A few weeks ago, someone approached me with a few questions about publishing. This person had written a book but had no idea how to get it out to the public or what to do to present it. I gave a few tips I'd learned(get at least an editor who isn't you, hire a good cover artist, go to Bowker and get an ISBN, etc). The person was grateful, and I went about my daily life.
Someone else told me that this was nice of me and they wish more writers would do things like this. It got me wondering - are people really holding this kind of knowledge to themselves?
I suppose some are. My few(brief) inquiries have shown me as much. It's as if a few writers are so afraid that the person they give advice to will rob them of market share that they hoard the information like it's the KFC Secret Recipe. This level of paranoia isn't helpful to anyone, least of all the person holding onto the advice.
Some of this goes back to the (bad) idea that books and writers are fungible(that is, able to be replaced by a like product). It's absolutely absurd. First of all, your book idea is YOUR book idea, not the person to whom you gave advice. Despite the delusional fantasies of some of us, no one is looking to steal your book idea or manuscript. Most folks have no idea if it'll sell well, so why waste the time until after the book has proven a success? You need to be successful before people will care enough to try and steal your stuff, and by then, you'll have enough resources to fend that off.
Second, we need more indie writers, so getting more people into the field expands it and reaches new people for all of us. McDonald's was a great idea that was unique...at first. It had a nice little share of the market, but that's nothing compared to what it now claims, and a great deal of that is due to the proliferation of not just McDonald's, but of other fast food restaurants that made McDonald's innovate along the way and made fast food socially acceptable(indeed, a part of daily life). If Burger King, Wendy's, and Taco Bell hadn't come along, I'm sure McDonald's would've been just fine, but it wouldn't be the behemoth it is today. We need the same thing in indie publishing. We need a larger cohort so that it will become a more socially acceptable alternative to traditional publishing. That way we all have more success.
Third, networking is never a bad thing. By helping out a beginner, that beginner may come back to be a great connection when he or she makes it big. Having them remember you for your kind advice can pay off big down the road.
Finally, think about the troubles you had when you started writing and publishing. I'm sure no one figured it all out on their own. Be that mentor that you once had(or were seeking). Wouldn't you have liked to have known who to get to do your cover art? Wouldn't it have been nice to know that you need a formatter for both print books and ebooks? Imagine the trouble you could've saved if you'd known which outlets to approach for publicity. It all comes back around - make sure it comes back in a good way.
Someone else told me that this was nice of me and they wish more writers would do things like this. It got me wondering - are people really holding this kind of knowledge to themselves?
I suppose some are. My few(brief) inquiries have shown me as much. It's as if a few writers are so afraid that the person they give advice to will rob them of market share that they hoard the information like it's the KFC Secret Recipe. This level of paranoia isn't helpful to anyone, least of all the person holding onto the advice.
Some of this goes back to the (bad) idea that books and writers are fungible(that is, able to be replaced by a like product). It's absolutely absurd. First of all, your book idea is YOUR book idea, not the person to whom you gave advice. Despite the delusional fantasies of some of us, no one is looking to steal your book idea or manuscript. Most folks have no idea if it'll sell well, so why waste the time until after the book has proven a success? You need to be successful before people will care enough to try and steal your stuff, and by then, you'll have enough resources to fend that off.
Second, we need more indie writers, so getting more people into the field expands it and reaches new people for all of us. McDonald's was a great idea that was unique...at first. It had a nice little share of the market, but that's nothing compared to what it now claims, and a great deal of that is due to the proliferation of not just McDonald's, but of other fast food restaurants that made McDonald's innovate along the way and made fast food socially acceptable(indeed, a part of daily life). If Burger King, Wendy's, and Taco Bell hadn't come along, I'm sure McDonald's would've been just fine, but it wouldn't be the behemoth it is today. We need the same thing in indie publishing. We need a larger cohort so that it will become a more socially acceptable alternative to traditional publishing. That way we all have more success.
Third, networking is never a bad thing. By helping out a beginner, that beginner may come back to be a great connection when he or she makes it big. Having them remember you for your kind advice can pay off big down the road.
Finally, think about the troubles you had when you started writing and publishing. I'm sure no one figured it all out on their own. Be that mentor that you once had(or were seeking). Wouldn't you have liked to have known who to get to do your cover art? Wouldn't it have been nice to know that you need a formatter for both print books and ebooks? Imagine the trouble you could've saved if you'd known which outlets to approach for publicity. It all comes back around - make sure it comes back in a good way.
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