanks. I kinda switched projects after this (going to start submitting my next novel in a couple weeks), but I haven't forgotten about this one--will probably use it to enter the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Competition next year.
This book isn't published, so it's not available to the public. I'm not allowed to release more than an excerpt of anything that I hope to get published.
That's a great strategy to want to read good literature before trying your own. I wish more people thought like you!
If you want to look at my work, please search online for "swankivy writing page," and you can use the e-mail address on that page to contact me if you want to be a test reader. :)
"Online publishing"? I don't know what that would be unless you're talking about self-publishing. There isn't any system by which I can get published that doesn't involve contacting agents, publishers, or both and asking them to evaluate it before taking it on. I don't have any desire to self-publish or pay for it. I'm aiming for a traditional, legitimate contract, and that's not something I can just sign up for online. . . .
Hmm, I think you're right. Publishing online would have to be self-published, now that I think about it. The plus side to that is an author can keep his/her work fully intact, without any edits that s/he wouldn't approve of. The down side, the author would have to bear the entire burden of promoting the work .
Yes, well, there are MANY down sides, the most obvious of which I would think would be a lack of legitimacy. Self-published books aren't automatically carried by bookstores, and I would need the distribution system and the promotion abilities of a legit publisher to get the exposure I want. I'm not one of those people who wants to pay money to publish and then launch my own marketing campaign only to end up with the "stigma" of "self-published author."
There's a time and a place for self-publishing, in my opinion--such as very personal writings that are to be distributed to family and friends, or if the writing is on a very specialized topic that isn't likely to have popular appeal--but an actual genre novel shouldn't be self-published. If it is, you are likely to be thought of as someone who self-published because they weren't good enough to do it the traditional way, and that stigma is actually mostly deserved. . . .
I see. So even if an author was someone with deep pockets, and could put together their own marketing and distribution system with little effort, one still can't buy any credibility from the public.
That's exactly it. And being well-off and willing to use it for the purpose does not necessarily mean you have any marketing knowhow. It'd probably be easier to get the word out if you were selling nonfiction (especially if it was for a very particular and/or up-to-the-minute current subject), but ultimately a self-published author is not endorsed by any of the people who are trusted in the industry, so it is a gamble . . . one the reader is VERY likely to lose.
Thanks. :) I don't think I really want my illustrations used, actually; I like to draw and I'm better than the average bear at it, but I know I'm no pro, so I'd kinda feel out of my league using illustrations in a published work. Mostly I just share my drawings with a fully amateur attitude and execution. :)
Basically, publishers don't often have time to go through "the slush pile"; their job is to promote and sell books by authors they either know are successful or think will be the next big thing. That's where agents come in; they can often be as picky as or pickier than publishers when it comes to deciding what to read, because all legit agents do not charge reading fees and basically do not get paid until or unless they sell your book!
An agent is acquired through a querying process. Often it's just the letter--you ask if they'd be interested by introducing yourself and your project. If they like the idea they might request a partial manuscript (first 40 pages, first chapter, etc.). Some ask for the partial (and/or outline/synopsis) along with the first contact but most don't. If they like the partial, they might ask for the full manuscript & talk marketing. Once that happens, it's contract time.
But if an agent accepts your book and signs you as his/her client, it's no guarantee of publishing and it's not money-making time for either of you. The agent still has to shop your book around to the publishers and make a sale. Sometimes it never happens. That's why they're so picky; they have to be, because they are working for free until they sell, so they're not going to pick anything they don't think WILL sell or anything they don't have a good specific idea of a publisher for. It's tough.
Hmm, not exactly, but the agent takes a percentage and then the publisher makes most of the money. The writer's biggest benefit is in the advance they are paid. Larger advances tend to come with agented writers as well. There are some writers who have managed to land a publishing deal without an agent and have been offered no advance at all. More money is likely if your book is popular and goes into reprints.
It's sort of young adult, but since the main character is in college, and it is a longish book for YA (120,000 words), it might be a gray area. I think the style and tone lean YA, but it is also fantastical as well as romance as well as modern, so we're definitely dealing with a genre-bender here.
Yep, drawings are mine. I dabble in art but I'm no pro. The writing is something I'm proud of, but as for visual art, I know I'm an amateur.
Not only was he a masterful writer. But damn good at marketing. Had his booked talked about for 10 years before releasing the finish.(Moment of silence please)
Cool trailer! The drawing of Cassie in the yellow singlet is my favourite; I like how you can draw emotions so well on your character's faces, it can be hard to do I think, so well done :)
Hope that an agent sees this video and contacts you.
I don't think agents go around watching YouTube hoping to be able to propose to writers--it's the other way 'round for the most part, they're very in demand and you've got to sell yourself to them--but you never know who might see this and ask for more info about it. I'm just hoping in the meantime it rustles up some interest in my writing. :)
I beg to differ Ivy, if you can show that you have a large enough demand the product will be created to fill that demand. With a large enough base of demand that cost of production will already be covered. Starting with the cost of production being covered a profit can be shown and with that it's only good business sense to make the investment.
Don't argue with me(stomps feet and folds arms) I want it now!!!!!
And yet Stephen King left the Dark Tower series on a cliffhanger for ten years, and all the howling and screaming did not result in a new book for a whole decade. . . .
Or is it a pentagon?? Cassie, Dia, Jamie, Terrell, and Mulligan . . . hmm, if someone might not exist or is actually two people, how do they figure in the head count?
I want to read it now! Don't make me wait!! I will scream!!!
Hey I got it, every one copy this link. Send it to all your friends. Then when the view counter breaks, the publishers will beg her to release the novel. Then yeah for me I get to read it.
Heh . . . unfortunately a popular video on the Internet (even if this got to that status) does not mean a publisher will knock on my door. :)
I'm glad it sounds so interesting to you though! I thought it came off a bit confusing and cheesy, but by the time I finished making it I'd been awake for about 24 hours. Loopy.
Hopefully one of the agents I queried will be interested in representing the book. :)
This sounds like a really unique idea. I wish you success.
Bumple101 4 months ago
@Bumple101 Thanks. I kinda switched projects after this (going to start submitting my next novel in a couple weeks), but I haven't forgotten about this one--will probably use it to enter the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Competition next year.
swankivy 4 months ago
Very intriguing. Certainly piqued my interest.
jerolddavis 11 months ago
@jerolddavis Thanks. I have this book in a contest right now and if it gets through the next cut I'm going to make a better video. ;)
swankivy 11 months ago
Hi!
Where can I buy/borrow/read your novels?
I am a would-be sci-fi novelist. I think I should read many good novels, before I could write anything even remotely interesting.
English is not my native language. I am sorry for all the grammar mistakes. :)
Thank you.
henrihe 2 years ago
I appreciate your interest.
This book isn't published, so it's not available to the public. I'm not allowed to release more than an excerpt of anything that I hope to get published.
That's a great strategy to want to read good literature before trying your own. I wish more people thought like you!
If you want to look at my work, please search online for "swankivy writing page," and you can use the e-mail address on that page to contact me if you want to be a test reader. :)
swankivy 2 years ago
Yes, I will. Thanks! :)
henrihe 2 years ago
Has there been any progress so far with getting your novel published?
Akira625 2 years ago
So far just literary agents' rejections.
swankivy 2 years ago
I understand that publishing can be done online these days, have you ever tried that?
Akira625 2 years ago
"Online publishing"? I don't know what that would be unless you're talking about self-publishing. There isn't any system by which I can get published that doesn't involve contacting agents, publishers, or both and asking them to evaluate it before taking it on. I don't have any desire to self-publish or pay for it. I'm aiming for a traditional, legitimate contract, and that's not something I can just sign up for online. . . .
swankivy 2 years ago
Hmm, I think you're right. Publishing online would have to be self-published, now that I think about it. The plus side to that is an author can keep his/her work fully intact, without any edits that s/he wouldn't approve of. The down side, the author would have to bear the entire burden of promoting the work .
Akira625 2 years ago
Yes, well, there are MANY down sides, the most obvious of which I would think would be a lack of legitimacy. Self-published books aren't automatically carried by bookstores, and I would need the distribution system and the promotion abilities of a legit publisher to get the exposure I want. I'm not one of those people who wants to pay money to publish and then launch my own marketing campaign only to end up with the "stigma" of "self-published author."
swankivy 2 years ago
There's a time and a place for self-publishing, in my opinion--such as very personal writings that are to be distributed to family and friends, or if the writing is on a very specialized topic that isn't likely to have popular appeal--but an actual genre novel shouldn't be self-published. If it is, you are likely to be thought of as someone who self-published because they weren't good enough to do it the traditional way, and that stigma is actually mostly deserved. . . .
swankivy 2 years ago
I see. So even if an author was someone with deep pockets, and could put together their own marketing and distribution system with little effort, one still can't buy any credibility from the public.
Akira625 2 years ago
That's exactly it. And being well-off and willing to use it for the purpose does not necessarily mean you have any marketing knowhow. It'd probably be easier to get the word out if you were selling nonfiction (especially if it was for a very particular and/or up-to-the-minute current subject), but ultimately a self-published author is not endorsed by any of the people who are trusted in the industry, so it is a gamble . . . one the reader is VERY likely to lose.
swankivy 2 years ago
A neat concept; good luck!
ohiocowboypoet 2 years ago
wow i love it, its very personal and original!! siriously
placeboff 2 years ago
I appreciate that. I'm glad you like it so much. That's a high compliment.
swankivy 2 years ago
If Finding Mulligan *does* eventually get published, I hope some of those illustrations you made would be used as well, particularly the one at 2:55.
Akira625 2 years ago
Thanks. :) I don't think I really want my illustrations used, actually; I like to draw and I'm better than the average bear at it, but I know I'm no pro, so I'd kinda feel out of my league using illustrations in a published work. Mostly I just share my drawings with a fully amateur attitude and execution. :)
swankivy 2 years ago
A brilliant concept, and I am sure an excellent story too, good luck in finding a publisher.
SJAB1958 2 years ago
Well thanks.
swankivy 2 years ago
Well, the premise of the story sounds intriguing, hopefully someone will pick it up. Are you trying your luck with any major publishers?
Akira625 2 years ago
Most publishers don't accept unagented and unsolicited manuscripts. I'm querying agents, not publishers.
swankivy 2 years ago
Sorry, I'm not familiar with how publishing works. Does it cost a lot of money finding an agent?
Akira625 2 years ago
It doesn't cost anything.
Basically, publishers don't often have time to go through "the slush pile"; their job is to promote and sell books by authors they either know are successful or think will be the next big thing. That's where agents come in; they can often be as picky as or pickier than publishers when it comes to deciding what to read, because all legit agents do not charge reading fees and basically do not get paid until or unless they sell your book!
swankivy 2 years ago
An agent is acquired through a querying process. Often it's just the letter--you ask if they'd be interested by introducing yourself and your project. If they like the idea they might request a partial manuscript (first 40 pages, first chapter, etc.). Some ask for the partial (and/or outline/synopsis) along with the first contact but most don't. If they like the partial, they might ask for the full manuscript & talk marketing. Once that happens, it's contract time.
swankivy 2 years ago
But if an agent accepts your book and signs you as his/her client, it's no guarantee of publishing and it's not money-making time for either of you. The agent still has to shop your book around to the publishers and make a sale. Sometimes it never happens. That's why they're so picky; they have to be, because they are working for free until they sell, so they're not going to pick anything they don't think WILL sell or anything they don't have a good specific idea of a publisher for. It's tough.
swankivy 2 years ago
Sounds like i t takes an eternity before anyone makes a profit, is the author last on the pecking order here?
Akira625 2 years ago
Hmm, not exactly, but the agent takes a percentage and then the publisher makes most of the money. The writer's biggest benefit is in the advance they are paid. Larger advances tend to come with agented writers as well. There are some writers who have managed to land a publishing deal without an agent and have been offered no advance at all. More money is likely if your book is popular and goes into reprints.
swankivy 2 years ago
Did you compose the music for this too?
Akira625 2 years ago
No. I'm not much of a composer.
swankivy 2 years ago
I'm interested. What's the target audience of the novel? Did you make the drawings?
althena23 2 years ago
It's sort of young adult, but since the main character is in college, and it is a longish book for YA (120,000 words), it might be a gray area. I think the style and tone lean YA, but it is also fantastical as well as romance as well as modern, so we're definitely dealing with a genre-bender here.
Yep, drawings are mine. I dabble in art but I'm no pro. The writing is something I'm proud of, but as for visual art, I know I'm an amateur.
swankivy 2 years ago
Not only was he a masterful writer. But damn good at marketing. Had his booked talked about for 10 years before releasing the finish.(Moment of silence please)
abtt12 2 years ago
Cool trailer! The drawing of Cassie in the yellow singlet is my favourite; I like how you can draw emotions so well on your character's faces, it can be hard to do I think, so well done :)
Hope that an agent sees this video and contacts you.
violetinspired 2 years ago
Thanks. It's hard to do in marker. ;)
I don't think agents go around watching YouTube hoping to be able to propose to writers--it's the other way 'round for the most part, they're very in demand and you've got to sell yourself to them--but you never know who might see this and ask for more info about it. I'm just hoping in the meantime it rustles up some interest in my writing. :)
swankivy 2 years ago
its the law of supply and demand. if you have a army demanding it. It will be suppled.
I'm demanding!!!!!!
abtt12 2 years ago
Unfortunately that's not quite how it works, but it's great to know that if it gets published, I have a waiting audience!
swankivy 2 years ago
I beg to differ Ivy, if you can show that you have a large enough demand the product will be created to fill that demand. With a large enough base of demand that cost of production will already be covered. Starting with the cost of production being covered a profit can be shown and with that it's only good business sense to make the investment.
Don't argue with me(stomps feet and folds arms) I want it now!!!!!
abtt12 2 years ago
And yet Stephen King left the Dark Tower series on a cliffhanger for ten years, and all the howling and screaming did not result in a new book for a whole decade. . . .
swankivy 2 years ago
For some reason this video really creeped me out. xD
It's nighttime. I get spooked easily at nighttime. >_>
Good luck with getting it published.
AnnaKin1000 2 years ago
Might be the haunting music and the fact that some of the pictures are slightly creepy. :) The novel's kinda like that though. . . .
swankivy 2 years ago
I think it was mostly the music. And the strange swirly effect on one of the pictures at one point. >_>
AnnaKin1000 2 years ago
Ah. I figured it was very appropriate because by that point in the story Cassie's about to eat her own brain pondering these questions. ;)
swankivy 2 years ago
It did seem very appropriate, it just spooked me. I am much too easily frightened, you see.
AnnaKin1000 2 years ago
Nice choice of background music, suitably unorthodox and otherworldly^^ Let the bizarre love quadrangle begin :b
otakursed 2 years ago
Or is it a pentagon?? Cassie, Dia, Jamie, Terrell, and Mulligan . . . hmm, if someone might not exist or is actually two people, how do they figure in the head count?
Dahaha.
swankivy 2 years ago
gosh ive never seen anything like this before! interesting concept, id definitely read this story
chicabonita52 2 years ago
Well, if I get a publishing deal, I'll be sure to let you know. :) Glad you like the concept. Yeah, I don't think it's quite been done before.
swankivy 2 years ago
I want to read it now! Don't make me wait!! I will scream!!!
Hey I got it, every one copy this link. Send it to all your friends. Then when the view counter breaks, the publishers will beg her to release the novel. Then yeah for me I get to read it.
Don't argue with me just do it!!!!
abtt12 2 years ago
Heh . . . unfortunately a popular video on the Internet (even if this got to that status) does not mean a publisher will knock on my door. :)
I'm glad it sounds so interesting to you though! I thought it came off a bit confusing and cheesy, but by the time I finished making it I'd been awake for about 24 hours. Loopy.
Hopefully one of the agents I queried will be interested in representing the book. :)
swankivy 2 years ago