Just to let my friends know what's happening

[Maeve]

And the rest of you can look in, if you want... :D

I'm finally taking the plunge and working on getting my stories published (friend in the business willing to work as my editor and guide). I may end up just going vanity press, but at least I will have something I can sell and I can bill myself as an author as well as a storyteller--that's a boost with schools and libraries.

So if you don't see Maeve around so much, you know I'm busy joining the ranks of Irish-American blatherers...

[GOPisEvil]

1. Cool! Good luck!

[Bluzmann57]

2. Good Luck to you

Hope you sell millions of books, get rich, and donate a boatload of $ to DU and the Dem. Party. Or whatever you want to do. Again, good luck.

[newyawker99]

3. Great news Maeve and I wish you the best of luck.

Let me know when we can buy the book. I
would love to add it to my book
collection.

:loveya:

[Wickerman]

4. So cool Maeve

Always enjoyed your posts. looking forward to seeing you in print. Make sure and keep us updated and provide us links to the published product. Heck, let us act as your street team when you get bound matter in hand.

Miss ya in the 'Cabana!

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

5. Best of luck!

[supernova]

6. How wonderful!

Much luck to you, Maeve! :hi:

Congrats to you on taking the plunge into publishing! :D

Here's to your future success! :toast:

[kimchi]

7. Right on!

It must feel really great to get your art out to people who will appreciate it! Good luck, and have a blast doing what you love!

[amazona]

8. good luck but please keep in mind

Vanity/self-publishing is a dead end for fiction writers and ends your hope of being considered seriously as a writer. It is a step only to be taken after all hope has failed of being legitimately published over many years...not worth giving up your whole future for the (relaitvely few) libraries or schools that can't tell the difference between vanity/self/print-on-demand and "real" books -- I wonder if there are any libraries at all that don't know the difference. Even if you have a "front" publishing company, it pretty much gives the game away if you're published by commonwealth, xlibris, etc. If your fiction is worthwhile, I would be very, very hesitant to even consider this route because it closes too many doors to future legitimate publication.

On the other hand, if you are unwilling to make the effort to network in the publishing industry, attend the right workshops or programs, etc. then fine -- publishers no longer consider completely unsolicited work from unknowns so people who can't or don't network effectively will not be published. In that case, self-publishing is the only way to put your book between covers but it still won't mean that your efforts will attract wide readership. Most successful vanity publishing has to at least pretend to be nonfiction even when it's baldly fiction, ala The Celestine Prophecy (spelling? I might be off on that title a bit but you know what I mean). There you're getting into the realm of fibbing but maybe all good storytelling is fibbing, who knows.

It is a difficult issue. Years ago, I wrote for some of the SF magazines but the paying market is not big enough any more and I don't have ego invested in it so won't write for nothing or a loss. Fiction has become a drug on the market so I turned my attention to other things.

But there are always exceptions to prove the rule. So don't be quick to slam doors by self-publishing.

[Maeve]

9. Thanks for the advice

My mentor is "seriously" published, not just vanity, so I can trust her to guide me in the most appropriate venue. But I'm pretty sure I won't have to go the self-publishing route.

I'm basically a storyteller writing many of my own tales and it's in that context I'm looking to publish--an adjunct to my telling. That's what I mean about the book helping me with schools and libraries--getting me better and higher-paying gigs. And I don't fib--just tell the truth in a creative manner! :silly:

[Maeve]

10. kick for the afternoon crowd

[dbt]

11. All Success, Seanachi Ma'am!

Don't forget us gobshites when y'get filthy rich!

:bounce:
dbt

[Maeve]

13. Darlin', I'll even autograph a copy for you!

I'm not going to get rich from this, just better known. I'll be happy if it pays for one trip across the Pond!

[Cleita]

12. Way to go Maeve.

That's great news. Let us know when you are published so we can go buy a copy.