At the launch of Jane Tulloch's Assured Attention. We recommend it, too!
 Do you have your tickets yet for the launch of Jane Tulloch's Assured Attention? Once more Jane takes us into the curious, sometimes bizarre world of the fictional Murrays department store on Edinburgh's Princes St, although this time we've moved into the 1980s.
The launch takes place on Monday, 31st July 2017 in Blackwell's in the South Bridge, Edinburgh, from 6.30 until 7.45, and there will be some light liquid refreshments. Jane will be in conversation with Comely Bank Publishing's Gordon Lawrie, will read from her new book, and will take questions from the floor. This event is ticketed but free.  A couple of weeks ago I heard of an author who was publishing his own book. (We hear a lot about self-publishing, understandably.) Self-publishing is an excellent route, but writers need to be clear about what they're trying to do.
If the object is simply to get something they've written in print, no matter how good or bad or it is, then that's simply vanity. Vanity publishing submits itself to no test of quality. For the record, we're very strict at Comely Bank Publishing; all of our publications are judged by peers. But if you're going it alone then your book either had to be good – and an author isn't the best judge of his or her own work – or about making money. So back to our writer. It turned out that he was spending a lot of money. He's paid for a cover (not a great one, I'd suggest), the book has been edited and proof-read at considerable expense, and there are print costs of course, too. And that's to say nothing about marketing or distribution. This author reckons he needs to sell several hundred copies, but he hasn't a hope. Meantime he's laid himself wide open to those sharks that swim around self-publishing authors – and from which we at Comely Bank Publishing make such an effort to protect our group. So, to all authors, a word of advice: subject yourself to the fiercest criticism. (Not from people who don't like your kind of book, though!) Let them say their worst. They will, it'll hurt, and they'll probably be on an ego trip of their own. But never mind. If you still think the book is worth publishing, try to do so in a way that doesn't expose yourself to too much financial risk. That means ebooks, or possibly CreateSpace or a similar print-on-demand system. Perhaps, if it's good enough and fits our profile, we might endorse it at Comely Bank Publishing. Otherwise: take care. Good luck to that guy with the new book. I haven't read it, and I've no idea how any shop would ever find out about it, let alone stock it. Let me know if you find out. |
NewsLatest news from ARCHIVED PostsPLEASE NOTE That links in archived posts may no longer be valid
August 2019
Click here for more about author Roland Tye
Click here for more about author T.D.Burke
Click here for Gordon Lawrie author page
Click here for more about Jane Tulloch
Click here for more about Lucy Lloyd
proud sponsors of
Friday Flash Fiction 
|
