Washblog

Self Publishing - interesting possibilities

Yeah, I know ... looks like a Washblog editor is trying to hawk his product. Not the point of this diary though and I won't be mentioning it again.

However ... twenty years ago I set out to write the Arthur-can-write-like Louie L 'Amor western with gunfights, brawls and all that goes with it.

Didn't turn out that way.
Louie L'Amour's muse wasn't splitting time between Louie and me.


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As I've heard from others, when a writer really gets into his work, his characters seem to step in, take over and at times even change the total nature of the writing.

What was born was entirely within my own life experience and perception.

I wrote and sent this manuscript to a New York literary agent I'd listened on Larry King's old all-night radio talk show while delivering the USA Today into boxes all over Vancouver.

The agent told me to forget it. There wasn't a market sufficient for religious literary fiction. So I forgot it and missed my opportunity to step in front of the Left Behind writers ten years before they created their stuff.

This novel is self-published which is the point of the diary. As one or two advertisments out there point out, vanity publishing is now possible on a scale equal to individual resources.

Normal shipping is 3-5 days after order unless there's a holiday going on. Also - as we did - the account holder/author can buy copies at cost from the printer (that is, minus the markup).

Books are printed on demand and authors don't have to buy their books in lots of 100 or more in order to facilitate distribution.

My writing here came about because Lietta wanted a printed version for our home and I looked into it.

The result is what you see here. Possibilities suggest themselves, shorter tracts, booklets, brochures, collections of essays, how-to manuals, and other stuff.

Yeah, check out my novel which has not been re-written, modernized nor edited from its original 1986 form when I was still trying to figure out the "he said", "she reponded," "they shouted" dialogue narrations

- not to mention avoiding too much head thoughts and not enough description via action.

But then, Mailer, Vidal, even Louis L'Amour are not in danger from the likes of me.

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I ordered a copy and will enjoy it.  I like the cover, too.

Self-publishing with copies created on demand is a really nice possibility for lots of things -- reminds me a bit of the days of political tracts -- like the way Thomas Paine published Common Sense.  Or Samizdat.

by noemie maxwell on Sat Dec 29, 2007 at 11:29:00 AM PST

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Hi, Arthur --

I wanted to write you a longer response to your book -- but I'm not sure I'm going to be able to do that for a while.  So a short email will have to suffice.

I don't know why that book was not taken on for publication.  I found it very absorbing.  I read it in one evening for the sheer pleasure.  From the very opening words, it just was beautifully written -- and emotionally true.  The characters ring true -- they're characters you care about.  They're still with me now -- a week or so after finishing the book.  (By the way, the bearded missionary --  I forgot his name -- he's a bit like you, isn't he?)  The historical aspects of this book are amazing. I hadn't known about the handcart migration.  

This is a book that works on an aesthetic level, on a story-telling level, on an emotional level.  And it leaves the reader more informed ... on Mormonism on American history...  Also.. now, if I ever have to amputate a leg in primitive conditions.... I will know what to do!

Really, it's a beautiful piece of work, Arthur, and I wish it had a bigger audience.    

Noemie

by noemie maxwell on Sun Jan 20, 2008 at 03:03:40 PM PST

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