When I started my own publishing company, I had the chance to sit down with the owner of the largest science fiction publisher in Canada. We talked about a lot of the arcane details of publishing but most of our discussion was on how to drive sales. His strongest bit of advice was this: “You know what the best way is to sell your books? Have them on bookstore shelves.”
About Bennett R. Coles
Bennett R. Coles is an award-winning science fiction author who has the curious distinction of having been published by all three modern methods: traditional, self and hybrid. He has also, since 2010, been the publisher at Promontory Press, a small trade publisher based out of Victoria, Canada. His double life constantly brings new perspectives on the publishing world, as he will in one moment be grappling as an author with his NY editor or agent, and in the next advising as a publisher an up-and-coming Promontory author.
He appreciates the duality as it keeps him grounded in both sides of the industry, but occasionally laments the resultant increases in grey hair.
A No-BS Tour of Modern Publishing Part III – The Traditional Industry: The Publishers
Many authors feel that the only “real” way to publish is to go through the well-established method of querying an agent, having your agent pitch to publishing houses, and then signing a deal where the author pays nothing and gets an advance from the publisher. This is called “traditional” publishing – or trade publishing for short. In this article I’d like to give some idea of what this industry really looks like from the inside.
A No-BS Tour of Modern Publishing Part II – Making sense of the lingo
One of the biggest challenges an author faces in today’s publishing landscape is just trying to understand what’s what. So what actually is what? This article is going to attempt to offer some clarity.
A No-BS Tour of Modern Publishing Part I – Author Motivations
The centre of all publishing is the author. Without the author, there is no art form. There are no manuscripts for agents to pitch, no covers for publishers to design, no books for stores to sell. Without the author, the publishing ecosystem would not exist. So why is the author at the very bottom of the food chain?
Star Wars: The Next Generation
No, that isn’t a typo. I’m aware of all the hype flying around about that other vintage sci fi series and its hot-shot new movie, but right now I couldn’t care less. Why? Because I just enjoyed one of the wonderful little moments that we fathers born in the early seventies can cherish: I just sat down and watched the original Star Wars (Episode IV) with my young son for the first time.
Fiscal Fiasco Round 2: First the F-35, now the Fleet
Welcome to Fiscal Fiasco Round Two – and this time it’s really important, because we’re talking about ships. Earlier this spring the Canadian government announced that it was paying Irving Shipyards $288 million just to design the new Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) for the Royal Canadian Navy. Not build, just design.
Let’s Keep the Common Sense in the F-35 Debate
There has been a glimpse of common sense in the debate over Canada’s next-generation fighter aircraft, but it’s hard to see over all the name-calling, mud-slinging and partisan entrenchment. That glimpse of common sense was when our government decided, just before Christmas, to re-think the sole-source, non-competed contract to buy the F-35 as our next fighter. My worry is that common sense will now be banished from the discussion once again.
New Year’s Resolution #4 – The end of January shouldn’t be The End
It’s the end of January. Most New Year’s Resolutions are forgotten, abandoned or causing a great deal of angst. But they can succeed, and you will feel so awesome with the sense of accomplishment that comes. In this final article I’d like to share a few nuggets of wisdom I gained in 2012.
New Year’s Resolution #3 – A healthy mind and spirit
One section of my 2012 New Year’s Resolutions was to do with another kind of health from the physical. Some might call it emotional health, or mental health, or spiritual health – it’s all of these things, and I just referred to it casually as my Morale. In this article I’d like to offer some advice to anyone who wants to improve their quality of life in 2013.
New Year’s Resolution #2: Losing Weight and Getting Healthy
My New Year’s Resolution in 2013 is to lose weight. Great – now what?