OK, my computer is full of half-finished novels all crying out for more time and attention which I just cannot give them right now. My life is not mine to give...
Getting at least one of them published is all that I can think of, morning, noon and night. A recent health-scare made me realise that maybe I will never get any of them published, and after I'm gone somebody will just hit the delete key, thereby destroying all of the wonderful ideas and many hours spent slaving over the keyboard.
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| Nina my deaf Dalmatian and me |
So here's the plan. A short story, maybe 3000 words, for children. The idea? The Humptybackcrocodillopig. I had assumed that this creature was well known as it is something I have grown up with. So I was surprised to discover no evidence whatsoever of the Humptybackcrocodillopig's existence on Google! How can this be? Surely I haven't just dreamt up the name? Maybe it had just been inside my head all of this time?
So, The Return of the Humptybackcrocodillopig is my new, new, new current #wip and the first draft is almost finished! I have also commenced a drawing of him, just so you can see what he looks like.
This book will be go through all of the process it needs - beta-readers, rewrites, professional editing, maybe even professional sketches? A professional cover will be designed and marketing is already in full flow.
I will epub the book and do as much promoting of it as possible, hopefully enlisting my 4000 Twitter friends along the way. I hope to publish five books in total in the series, selling them as $1 Children's books. Once I have all five, I will then offer them as a collection, all five for just $2.99.
Wherever this series leads, one thing is sure. Seeing my work published and selling will give me more motivation to crack on with my novels, and The Dream Makers is pulling hard at my sleeve lately.
Oh I so want to write that series....
I think that sounds like a great series! As I have 3 young nephews I would most definitely purchase it for them.
ReplyDeleteAlso, as a Twitter friend you can count on support promoting it from me!
Good Luck and can't wait to see this series (and your novels come out!)
Thank you very much Patrick! It is just this kind of support that keeps us going!
ReplyDeleteI'll keep you posted!!
And get on with your novel too - stop 'procrastinating...'
;-)
I really enjoy your blog, David. :) I am sorry to hear about your health scare. I hope you are starting to feel better. I love your idea for the humptybackcrocodillopig. It sounds like a fun project. Keep me posted!
ReplyDeleteHey, David
ReplyDeleteI think it's a great idea, but why not try to pitch those ideas to an agent/publisher first? If you polish it well and the idea is original, you should have good chances. Of course it would mean you need to be patient, but I would advise any new author to try the traditional route first. You say you're going to e-publish the book. The problem with children's book is, there's currently no market for them. Not in e-publishing. Unless you bring out paperbacks, too. Just some food for thoughts. ;-)
Best,
Stella
Hey Jessie! Great to see you on here! I'm much better thank you, I think it was just a wake-up call (middle-age, over-working, over-stressed ect).
ReplyDeleteTime to change...
Thanks for the support!
Hi Stella
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting and commenting. Also, thanks for your kind words.
Traditional route eh? Mmm, you might just be right.
It's just that it's such a nice feeling not having to go through that soul-destroying marathon to get somebody interested in my book!
However, I think you are right re lack of market for this type of book as an ebook - at the moment! Who knows where it's going - I'm sure that huge amounts of Kindles will be given out at Christmas and many to young kids. Who knows where it'll be this time next year??!
I must admit I like the Humptybackcrocodillopig idea, and it seems that many others do!
Here's what I'll do - I will get it finished (I'd like to write 5 books in all) and polished and ready, along with the (amateur) artwork. Whilst doing this I'll start researching potential agents/publishers for this type of work (groan!) and see where it leads.
Thanks for your advice, and how's life in my favourite city?
Hi, David
ReplyDeleteLife in London is great, busy, but great. Wouldn't want to live anywhere else, but I could do with different neighbours.
I think it's a very wise decision to wait until you have at least five books finished and polished. By the time you finish book one, go and submit to kid's publishers or even better: agents. Eve White does children's, I think 7+, she's a reputable London agent, Puffin is a kid's publisher. I doubt many kindles are given to young children to be honest. Teens, maybe, but not kids.
If the attempts to query your books fail, you always have the self-publishing route. But why throw a chance away? You don't know how agents and publishers react; the children's market is huge.
Don't be secuded by the few people who really are successful with self-publishing. It's harder than submitting, I know that from own experience. :-)
OK Stella, this is great advice and thanks for all your help. You're a star!
ReplyDelete