Publishing Information For Genre Writers
I finally did it. I went to my first science fiction convention, LepreCon 27, in Scottsdale, Arizona, and had a great time. (To see some pictures of LepreCon 27, go to http://www.CreativeCauldron.com/leprecon.shtml)
I found out that the people at scifi conventions are different from people at any of the other writer's or artist's conventions that I have attended. At writer's and artist's events, the people are there mainly to learn. They treat the event like a mini-school. While at a scifi con, the main emphasis is on having fun. With a video room showing movies and TV shows, a gaming room for computer and board games, a Con Suite where people can meet, eat and have a good time. And don't forget the closing event, the Squirt Gun Fight.
Don't get me wrong, there was a lot there for writers and artists to learn, but Fun is King. The Con had many good panels, in fact, I was on three of them. It was at these panels where I learned some very interesting, and possible disturbing facts, for genre writers, and writers in general.
I gleaned this information while talking with several writers, including:
' Michael Stackpole - He's written over twenty five books, including Battle Tech and Star Wars novels, plus many original works.
' Jennifer Roberson - She's had over twenty published novels, thirteen of which were best-selling fantasy novels.
' John Vornholt - Who has over thirty published books, two of which were Star Trek: TNG.
' Emily Devenport - With over fifteen published books and numerous short stories.
Publish A Bestseller!Many of us have heard the term 'residual income' many times before. It simply means getting paid over and over for ..... ' Ernest Hogan - Who has numerous published short stories, some of which have been recommended for Hugo and Nebula Awards.
While talking with them I learned some valuable information. For writers in general, I found out that:
' Publishing houses spend little or no money to market the bulk of their authors.
' About 80% of the books published never make back their advance.
' Advances are getting smaller.
For genre writers, you should know that:
' Fantasy outsells science fiction 10 to 1.
' Publishers seem to have the attitude that authors who write genre books are doing it as a hobby, not a career.
' Short stories are selling better than novelettes.
' Preferred novel length for most places is between 85,000 and 100,000 words.
' You need to determine how your work is like other works out there (so that readers are familiar, and comfortable, with your work) and how it is unique (to make it special to readers, something different that they will want to read).
' Even if your book is published, it must be carried by bookstores, ......
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