So… I’ve been watching the community & industry for a bit, and realised that there might be a small gap that needs to be filled for the next few months. Where people who have books done but don’t have money (due to loss of jobs, quarantining, etc.) and have a book ready to put out but aren’t able to afford to do it right.
So.
I’m going to set-up as a publisher that would give advances ($2-4k) and pay for covers, editing, marketing, etc.
Obviously, I’m not Mountaindale or Shadow Alley or any of the other publishers. While I have experience running a business and launching my own books, I was also EXTREMELY lucky with when I did so. As such, I can’t guarantee good launcs for anyone. If you can afford to go with one of the other indie publishers in our genre, I’d recommend you do so.
I’m doing advances specifically because I noted some people will need that little bridge between. Maybe it won’t help, maybe it will. But that’s my goal with this.
I am looking for at most 4 people and probably not even that many.
Here’s what I’m looking for:
– writing that meet my standards (sorry. I won’t take just anyone, so it has to fit my personal taste. Which is not necessarily what will sell…)
– have their book done in a new series (at least in first draft stage) in either the cultivation or Gamelit/LitRPG genres. At a very far stretch, maybe progression fantasy. Seriously, you don’t want me to try to market your other stuff.
– be willing to work hard and get the book ready in a few months to launch
– be willing to give up control of marketing (which means advertising and cover design) and also be willing to put in the work to get the minimum stuff I would consider required for a launch (a website, a FB page and an author page on Amazon).
– I’ll be asking for 60% of royalties (40% to the author). Term is 5 years.
– Lastly, I’ll want audio, paperback & ebook rights. I’ll probably produce hardcover & paperback books, and audio most likely. If I don’t use audio, I’ll be returning the rights within 6 months of launch of ebook. Either way, I’d be looking at doing PFH for the work most likely. Audiobook recording could be bought off me at the end of the term, so that you can just keep the files.
If this works, and the initial launches cover the initial outlay, I’ll likely expand and grab more people and keep it going with the funds made. Or just kill it because the quarantine is done and life has returned back to normal. Or, you know, I wanna go back to writing.
Initial contracts will be for 1 book. I’d love to work with you on books 2 & 3 probably, just because it’d make sense, but if I can’t make book 1 work… I don’t want to tie you to me. Or vice versa.
If you’re interested in this – email me at trwong@mylifemytao.com. Don’t add me as a FB friend, just e-mail me (or worse case, message me on FB. But FB messages can go into a blackhole, so e-mail).
The e-mail should have a short blurb about you, confirmation that you have at least the first draft written (if not finished and ready to get sent to editors or a description of whatever state your work is in); the genre and the first chapter.
I will read through the first chapter to let you know if I’m interested. I might or might not let you know why I declined the work. Depends on how many of these I get.
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