So this is not a tale of a brilliant self-marketing campaign that led to a publishing deal, nor is it a case-study of a state-of-the-art submissions programme.
An offer I couldn’t refuse
So this is not a tale of a brilliant self-marketing campaign that led to a publishing deal, nor is it a case-study of a state-of-the-art submissions programme.
Nope, it’s a paean to serendipity, to great timing and to the need to tell anyone, even strangers, that you’re a writer.
In the confessional spirit of earlier posts, I stand before you and say: “My name is Ian Phillips and I am a bridge addict.” No, I don’t mean one of those strange Channel-5-real-life-documentary people who form an emotional or even physical attachment with an edifice made of concrete, wire and piles. I play the card game and have done so for years (it’s how I met my wife).
I was at a club, and finished a round of the competition early. We chat sotto voce with our opponents. ‘What do you do?’ ‘I write.’ ‘Oh, what?’ ‘Stuff for businesses, speeches and the like. And you?’ ‘I’m a publisher.’ ‘I’ve also written a novel.’ ‘Really! What’s it about?’
I give her the elevator pitch (something I really recommend - I’ve worked hard to try and summarise it in very short phrases, usually starting with my equivalent of the legendary pitch to Hollywood for ‘Alien’ (‘Jaws In Space’.) Mine: ‘A Kosher Satanic Verses.’
‘I’d like to read it.’ We had a subsequent chat over the phone and I sent it to her.
I hadn’t heard of Alliance Publishing Press, but really liked its use of Print-On-Demand (even if the end-product can’t benefit from the versatility of traditional print). The industry norm of investing working capital in stock and distribution, let alone advances, seems to me somewhat archaic. Surely it was in everyone’s interest to pour resources into increasing demand. With the explosion of channels for selling as well as communicating, this seemed completely logical, modern and, most important, author-friendly.
I was also drawn to the benefits of working with a small company. I like knowing precisely who’s going to be doing what with my book – and interacting with them. The atmosphere was more collegiate, more personal, than I would imagine a large publisher to be. They readily surmised that I am somewhat anal, so the notion of being genuinely consulted on issues like marketing and design was both seductive and a relief.
I sat down with the whole team and they were really enthusiastic about ‘Grosse Fugue’, even while flagging concerns about the ending. Believing that all things are resolvable between those committed to progress, I decided to commit. All that was needed now was to do a deal and get edited.
The deal was easy.
Ian Phillips is a freelance writer for businesses whose first novel, Grosse Fugue, will be published by Alliance Publishing Press on April 11th. He’s tweeting developments @Ian_at_theWord.
I found myself puzzled on reading your comment, Adrian. I had thought Ian had chosen the traditional publishing route, but after a quick Google search Alliance appears to be a new hybrid. Not a vanity publisher and not usually money up front, but authors do pay for some services and the printing is on demand. It's an interesting concept.
I change my mind almost weekly on the best path for my series. My brother formed a small company to publish cookbooks for a homeshopping channel and does that quite successfully. He knows exactly how to publish a book himself and has the printing contacts. Some days I dream about doing that completely alone (with plenty of help from my brother) and building my own success story one book at a time. Other days I wish I could just bump into the most influential publisher in Britain... in the village I rarely leave, obviously.
I think part of my problem is dithering on the various pathways instead of choosing one. Congratulations, Ian. Signing a deal my have seemed easy, but some of us are still so far from that, we are in awe.
Good luck.
Hi Ian.
I can understand the appeal of self-publishing to those that have suffered mutiple rejections of their work. They may be determined to publish, because they refuse to believe their work lacks the quality, or originality that traditional publishers are looking for.
It is crucial for a would be author to have a professional editor look at their work. I advise caution to avoid unnecessary heartache and possible ridicule. How many of these new opportunities are vanity publishers in another guise? However, there are some who will prosper through self-publishing
There is already a lack of quality adult literature, and a danger the market will become flooded.
I am interested in your comment of knowing who precisely is doing what with your book.
Is the 'what' you mention to do with the cover design and the blurb, or did it involve much more, including a considerable amount of editing? What did Alliance Publishing Press actually do. Was it a lengthy process, or a prohibitive drain on resources? How much control did you have over the end product?
The world of self-publishing has exploded, but it is in its infancy. It does not inspire me as it obviously does you. I intend to use the traditional route to try and publish my first novel. I feel more confident about using the well tried and trusted formula.
There is no competition amongst authors. They are all knights of the round table. Any that encourage people to read, especially children, gets the 'thumbs up' from me.
I wish you the very best of luck with 'Grosse Fugee'