The amount of members that use this place.. someone must know of a publisher that doesn't want you to sell your soul just so you can afford to get your work printed ? I've been writing a book over the last 18 months, it's nothing special, but it's something i've always wanted to take a shot at - being an author.

On the same subject, what's the deal with proof reading ? would you get someone you know to read it in the hope they'd be honest with their opinion on it, or get someone you don't know to read it knowing that people who don't know you, don't really give a shit if they offend you ?

Hope someone can help !!

 

A friend of mine has had a book published and it's not easy. It's down to you to present the best work you can and keep trying and trying until you get a publisher to take on the work. The more they like your work the less of your soul you'll have to part with.

It's particularly hard for someone without previous work as you're an unknown quantity to them so are a big risk. You also have to be realistic, and realise that you're one of many many people who want their work published, and I'd wager that most never make it.

But if your book's genuinely really good then someone will pick it up, and take it on!

As for proof reading, I don't recommend getting someone 'close' to you to give you feedback, a 'stranger' is far more likely to be honest.

Good luck with it, what's it about BTW?

 

Good luck to you mate

As with anything in life if you dont succeed 1st time round try again.

I would give the proof reading to someone who wont mind offending you as whats the point in your mates/family saying yes its brilliant just because they dont want to upset you. Constructive criticism will come from those you dont know

 

Its a piece of piss to publish a book these days. Now digital printing is here you can have realy short print runs too.

Publish it your self or ther are many online companies that will do it for about Ł100.

All you need to do to technically be published is get and ISBN number (under Ł40) and then send copies of your book to the appropriate libraries. These seven libraries contain all published material in the UK.

I'm currently writing a book in my spare time and have been quoted under a fiver per unit to print a run of 200 A4 200 page b/w inner, gloss colour cover books. I'll prob go full colour which is Ł14 per unit.

 

Ill proof read!

Speak to DanCossie on here, his dad got a book published so he may be able to give you some advice!

 

What sort of book is it Stu? Fiction? How many words are you up to?

 

Its got a bit of pretty much everything in it, but mostly an action book ( it's not a word search book )

 

Getting a book in your hands is one thing, but selling it and seeing some cash in return for your hard work is another entirely! I'm presuming Stu's doing it for potential financial gain...

 

Financial gain would be awesome, but i fear i'm not 'that' good at writing - yet. I have a very very good imagination and paired with the ability to touch type, i can simply close my eyes and rattle off page after page. Making those pages interesting is what matters though !

 

There are companies that will provide you with a web service that will take orders and payments for your book as part of their publishing package. Costs a few hundred all in. Publicising your book is where YOU need to do the hard graft.

 

i'm on the biggest ford forum on the web... how much more publicity do i need

 

i'll wait and see if he post's in here and i might take you up on your offer, i have a couple of other people in mind too - although i guess there's no reason i could send it to all 3..

Silly thing is, just reading the responses to this thread is making me nervous !

 

At the moment it's on 40,460. it's only 90 pages on microsoft word, i've been told that equates to around 160 pages in a normal book ?

A brief insight into the book would be.. a re-occuring dream i had, for 4 months, every night without fail. I figured that it must have had some form of meaning to me or it wouldn't have been re-occuring, lol. So basicly, i wrote down what i remembered from it every day and then built the rest of the story around it.

 

i will have a read as well if you need people

 

I'm the same. I don't write novels as my attention span isn't that long. I write medicore short/feature film scripts.

I can't comment on where to send it, but from personal experience don't let anyone close to you read it. Find some one who isn't afraid to tell you the truth, but who has some experience of the novel format.
Good luck

 

Cheers Pob !! I think i can safely say, that no-one on here know's me and, from what i've seen - they aren't afraid to upset anyone either !

 

don't know his user name, but jim christie's dad had a book published a whlie ago and i think he's got another one out as a follow up as well

that's a bit intergalactic and stuff so he might be worth looking up as well

his dad is about 60 though so i'm not sure how long he's been touting his work

 

Right so currently 3 people are 'proof reading' what i've done so far - which apparently is 121 pages instead of the 90 i thought it was.. i'm kinda nervous about their replies but we shall see !!

 

may be handy to have people read it that like that style of book, or do alot of reading.

They will be able to see if it needs chopping back, or if it is taking to long to get into, or of the characters are lifeless.

I don't read much so I couldn't comment on it if I read it, as i would have little knowledge of how a good book compares to a poorly written one.

As with most things, it is about gripping you and taking you into your own little world.

Phrases like "Nose in a book" and "Couldn't put it down" are the sort of thing you want to hear.

It may well be a long hard struggle as a publisher is taking a gamble, the better the book the more chance it will sell the lower the risk the less the gamble.

BUT, every book you see, someone wrote it, so why can't it be you. Constructive critisisum is going to be key at this stage to help shape up what you have.

matt