Fleur De Lys Publishing Megathread

[Yog Sothoth]

Lazy no-marks. Why weren't they in lectures?

[DanSumption]

Right, I'm off to Bummers & Bears for the book launch... cya there!

[Peacock Lady]

I know White Rose: she's a kind, good woman, with good intentions, and I like her a lot.

 

However, I've worked in publishing for over a quarter of a century now; I've had many books published (as writer, ghost-writer or researcher) and have edited for most of the biggest publishers in the UK and the USA. And while I like White Rose I have to say that this blog post of hers wins the prize for the most ridiculous misinformation about the publishing industry that I've read this week.

 

For example:

 

I discovered that all the large publishers do, apart from taking most of the book’s profits, is publish. That's because they are publishers. They do what it says on the tin. They are not marketing companies. So, unless you are already a superstar author like JK Rowling, they're not going to be sinking a great big wad of cash into publicising your work once it is published. They do not promote your book. That is up to the author.

 

Um... no. That's not the case at all. Mainstream publishers depend on selling their books in order to make money. It's in their interests to sell as many copies as they can of all of the titles that they publish. And their investment in publicity is NOTHING compared to the investment they make in editing, designing and printing the books: it's nonsensical to suggest that they'd spend all that money producing the book and then leave it up to a writer to promote the thing with no guidance at all.

 

I don't want to put a damper on White Rose's booklaunch: I wish her the very best of luck with her book, I sincerely hope that she enjoys its publication, and I hope that she sells plenty of copies. But it's clear to me that she's bought into a lot of the myths about publishing which proliferate on the internet, and I'm concerned that she's going to come a cropper as a result.

 

In the Martin Dawes article I read,

 

Jude, a curvy 49-year-old mother of three, is a little hazy about how many copies the self-published, print-on- demand novel has sold but it has reached three figures.

 

Now, why is she "a little hazy" about how many books she's sold? She's the publisher: she should know precisely how many have sold in, and sold through (and if she doesn't know the difference between those two terms then her business is in serious trouble).

 

Self-publication is so much more limited than mainstream publication; for a start, it's almost impossible to get a self-published book into bookshops nationwide and despite what you'll read online, most books are sold via bookshops, still, and not via Amazon or other internet sites; and the average number of sales that a self-published book will make is somewhere between 40 and 200 copies--compared with anything from about about 2,000 to 50,000 for a mainstream publication (and that's not for bestsellers, which routinely sell far more).

 

I think one of the most amusing things to have come out of being an author and a company director, is when you get these people who know absolutely nothing about how the publishing industry works, trying to sneer and be condescending. Always cracks me up that one.

 

I'm an author, editor and a company director: I don't think that necessarily qualifies me to tell people who aren't how businesses are run. I know enough about the publishing business to recognise that I have a lot more to learn about it; but if I ever did self-publish, and expected that "maybe now sales will tip into 4 figures", then I'd know enough to send the book to offset rather than relying on POD for my copies because the quality, the economies of scale, and the profit are so much better.

 

Jude, honestly: I wish you the very best of luck and I hope that these books of yours sell well, and are a success; but you might want to research things a little more carefully before you go any further because right now, I can see you losing a serious amount of money on this project (and yes, I know you're limiting your exposure by going POD but that's no guarantee--have you made a reserve against returns, for example?).

 

And I have to ask: if your writing is so good that a couple of decent literary agents have called it "brilliant", why did you decide to take this route into print? It's harder work, and more of it, than going with a mainstream publisher; you're highly unlikely to sell anything like as many copies and while your profit per copy sold is probably higher, your overall profit is going to be pitifully small compared to mainstream publishing; you're establishing yourself as "not suitable for mainstream", which is going to make that crossover so much harder for you now; and (perhaps most importantly) while you're out promoting this book, who is writing the next one?

[the white rose]

Right, I'm off to Bummers & Bears for the book launch... cya there!

 

 

Lovely to see you there Dan and thank you for taking pics, I can't wait to see them. Like I said though, no rush, I know you are up to your ears!

 

21.03.09 will always be memorable as being the day of my first book launch, and we were still all partying and having fun well into the night. It was a great success, I was really chuffed that so many people turned up and bought books, including the wonderful Stephen Singleton of legendary 80s band ABC!

 

I've written an article on my blog which includes some photos. The direct link is here.

 

My next book signing will be at Beighton Lifestyle Centre, next Saturday 4th April, 2pm - 3pm. Books will be on sale on the day at £8.99 and I am going to deliver the marketing materials this morning (yikes it's nearly 9.30am my emailing/networking hour is up already!)

 

I will leave 10 complimentary bookmarks with the flyers and business card stand at Beighton Lifestyle Centre reception (maybe in the cafe, I haven't seen the layout of the venue yet) for the first 10 people who would like them. The bookmarks are high quality laminated double sided, and include pictures of the covers from both Mother-in-Law, Son-in-Law and My Adventures in Cyberspace, and also the newly designed cover for My Adventures in Cyberspace II, which I am now over half way through writing and thoroughly enjoying every minute of doing so, knowing for a fact that it will be published and on sale on Amazon in 2010. That kind of certainty does give an author a bit of a boost. I wouldn't be happy having written several novels which remain unpublished and therefore no one can read.

 

I got some great news this week. A well known and respected writer and journalist emailed me to say that she LOVES Mother-in-Law, Son-in-Law, and has given me a testimonial to put on the back of the next edition, as well as saying she now cannot wait to read My Adventures in Cyberspace. She has had a testimonial printed on the back of one Ian McEwan's books, which went on to be made into a feature film...

 

Finally, thank you so much to professor John Turner, a senior academic in the department of English at SHU, and published poet and author, for his wonderful open mic night last night at The Hubs, SpeakEasy.

 

John is undoubtedly the king of the Sheffield literary scene and hosting this evening, which was a roaring success, is a wonderful positive thing for Sheffield. I really enjoyed reading and performing last night and was honoured that John whisked me off my chair for a waltz at the end of his performance! Very bohemian

 

SpeakEasy is on the last Thursday of every month and the standard is high. I was moved to tears by Felicity's reading and gobsmacked by one or two others, including Matt MacAteer's.

[the white rose]

Just a reminder that I'm doing a book signing tomorrow at Beighton Lifestyle Centre, Beighton which is right on the number 30 bus route for those like me that prefer using public transport.

 

It will be on Saturday 4th April, 2pm - 3pm.

 

Beighton Lifestyle Centre is staffed entirely by volunteers and provides a wide range of courses delivered by professionals in their fields. They offer therapies from Hot Stone Massage to Sports Massage Therapy to Reiki, and coming soon I believe, will offer Burlesque dancing classes.

[the white rose]

For those interested, the book signing at Beighton Lifestyle was a great success, I sold some books and met some wonderful people. Obviously, as an author, people are the reason I do my job so it was very rewarding.

 

In fact, it was such a great experience that I'm doing another signing at Beighton Lifestyle Center on the 18th April at 12.30pm.

 

The pics from the last one are on the signings gallery at the Fleur De Lys site. Thank you to everyone involved for their help, particularly to Beighton Babe from Sheffield Forum without whom none of this would have happened!

 

I'll be approaching some more Sheffield venues in the coming weeks but if you want to host a book signing then get in touch with me at jude (the at sign) fleurdelyspublishing dot com. I don't charge a fee or expenses and it may bring extra customers into your venue...the book signings so far have certainly stimlated debate in the real world

[the white rose]

Ooooh it's been a long time since I've posted on this thread hasn't it? Too busy defending the brilliant Sheffield Steel City Beer and Cider Festival probably Only kidding. Too busy finishing my third novel (to be published 2011) and planning my fourth. It quite wears you out yanno.

 

Anyway, for those interested I've recently started a Facebook fan page (141 members within a few days, which isn't bad) and on Saturday 16th there'll be an offical launch with me reading my short story The Lingerie Shop. I originally wrote this piece with a view to entering it at the Woodseats Literary Festival, but in the end my honeymoon dates precluded it.

 

The piece has never been published or performed before, and you can see the video podcast on Saturday here on my fan page. You have to become a "fan" by clicking "like" to see the video.

 

Disclaimer - this story is purely fiction and not based on events which took place in any real lingerie shop. Of course. As if the manageress of a lingerie shop in real life would be that rude to one of her customers. Could you imagine that? No, nor could I.

[the white rose]

I know White Rose: she's a kind, good woman, with good intentions, and I like her a lot. However,

 

Only just noticed your post. I think posting anonymously and claiming to know someone is slightly sinister. Anyone I respect IRL would never post about me anonymously on a forum. If you want your words to have any significance then post your full name and job title, then I'll confirm whether you know me or not. Until then, you're just another anonymous poster.

 

Back on topic, and there's a Facebook Event for this video podcast which you can join here.

[alchresearch]

Newsflash, nobody cares. And Peacock Lady's thread is fair and balanced. If you don't like how forums operate, don't participate.

[the white rose]

Newsflash, nobody cares.

 

My inbox and the thread stats say otherwise

 

And Peacock Lady's thread is fair and balanced.

 

It's called a post, not a thread.

 

If you don't like how forums operate, don't participate.

 

I wrote a book about how forums operate actually. And I recognise someone who spends all day on a forum wandering aimlessly from thread to thread trying to upset newbies immediately. There are more constructive ways to spend one's time...