Learn Writing with Uncle Jim, Volume 1

Status
Not open for further replies.

reph

Re: Show, Don't Tell

Jules, my city wants to collect business tax from every resident who has self-employment income of any kind. I'm in a group that's protesting and hoping to reform this new application of the city's business-tax ordinance. Some of our members have actual jobs but report their earnings to the federal and state taxing agencies as receipts from self-employment because the employer requires it. This city has no personal income tax; it doesn't tax the earnings of employees, only of self-employed individuals, whom it classes with large corporations and retail stores.

Maestro, I get 1099s and I use my real name.
 

James D Macdonald

Pseudonyms

At least in my state you can use any name you want, so long as you don't have fraudulent intent.

Now ... usually, you put the pseudonym you want to use in the byline, with your real name in the address block.

If you're trying to keep the whole thing secret from the publishers, have your agent submit the story under your pseudonym (that's how "Christopher Pike," the YA Horror novelist, did it).

Don't imagine that when you submit your novel, that's the last you'll be talking to the editor until you see it in the bookstores. You'll have lots of opportunities to discuss what name you want on the cover.

<HR>

Now about the Death Spiral. This comes from some chain bookstores' practice of Ordering To Net.

Say we have a happy young author named Anthony Aardvark. He's written a swell little mystery called Up Your Nose With a Rubber Hose, it's being published, and all's well.

The big chains see a new author. They don't know how he'll do, maybe he'll be the next John Grisham? Who knows? They order 10,000 copies for their various stores. (The books are returnable, so it doesn't hurt them to do it.)

Publishers often set printings based on pre-orders. 10,000 copies get printed, plus a few extra to take care of the indies and such.

Up Your Nose With a Rubber Hose comes out, and gets an 80% sell-through (which is pretty good).

(Sell-through is the number sold divided by the number shelved, times 100%.)

That is to say, 10,000 were shelved, 8,000 were sold. (The rest were returned for credit.)

Now Mr. Aardvark submits his next novel, In Your Eye With A Lemon Pie. The last one sold pretty well, he's gotten a slightly higher advance, all's seemingly well ... but the chains are Ordering To Net. 8,000 sold last time, so they only order 8,000 this time. That's where the printing is set.

Again, Mr. Aardvark gets an 80% sell-through; 6,400 are sold.

He submits his third book, Down Your Throat With A Motorboat. The chains are still Ordering To Net, so they only order 6,400. (Notice that there aren't enough copies to go on the shelves in all the bookstores where Rubber Hose was shelved -- readers there who liked the first book and would buy the next book by that author don't find it, don't buy it, and pick up some other book instead.) The publisher only prints, perhaps, 7,000. Out they go, there's an 80% sell-through (still a good sell-through number), and 5,120 are sold.

Mr. Aardvark submits In Your Hand With A Rubber Band. The chains will only preorder 5,120 -- it isn't worth the publisher's time to print so few -- so Mr. Aardvark is released from his contract. The good news is that he keeps the advance. The bad news is that any time his name pops up, the computers at the chain store say "order 5,120 copies."

What can he do? He changes his name to Basil Basingstoke, and submits In Your Hand With A Rubber Band under a new title with his new name. He only gets a first-novel sized advance, but! The chains, seeing a New Author, figure that this guy could be the Next John Grisham, and preorder 10,000 copies of The Rubber Band Affair by Basil Basingstoke.

(Perhaps some of Mr. Aardvark's fans will complain on Usenet that Basil Basingstoke is just a cheap Aardvark ripoff. Perhaps not.)

So that's one of the Horrid Things that can happen to authors.
 

James D Macdonald

Re: Pen names

Yeah, Emerald, just one. You want to hear some of the bad stuff?

Meanwhile....

Just out in paperback reprint is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0765340046/ref=nosim/0765340046/madhousemanor/" target="_new">this anthology</a> with a story by handsome and witty <blink>me</blink> in it.

Buy one! Better still, buy a dozen! They make excellent gifts! Everyone in your whole family wants a copy!
 

reph

Re: Show, Don't Tell

Everyone in your whole family wants a copy!

Sounds like a project that would have interested PA.
 

James D Macdonald

Re: Show, Don't Tell

Nah. If I'd said "Everyone in my family wants a copy," then it would be a candidate for PA.
 

reph

Re: Show, Don't Tell

Oops, I forgot PA's exact version of family values – although I suspect that they wouldn't be too fussy about whose family provided the "value."

Technical note: On ezboard, square brackets will get you a font change. Angle brackets will get you angle brackets.
 

James D Macdonald

Re: Show, Don't Tell

Technical note: On ezboard, square brackets will get you a font change. Angle brackets will get you angle brackets.

Only if, for some reason, the radio button in the reply window got changed from HTML to ezCodes.
 

reph

Re: Show, Don't Tell

The button in my reply window is always set on ezCodes. I assumed that was the default condition.
 

Yeshanu

Re: Show, Don't Tell

reph,

Your city council is off its rockers, IMHO. Here's hoping your campaign is a success. :hug

this is a regulation that states that if for any substantial period of time (I don't know the threshold) a self-employed person produces work solely for a single client, they are considered as employed by that client, so don't get to deduct their expenses.

In Canada, that person would still be considered a self-employed contractor unless a number of other conditions were met. However, having only one client isn't a great way to run a writing business... (assuming freelance here). How do novelists in the UK (like J K Rowling) get around that if they only produce books for one publisher?

And Uncle Jim, how does one get past the death spiral problem, other than by changing names or having a blockbuster come out that puts his/her name on the map of Jane and Joe Averagereader? (You must know, 'cause I assume you've done it... :b )
 

HConn

Re: Show, Don't Tell

Hopefully, your second book will drive up deman for your first. The front list drives the back list.

Is that right?

It's something I read about on Michelle Sagara's lj, although I'll be derned if I can find the entry now.

BTW, Ms. Sagara is a novelist and a bookseller. She has a lot of useful info in her blog.
 

James D Macdonald

Re: Show, Don't Tell

Uncle Jim, how does one get past the death spiral problem....

First, write and sell a book a year. Every time a new book comes out, the publisher will resolicit the other books you have with them. They'll order your new book to net, and perhaps a few more of the older ones. (Little known but true: two books side by side by the same author make both of them more likely to sell than a singleton.) All of those sales count for the "net" for the book after that.

Second, with any kind of luck, your book will sell more than were printed and ordered. The book goes back to press, to fill the orders from the bookstores. (If a book sells out, they'll order more.) It doesn't have to happen in every store, just enough stores. How many stores is "enough" is a secret that the big chains don't share.

Third, bring out other books from different publishers. Say poor Anthony up there had two different novels come out from two different publishers. The chains order both to net, but it's separately: 8,000 of one, 8,000 of another. Those have an 80% sell-through, it's 12,800 sold total, but they're both listed under Anthony's name -- so whatever novel he sells next will get 12,800 preorders, with print runs set accordingly.

All books that go to your name count. Having multiple books in print simultaneously is your goal.

Does this tell against the slow writers? Yeah.

The other way is to break out, to have a runaway best seller. Lightning strikes. That's in the hands of the readers, the darlings.
 

Yeshanu

Re: Show, Don't Tell

Thanks, Uncle Jim. That helps a great deal.

I'm not surprised that two books on the shelf by the same author have a better chance of selling -- the shelf space taken up is twice as wide, so the reader's more likely to notice the book is even there. Besides that, I know I tend to prefer prolific authors (or authors who at least seem that way because there's more than one of their books on the shelf) because if I like the author, I don't want to end up high and dry waiting for a new work. :)
 

James D Macdonald

Re: A Story by Uncle Jim

Here's the anthology with the story whose <A HREF="http://p197.ezboard.com/fabsolutewritefrm3.showMessageRange?topicID=257.topic&start=1281&stop=1300" target="_new"> first scene</a> I ran (and analysed) a while back in this thread.


It's out now.

<A HREF="http://www.sff.net/people/doylemacdonald/murder_magic.htm" "target="_new">Murder by Magic</a>
 

wwwatcher

Re: Show, Don't Tell

"How do novelists in the UK (like J K Rowling) get around that if they only produce books for one publisher?"

That's probably why Britain's implementing it - she's making enough that even the government take's notice. She's becoming an institution unto herself. (Move to Ireland J.K. and hurry!!!!)
 

wwwatcher

Re: Show, Don't Tell

"Lori, or you can marry a "Wong."

But Maestro... women aren't looking for Mr. Wong - they're looking for Mr. White!!!!!!!!

(I couldn't resist.)
 

James D Macdonald

Re: Show, Don't Tell

"How do novelists in the UK (like J K Rowling) get around that if they only produce books for one publisher?"

Two things: She's a break-out best seller, and she's writing a book a year.


[Update:] Oops! I thought you were asking how J. K. avoided the Death Spiral. Sorry!
 

maestrowork

Re: A Story by Uncle Jim

Except for "Phoenix" -- it took her, I believe, 2 years (or was it 3) ?
 

HConn

Kissy stuff

James, how should a writer approach a romantic subplot, especially when romantic subplots don't seem to work.

My next project, which is looming, is going to need one. I have never truly made one work before.

How do you approach a romance between your characters?
 

Jules Hall

IR35

On further investigation, it seems it is only likely to be applied where an hourly rate is agreed in advance of the contractor doing the work. According to the Inland Revenue, any "financial risk" taken by the contractor (they include the example of providing work at a fixed cost when it is not known how long it will take) is a strong indicator that they aren't employed. I think this probably gets most writers out of it.
 

reph

Re: Show, Don't Tell

Jules, U.S. laws are different. As this thread is supposed to be about novel writing, I won't give details except to say that the National Writers Union has finally shown interest in helping with our local tax problem.
 

James D Macdonald

Re: Kissy stuff

How do you approach a romance between your characters?

The same way I approach any interpersonal actions with my characters. Interesting characters doing interesting things.

What exactly is the aim of this romantic subplot? Does it support the main plot? Why do you feel you need it?

The general rule still holds: If it isn't working, take it out.
 

macalicious731

Re: Kissy stuff

I have a romantic subplot in my WIP. It's something that was planned, but definately not to the degree it's turned into. The characters really care for each other, but they're never going to end up together. There are all sorts of little things I swore I wouldn't write about, but the more time I spend the more these things show up. I am, however, very careful about using the word "love" simply because the characters never use it themselves.

I know it wouldn't work for me (as the writer) if they were madly in love, doing relationship things, etc.. because, well, when it comes down to it I've got no experiene... :ack
 

evanaharris

Re: Kissy stuff

especially when romantic subplots don't seem to work.
'

Why do you think that romantic subplots don't seem to work? Honestly?

They're difficult to do in a non-cliched fashion, but I suppose that's true for action scenes, or a half dozen other things.

I've got a romantic subplot in the script I'm currently working on...and I think it's turning out okay. I've done them before, with varying degrees of success, but everything I've done up till now has been done with varying degrees of success.
 

macalicious731

subplots

Evana,

I think HConn was referring to her own subplot... but please correct me if I'm wrong.

Here's one of my biggest romantic plot pet peeves, however: When the story is created just so the book/film can have that "Hollywood effect." You know, "plenty of action for the men, and romance for the women!" Then, the whole experience takes a hard hit because the subplot was totally unnecessary. :: cough :: Troy :: cough ::

Give me a break! :smack
 
Status
Not open for further replies.