Monday, February 19, 2007

Q & A 96 Will I be ruined?


I'd like to be a part of Novel Deviations, but I'm hoping to sell this book someday. Once you print my 150 words, is my book unsalable?

A few minions declined to include their openings in Novel Deviations, volume 1, and a few more have made this choice for volume 2. I have no problem with this; there'll be more than enough pieces for volume 2. Of course I'd like to put the best ones in the book, so the more I have to choose from, the better. For those who are worried that their careers will be affected, I might point out the following:

1. You retain the copyright to your writing.

2. These books are bought by few people other than the minions.

3. While the books may get read by one or two hundred people, the blog has had a half-million hits. If you don't want your work seen . . .

4. Excerpts from soon-to-be-published books are published such places as Newsweek, Sports Illustrated, etc. etc. The authors/publishers want this. Anything that gets your name out there can't hurt.

5. Book reviewers often include excerpts in their reviews, reviews that come out before the book.

6. When an anthology of short stories is published, usually most or all of the stories appeared previously in magazines or other books.

7. By the time your book gets published you'll have changed the opening lines anyway. If you don't, some editor will. You probably changed them after reading the minions' comments.

8. Your opening can be published anonymously.

9. Your opening can be revised by Evil Editor so that it works with the continuation, but with different words. This was done with two openings in volume 1, and so far with one in volume 2.

10. You can tack this pub. credit onto your resume.

11. Declining denies the continuation author her one chance to ever see her name in print as the author of anything. (On the other hand, you open up a space for another two authors--but if yours had a really funny continuation, the book won't be as good without you.)

12. It's 150 words. Your novel is 75,000. Rounding off to the nearest 1/2 of a percentage point, it's zero percent of your book.


Changing the subject, many minions submit continuations anonymously. This is fine if you also want to be anonymous if your piece makes the cut for Novel Deviations 2. If you'd rather have your name (or a pen name) in the book, you have to contact EE, because he has no idea who you are and no way to contact you. I can usually contact opening authors by searching email files, but continuations come in as comments.

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice. Every book should be red cover to cover.

Anonymous said...

I did actually include my ND I contribution in my resume.

Not only did I not get the promotion, they revoked my security clearance and won't let me near the reactors anymore. On the plus side, the doctor they assigned is very good and has really helped me work through my anger.

McKoala said...

Don't shoot me...but the red and blue combo reminds me of school text books. Too safe. Put yourself out there o evil master!

GutterBall said...

Every book should be red cover to cover.

Every man is a book of blood. Where he is opened, he is red. - Clive Barker (I think)

And now you guys know why my stories are usually bloody. Heh, sorry!

Robin S. said...

Don't shoot me, either, but I'm with McKoala on this one, and I'm thinking I, unfortunately, was in school way before she was (and a continent away, to boot).

Red and blue - no.

Glad you asked - hope you don't mind an honest answer.

Anonymous said...

It's orange. Orange is OK.

At least nothing's gonna rhyme with it.

Brenda said...

I like the colors. Our school books seemed to be various colors of gray and washed out blue. Nothing as vibrant as these.

We really could use it as a pub credit in a query?

shaded-lily said...

Since this is coming out in the spring, couldn't we go with springlike colors? E.g., pastel green and pink with white lettering?

Stacia said...

Orange is sometimes my favorite color, so I like the new version.

(Oh, like you guys have the same favorite color all the time.)

none said...

I've had the same favourite colour ever since I can remember. It's red, since you asked.

Oh, you didn't ask?

*sqrls off*

shaded-lily said...

Oooooh, the top one is pretty!

The second one is nice, too.

I'm afraid I find the bottom one perhaps just a wee bit too loud.

Robin S. said...

The middle one, please.

Brenda said...

Personally, the pink one makes me want to burn out my eyeballs with lit cigarettes. It looks like something targeted for children and not something to be taken seriously (this is, of course, merely my opinion). I prefer the last two, with orange being my favorite.

Anonymous said...

I like the blue. The orange would be OK, too, if the lettering of the title were all one color.

But EE, is "Even better than volume 1" really the best you can do?

How 'bout:
"Volumes better than volume 1"
"More deviant than volume 1"
"It's volume 1 on steroids"
"Blows volume 1 right off the shelf"

But other minions can certainly do better. I know, let's put on a play! Er, a contest! Who can come up with the best cover blurb in 8 words or less!

Blogless Troll said...

"The long-awaited prequel to Volume 3"

Anonymous said...

On the other hand, the pink one would match my too-too perfectly...

shaded-lily said...

It looks like something targeted for children and not something to be taken seriously...

Oh, dear. Was I wrong to laugh at Novel Deviations 1? I'm so embarrassed.

McKoala said...

omg they're mating and having babies.

The pink one for me. We're not really helping at all, though, are we? Just making things even more confusing for you!

Anonymous said...

It's arbitrary, so you can let the oracle choose. Pin your options on the wall, throw a few darts, and voila! Use whatever gets the most hits.

Brenda said...

I don't care really, as long as it's signed - and he knows what I mean by that.

Robin S. said...

Signed? As in autographed? Hmmm.

How much tippin' do we gotta do to get an autograph, Mr. E?

Stacia said...

Buffy, a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. :-)

Brenda said...

Now that you've listed the green version, it's hands-down my favorite.

Talia said...

I liked turquoise blue the best... of the three colours shown.

Anonymous said...

"10. You can tack this pub. credit onto your resume."

You can also drill holes in your own cranium in the hopes that they will ventilate your soul and lead to personal enlightenment— though, that might not be efficacious or safe.