First Novel: New, scary for me....

[MovieStuff]

I once had an idea for a film script that I wanted to get off the ground. I liked the idea so much that, after failing to find backing for a film version, I decided to reconstitute it as a novel. This is my first and I am in the process of self publishing it as a paperback. I should have a website set up for it in about a month or so. Probably hit the street at about $9.00 or so.

Here is the front cover I designed:




Here is the back cover. Hope it's readable at 72dpi



Anyway, it was an interesting process to take a script and turn it into a novel. Very freeing, actually. Obviously, you can do anything in a book without regard to budget but, actually, I really didn't change much. It pretty much tells the same story but in novel form. I used a couple of big bulletin boards and index cards to organize the "scenes", which made it really easy to move things around. Sort of NLE timeline for writing. I know a lot of writers use this method and, I have to say, it worked well. I use it all the time, now, when I write. I even used different color index cards to mark death scenes, action scenes, expository scenes. It gave me a graphic representation of how the story was moving at a glance. After I worked out what happened in each of the scenes, I then started working out the "blocking" of the action to go along with the dialog, which already existed as a script. I tell you, doing this is a great way to work out details in your mind for the magic day that you do get to shoot your film. I don't know if that day will ever come for this story but I would be ready.

I like the bulletin board method. Works for me. What methods do any of you use to organize your plots, stories, etc?

Roger

[Actor]

I'll certainly buy a copy.

How are you getting it printed, DIY or farm it out?

[Mitch Perkins]

I once had an idea for a film script that I wanted to get off the ground. I liked the idea so much that, after failing to find backing for a film version, I decided to reconstitute it as a novel.

Roger, that's fantastic.
Only one thing, and don't kill me for this; it's a personal foible, I guess, but I've always felt the word "unique" is better used un-qualified. This is mostly supported here -

http://www.google.ca/search?client=fire ... gle+Search

though the last of the top entries weakens it somewhat.

I remember a Caramilk commercial that ran not a million years ago, wherein the jingle included the line, "Caramilk is so unique". Damned if they didn't pull it off the air and remove "so", then put it back on with the line, "Caramilk is...unique". It even mildly mucked up the flow of the jingle, but someone thought it important enough...
Anyway, if the back cover is carved in stone, or if you feel the distinction is silly, it's moot, but that's my only suggestion.

I like the bulletin board method. Works for me. What methods do any of you use to organize your plots, stories, etc?

Roger

Similar idea: index or recipe cards. You can lay them out on the floor and shuffle them around. With Sleep Always, I tried to make it so that each card contained within it one "hit", something to really grab the viewer. Then of course some are removed; you can't have non-stop hits, or the viewer gets bruised.

Way to go ,dude. You can be sure I'll be buying a copy. Plus now I'm jealous, which should in all cases be used as inspiration...

Mitch

[MovieStuff]

I'll certainly buy a copy.

Thanks! I'll let you know when they come off the press.

How are you getting it printed, DIY or farm it out?

I'm paying to have them printed. It's not cheap and I may not make any money to speak of but research has shown that first time, unknown paperback authors make about $6,000-$8,000 on their first offering because the publishing house gets the lion's share of the profit. Also, the author is responsible for all their own publicity and advertising. Only "known" authors like Steven King, Grisham, Brown, etc, get the royal treatment. Having a background in advertising, I know I could easily spend my entire paycheck on promoting my book so I figured, screw the publisher. If I'm going to essentially make nothing, then I'll just publish it myself and have more control over where it is seen, content, etc.

My main goal on this novel isn't really to make money but to get it and my name out in the public consciousness. I'll have a discussion board linked to the book site where people can talk about how much they like or hate it. Doesn't really matter to me because there will always be people that don't like what you do. It's unavoidable. The main thing is to stir up interest. I figure I have more of a chance getting someone in Hollywood to notice the success of my book as an indepent than my screenplay in a stack of a thousand just like it. We'll see if that's a good strategy or not.

Roger

[MovieStuff]

Roger, that's fantastic.

Thanks!

Only one thing, and don't kill me for this; it's a personal foible, I guess, but I've always felt the word "unique" is better used un-qualified.

Yeah. Normally I agree. I did it this way purposely. Kind of like when Rod Serling would say something like, "An average day in an average neighborhood in an average town." Bad grammar but it makes the point in a way that saying, "A typical day in a routine neighborhood, located in a non-descript town" doesn't quite do with the same panache.

Similar idea: index or recipe cards. You can lay them out on the floor and shuffle them around.

Yeah. It really helps because you can move things around so easily.

Way to go ,dude. You can be sure I'll be buying a copy

Thanks. I'll reserved a copy for you and Actor. Might be the only two copies I sell! 8O

Plus now I'm jealous, which should in all cases be used as inspiration...

It was fun. Took me a long time but I'm really proud of it. I see myself writing more but, who knows? Maybe I'll end up like Harper Lee.

Roger

[clivetobin]

... I decided to reconstitute it as a novel. This is my first and I am in the process of self publishing it as a paperback....

If the inside is as good as the cover this sounds like a rip-roaring good story. Better print it quick before it all really happens.

I've only written non-fiction myself (except for advertising.)

[Actor]

You may want to check out this:

http://www.johntreed.com/HTWP.html

It's mostly about writing/selling "how to" books but I think a lot of what he has to say applies to any kind of book. And he does tend to rant.

[marc]

Roger,
Is there anything that you don't do?

[MovieStuff]

If the inside is as good as the cover this sounds like a rip-roaring good story. Better print it quick before it all really happens.

Thanks, Clive! Being a gear-head like me, I think you'd like this story. Has to do with teleportation and bad guys (but I don't want to give too much away).

I've only written non-fiction myself (except for advertising.)

I've seen some of your writings on other groups. I know you went head to head with uber-gooberhead Bob Shell over the Santilli footage back in '97 or so*. For the record, I agree with you. I think there was a lot of poor research (read "no research") done because too many people secretly wanted to buy into it. I'd be interested in reading anything else you've done.

Roger

*(I used to be an active UpDates member) ;)

[MovieStuff]

You may want to check out this:

http://www.johntreed.com/HTWP.html

It's mostly about writing/selling "how to" books but I think a lot of what he has to say applies to any kind of book. And he does tend to rant.

Yes, I've seen that. There are a lot of "how to" items related to self publishing out there. Of course, the bottom line is that you either pay for it yourself or you get a smaller cut from someone else that pays for it, instead. Also, the "print on demand" presses pretty much suck for paperback because they never print at true paperback size and bookstores hate it. Print on demand always ends up being half the size of a folded or cut 8.5x11 sheet. POD machines take that common size because it is the cheapest precut stock available and they can do proofs on standard inkjet printers. But the final cut size is too big to fit on the same rack as regular paperbacks and they don't have the right....oh..."aspect ratio" as a normal paperback. That's why I am printing my own.

Here's a funny thing about it: I did a proof run, complete with full color cover in paperback form, etc. Some friends that read the paperback version had previously also read just the typed manuscript. To a person, they all talked about how much better the story and plot was, the improvements in character development, etc. I just smiled and thanked them but I had not changed a thing. Simply having it in book form suddenly validated it in their minds as a "real book" and not a work in progress, as it appears on a typed page. Like having a painting on an easel instead of framed on the wall. Everyone's a critique.

Roger

[Evan Kubota]

Why not sell an etext for $10 or so? That would be much easier than actually printing it, and cheaper and better for the environment... I think your main webpage gets quite a few hits.

[MovieStuff]

Roger,
Is there anything that you don't do?

I'd really like to discuss that but I have to be in surgery in about ten minutes. After than, I'm expecting a conference call from Los Alamos and then on to a golf lesson with Tiger. I think he's learned so much since we started working together. :lol:

Roger

[MovieStuff]

Why not sell an etext for $10 or so? That would be much easier than actually printing it, and cheaper and better for the environment... I think your main webpage gets quite a few hits.

Some people like e-books and some don't but I'll probably have an e-book for about half that price. Reading paperbacks is an experience of texture as well as text, I have found.

Roger

[Davideo]

Have you checked out Lulu at http://www.lulu.com? They offer different size offerings and you can order as low as 1 copy.

[MovieStuff]

Have you checked out Lulu at http://www.lulu.com? They offer different size offerings and you can order as low as 1 copy.

That's one I had not seen. However, their smallest size is 6x9, as far as I can tell. Paperback size is about 4.25x7, which is what I really am aiming for. But thanks for the resource. The pricing is competitive with what I am going to be paying for my book.

Roger