Saturday, April 22nd, 2006:
Publication of a book about Helsingborg?
What I think:
A few weeks ago, I started looking into what it takes to get published properly. You know, like in books & stuff. I happened to find this agency in New York. Just for fun, I decided to see how far I could get in their "filtering process", based solely on this blog.
The first step in this was to fill in an online form. Based on the answers given, they would decide whether or not to proceed. I received an e-mail a few days later saying that I got through this bit.
The next step was to answer a couple more questions and attach "three to five chapters" of my work for their evaluation team to review. Hhmm...It's a blog; I haven't got chapters. So I simply copied & pasted the first month's worth of entries into a Word document, did a bit of editing, made a PDF and sent that.
Within a couple of weeks, I received a reply saying that, based on the material I had sent so far, they would be interested in representing me. I was to reply to that e-mail, indicating that I would like to move forward, with a request for them to send me a contract and a referral for a critique agency to look at my "work" in its entirety (I find the fact that my typing out a load of rantings is classed as "work" quite amusing).
By now, this was getting weirdly exciting. Would it actually be possible to get a book published, based on a blog that observes and pokes fun at various Swedish customs & quirks? Well, they seem to think so, strange bastards.
Within a couple of days, I received a contract and a referral for an agency to critique my "work".
I got in touch with this critique place, who replied fairly promptly, indicating that I needed to pay them $89 US dollars for their service. I get paid in a few days, so will dutifully send them my payment, and await their OK to send them what I've got.
As for the contract, it's pretty straightforward and without too much in the way of "legalese". I retain all copyrights, etc. and they get 10% of any money they make for me in publishing my work (ha-ha, "work"). They are to be my agents in the US and Canada only.
Once this critique thing is done, I'm to polish up my stuff a bit, based on the recommendations made, and I'll be assigned my own personal "Agent".
My agent will work with me to develop what I've got, and try to turn it into something saleable. He or she will then try to find a sucker-I-mean-publisher who will buy what I have to inflict-I-mean-offer. (By the way, did you know that the Swedish word for "victim" is offer?)
So that's where I'm at right now. I'm starting to wonder whether, if this actually gets somewhere, the Swedish government will do something about it. Time will tell. Wish me luck.
A few weeks ago, I started looking into what it takes to get published properly. You know, like in books & stuff. I happened to find this agency in New York. Just for fun, I decided to see how far I could get in their "filtering process", based solely on this blog.
The first step in this was to fill in an online form. Based on the answers given, they would decide whether or not to proceed. I received an e-mail a few days later saying that I got through this bit.
The next step was to answer a couple more questions and attach "three to five chapters" of my work for their evaluation team to review. Hhmm...It's a blog; I haven't got chapters. So I simply copied & pasted the first month's worth of entries into a Word document, did a bit of editing, made a PDF and sent that.
Within a couple of weeks, I received a reply saying that, based on the material I had sent so far, they would be interested in representing me. I was to reply to that e-mail, indicating that I would like to move forward, with a request for them to send me a contract and a referral for a critique agency to look at my "work" in its entirety (I find the fact that my typing out a load of rantings is classed as "work" quite amusing).
By now, this was getting weirdly exciting. Would it actually be possible to get a book published, based on a blog that observes and pokes fun at various Swedish customs & quirks? Well, they seem to think so, strange bastards.
Within a couple of days, I received a contract and a referral for an agency to critique my "work".
I got in touch with this critique place, who replied fairly promptly, indicating that I needed to pay them $89 US dollars for their service. I get paid in a few days, so will dutifully send them my payment, and await their OK to send them what I've got.
As for the contract, it's pretty straightforward and without too much in the way of "legalese". I retain all copyrights, etc. and they get 10% of any money they make for me in publishing my work (ha-ha, "work"). They are to be my agents in the US and Canada only.
Once this critique thing is done, I'm to polish up my stuff a bit, based on the recommendations made, and I'll be assigned my own personal "Agent".
My agent will work with me to develop what I've got, and try to turn it into something saleable. He or she will then try to find a sucker-I-mean-publisher who will buy what I have to inflict-I-mean-offer. (By the way, did you know that the Swedish word for "victim" is offer?)
So that's where I'm at right now. I'm starting to wonder whether, if this actually gets somewhere, the Swedish government will do something about it. Time will tell. Wish me luck.
posted by Mark Base at 4:09 pm
5 Comments:
Super exciting - good luck!! Hope the Swedish government doesn't hear about this and come looking for you!
Wow...that's great news!! :D
Just make sure that you don't have to pay every dime of what you make to the government. They tend to be greedy.
Sounds like a great way (for someone) to make $89..........
Good Luck
Ahhh...but when you are a famous writer, sipping champagne and living the good life, will you still remember all the "little people" (hence,blogger commenters) who followed your work back in the good old blogging days?
If/when you get to print, we would be happy to review your book for the e-zine.
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