For about seven years my wife and I were stuck in a situation that prevented us from doing anything meaningful. I don't want to go into too much but will share that it was a family member that, in effect, held us hostage by means of manipulation and forced us to work toward her own ends. Nothing illegal, just a terrible person and a narcissist with a mixture of psychotic and sociopathic traits.
We've been free from it for about a year now but are still trying to get our lives sorted out to provide for ourselves with a seven year gap in meaningful job experience.
I have a part time job but I feel that God is strongly calling me to write, so I've been pounding away at finishing a fantasy novel as fast as I can so I can send it to a publisher that I have a working relationship with. It is a quality one that has a wide distribution network that also handle marketing while leaving me with all of the rights and a good share of the sales profit. Only, they charge for the first print run which would be another matter due to novels costing $20K to get started.
My wife felt led to seek employment to take some financial burden off of me and allow me to focus more on writing, but she was just informed that she didn't get what she applied for due to others having more experience.
It's been a rough eight years and I could really use some prayers from my fellow anons as we continue to try to sort things out. Encouragement and helpful advice would also be nice.
Praying for you both. I’m a strong believer that things always happen when and as they should and you just have to keep stepping forward and it will all work itself out.
Steadfastness.
I am a published writer. DO NOT pay money for a publisher to print your book...unless you are going the self-publishing route! Vanity publishers will blow all sorts of smoke up your backside telling you how much they will promote your book, get you on bookshelves, how good it is, blah, blah, blah. Don't fall for it.
I have been out of the business for quite some time, so it has likely changed somewhat. If your book is good enough to stand on its own merit, start shopping it with agents. FYI: unless you know someone, this is a slow slog. Very few writers find a willing agent quickly -- it's a who-knows-who business. There are guides full of addresses and contact info, and how to present your work.
I am fortunate that my wife is a qualified editor. Do not skip this step. Find someone you respect to help you with this end. Not many writers can self-edit effectively. Yes, sometimes her edits caused some arguments, but you need this feedback. A vanity publisher will tell you it will "edit," but only check for spelling and grammar.
Fantasy is a tough niche, but depending upon your angle, could have a good following. If you aim for a younger audience (i.e., 12-24), you increase your chances. There has been an explosion of these titles following HP, which has paved the way a bit.
Best wishes!
The power of .win. Nice going @befromfl. We take care of our own. This advice should save OP a ton of headache.
You rock.
I second the editing suggestion. You need an outsider who can look for plot holes and tell you when things don't make sense. Also one who can make sentences more concise by chopping out superfluous words.
I would suggest going the "book on demand route." You don't pay anything up front, and the books are individually printed at the time that the book is ordered rather than printing thousands of copies at one. Focus your time and energy on marketing the book rather than focusing on finding a publisher who may or may not bother to market it for you and who may or may not be able to get it on store shelves.
*edited to clarify what "book on demand" means
I plan on having some friends read through real quick before I submit it. Beyond that, I'm a careful writer and have internalized a lot of the corrections done on my past work so, even in the first draft I'm careful about correct punctuation, avoiding repeating words, and such.
Yes , what you wrote was good advice . This is done everyday without paying a publisher thousands of dollars .
The book I'm writing is a fiction book aimed somewhat at the juvenile fiction market while still having things that are deep enough to where older audiences would enjoy it.
As you're a published author, would you mind my messaging you directly to get some additional input on the potential publisher and such? I actually know the president of the publisher personally and would share their name on the forum, but I don't want word to get around or to publicly share info that may make it easy to figure out my identity.
I don't know how to do it, but there is an IM feature on this message board. You may message me, although, I've been out of the business so long I'm not sure I can comment on current publishers.
If you know the president personally, that's an additional dynamic that perhaps changes things a bit. Although, you having to front $20k should be out of the question. If a publisher truly likes a title, they will advance royalties to the author as an incentive...not ask the author for money. At the very least, the risk is on the publisher, not the author.
Don't share anything publicly on the forum...that could come back to haunt you. Your own identity being disclosed is one matter, but your friend may not like how his business is being portrayed.
You shared with the right frogs fren.
Dear father in heaven, we know that you desire for us to draw closer to you all of the time, but especially in times of trouble. We thank you for setting Rando and his wife free to pursue their gifts and dreams and we ask that you also give them mental clarity and wisdom as they work to find what you meant for them to be. In Jesus' holy name we praise you and thank you for your blessings.
As for advice, it sounds like this could be a vanity press type situation unless they are guaranteeing a certain payoff. One of the awesome things about the internet is that it gives power in the form of options to the little guy. I bet you could find a website that could give you the exposure that you need to get your name out there and make a bit of money as well. I say this because my father wrote a book before he died and the publishing company turned out to be a scam. All they wanted/needed was to take advantage of peoples dreams. If you're paying for everything up front, you might be better off buying 20k worth of lottery tickets. I love you frog.
The publisher that I've been considering actually has an established record and has published some pretty well known books. I'd share their name, but I personally know the president of the publisher and don't want to share info that might allow people to figure out who I am on the forum.
And thanks for the prayers.
Love you man, all the best to and yours
Our Creator God you know the situation and you are able to cover it. Thank you for your love. Now be glorified in what you are about to do. In Jesus name amen
Prayers on the way fren.
I would try to get a good job, first and then work on the writing.......
I was working on a job hunt for a while to get out of my part-time job but kept getting the same roadblock of trying to find something that would allow me to apply my skills and experience but couldn't find anything that would be a good match.
I applied to a few things and got as far as the first round interview with one when I felt God prodding me to focus more time on writing. At the same time, my wife felt the prodding to look into a job and get some of the work and life experience that she was denied while growing up.
I have no idea what you skills and expiraces are. When I was 40 I went to trade school to be an aircraft mechanic. It worked out very well for me and I wish I had done it a lot sooner. I could work part time and go to school part time,and they had a lot of free grant money for good students,it cost me almost nothing.
I make 75-100k a year with a lot of vacation and sick time and holidays off,good healthcare......
If you are smart and handy with tools, that might be a good option for you.
I had a round about way of things, going from running a game studio that I was forced to shut down to writing where I've found my calling.
I'm certain this is what He's called me to do, especially as when I prayed and asked him what I should do the answer has come back to just "Write."
My prayers are yours. Advice? Ask God.
Many cities and counties hiring since covid. They are looking for old school type employees. Many businesses are. This generation has zero people skills. Push that. Keep looking, your skills are more desirable right now than you know!
Prayer said.
you can publish books online through Amazon & Kindle; there are lots of YT videos & templates to explain the process and how to promote your book. I like to ‘teach’ and always have plans for books in the back of my mind and definitely think it can be done if you find the right ‘niche’ (YT videos use that work a lot!;)
Thanks for the advice. I tried the self-publishing route once with a book and discovered that I don't have the aptitude for social media promotion needed to make it work. That's why I ultimately decided I should stick with the traditional publisher model so I at least have some assistance and guidance on marketing.
you're welcome and yes, being an introvert/I totally understand this^ I've made YT videos, a redbubble store, pinterest, etc & so far about $2.97🤡 (but I also get shadow banned a lot;) wish there was some type of board where conservatives could post/share their work.
Maybe make a suggestion to the .win community team?
Or, there might be something already we just don't know about. Might not hurt if you make a topic asking about it. I'm sure you're far from the only one who would be interested.
Dear Lord be with this couple in their time of need and guide them.
In your son's name Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Please do NOT pay that publisher! There is no reason for you to be paying $20K!!!!
I highly recommend you find the FB group called 20Booksto50K! It focuses on the business side of writing/publishing. There are authors at all stages of their careers there. Advice - and tough love - is freely given. There are indie authors, trad authors, hybrid authors - the whole shebang, as well as editors, book cover designers, marketers, etc.
Their motto is 'A rising tide lifts all boats.' That reflects the purpose of the group which is to give back, especially after experiencing success.
I am a member, but I am not affiliated with the group (meaning I will not benefit in any way if you join). I simply think they are just that good. And honorable.
I'm sharing all this with you because I don't want to see you taken advantage of and it sounds like you have quite a bit to learn. I don't mean that to be insulting. It just sounds like you are at the beginning of your writing career. Unfortunately, there are a lot of dishonest grifters in the publishing world.
I'll send up some prayers for you and yours.
This is why we will win. Love you frog. Ribbit
Grit your teeth and bear it.. if its worth doing its worth doing right. and sometimes that is hard. from my family to yours Good luck God be with you.
Publishers are not your friends. I know this from books and games and college and a relative. Get a lawyer and an agent to help you. By all means keep writing, but remember there are probably a hundred books rejected for every one that gets published. Quality has little to do with it.
Hey Rando, I agree with another that said seek God for advice, and you have my prayers 🙏🏽 I think that 20k will be available around the time you complete your novel as if by magic. This is how prayers work for those that deserve what they need, I believe. So keep at it, I reckon you have got this.
You’ve got it.
I refer to this every day:
I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. — John 14:18
Prayers sent. If you or the wife need a decent paying job, think about applying at Costco (if you're near one). You don't need much experience to get in there, but it pays well and you can advance fairly quickly with the right attitude. I have multiple friends whom it's worked out well for.
Psalm 37:7
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him
I heard that Dan Bongino has his own publishing company and has published books for many people. https://paralleleconomies.com/liberatio-protocol-4-books-dan-bongino/ Give him a try.
Looked into it some. Seems to only be for political books, but may still be something to watch.
I would contact him and find out. He is on vacation for the coming week. You can find his email on his website. Good Luck and prayers for you! 🙏
Dear Heavenly Father Lord, we lift up this family to you! First off, we want to thank you for delivering them from the narcissistic sociopath that was in their life. This alone can be devastating on a family, and I am so grateful to hear they are free.
Moving forward, Lord, we ask that you would provide them with meaningful, and fruitful jobs, with good pay. We pray that you provide them a beautiful home, children, and a life following you. We thank you, that they are asking for you, Lord, for your guidance and support. In Jesus name amen
Thank you for the prayers. We've already got a bit of a start there as we already have one beautiful seven year old daughter. By the grace of God, we were set free before she began to fully realize the situation we were in.
I’m praying for you too and I just wanna say to hang in there bc I’m telling you things always have a way of working itself out. 😊❤️👍🙃😁
You and your wife will be in my prayers.