[Link] Killing Even More Sacred Cows of Publishing: #1… Novels Must Be A Certain Length

by Dean Wesley Smith
Here we go… Book three in this series.

Book one was KILLING THE TOP TEN SACRED COWS OF PUBLISHING.

Book two was KILLING THE TOP TEN SACRED COWS OF INDIE PUBLISHING.

Both books are available everywhere in electronic, paper, and soon audio.

What I call a “Sacred Cow” is basically a myth spread around publishing like the truth. Myths such as “rewriting must be done for every story.” Myths such as “you need an agent to sell a book,” or “sell a book to a different country.” And so on.

You can either buy the first two books to get all twenty of the Sacred Cows, or just click on the tab above and read them here in their original blog posts for free.

For the first chapter, the first Sacred Cow in this new book, I’d like to take a stick and beat to death the silliness coming from all directions that novels must be a certain length. Usually I hear that a novel can’t be real unless it’s between 80,000 and 110,000 words.

Hogwash. And just a slight knowledge of history will cut the head off this silly myth.

So here we go once again into book three full of Sacred Cows of Publishing.

There sure are a lot of myths about publishing.

Continue reading: http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/killing-even-more-sacred-cows-of-publishing-1-novels-must-be-a-certain-length/#sthash.1NhEgBnb.dpuf

[Link] The New World of Writing: Pulp Speed

by Dean Wesley Smith

I’ve mentioned this concept a number of times on my nightly blog and in the Topic of the Night little sections. But since Pulp Speed was almost impossible in the new traditional world, it belongs as a post in this series.

Not at all sure why this idea sort of hits me right. I think because it flies in the face of all the myths. A writer has to have all myths under control to even attempt this. So this post might just make you angry because it hits at belief systems I’m afraid.

The second reason I can’t shake this idea is because for all of my life I have idolized pulp writers. I used to study them and their lives. (And yet, even with all that knowledge, I still spent seven years in the rewriting to death trap. Go figure.)

Many, many of the great writers of the past that we still read and enjoy were pulp writers. And there are many pulp writers working today. More than you might imagine, even through the rough times of the last twenty years in traditional publishing.

Now, right here, before I get started, I’m going to repeat what I always say. No writer is the same as any other writer.

And most writers could never do what I am about to talk about.

Pulp Speed writing is a mind-set for writers who have cleared out damn never every myth and belief taught to them about writing by English teachers. A Pulp Speed writer loves to just tell stories, one right after another. So remember, no writer is the same as another writer. And if this hits you wrong, it might not be for you to even think about in any fashion.

But for others, this might just be the ticket to a bright new future, just to learn this is possible and happening.

Continue reading: http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/the-new-world-of-writing-pulp-speed/

[Link] The New World of Publishing: Stop Submitting Manuscripts to Traditional Publishers

by Dean Wesley Smith

David Farland did a balanced post on the question of when to be an indie writer or when to sell to traditional publishing. And as usual, I agree with much of what Dave said, although I could quibble on the thrillers. But I don’t feel he went far enough by a long ways. And he didn’t take into account modern publishing contracts for beginning writers. So read his post first and then read on here.

http://www.davidfarland.net/writing_tips/?a=228

Dave broke apart the idea that some genres are better than others for indie publishing. He’s right, sort of. But the other genres are not bad for it either. I want to make that clear. He sort of left the opinion that indie publishing in some genres is bad. Some genres just have more electronic sales than others is all.

And if you are at the level of David Farland or any of the other writers he mentioned (all friends of mine as well), you have clout to negotiate a novel contract to get out of some of the horrid stuff publishers are putting in smaller-book contracts.

But most writers these days don’t have that kind of clout. I don’t.

And almost no new writer does. So it comes down to a choice of 1) Saying no to a contract with horrid terms or 2) taking a contract and losing all rights to your book forever for $5,000.00 or less. Without clout, you can’t negotiate anything of value.

Just to be clear…

Your clout is basically measured by the desire of the publisher for the project (or you as an author).

If the publisher really wants the project and you have other choices, (either indie or other publishers who want you or the project) you have the “clout” or ability to get terms in contracts changed.

The problem is that for most writers, the myth of being published by a traditional publisher is very strong, and agents are so bad, that a new writer with a first offer will sign just about any contract, giving the publisher basically all rights forever to their work. And worse, the new writer often signs a contract that restricts what they can write going into the future.

Continue reading: http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=9358