Should Contrast write a Furry Novel?

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Contrast
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Re: Should Contrast write a Furry Novel?

#31

Post by Contrast »

Raven Song wrote: Wed Feb 07, 2018 10:44 pm What sort of investment cost does one need to publish a book... asking for a friend (she says not actually asking for a friend and remembering she now has 1 post left before hitting her important number...)
It really depends on where you're trying to get published and who you're trying to get published by. For most reputable publishing houses, they offer their services for free. You deliver the manuscript, they take care of the rest.

But then you also get vanity publishers, who only publish as many copies as you are willing to pay for. I'm not sure of the exact cost, since I've never used them, but they vary greatly, and usually aren't worth the price.

There are also "print on demand" publishers, who are cheaper than vanity publishers, but only print copies as they get ordered, so results vary greatly depending on how popular your work is, and what kind of marketing is being done (if at all).

If you're trying to get published in South Africa, you're quickly going to discover that all the publishing houses are stuck in the stone age. None of them (last time I checked) accept manuscript submissions via email, so you have to send them a PHYSICAL manuscript through the POST OFFICE. Can you imagine what Ander will cost like that? Just printing out 3800 pages would cost a fortune in ink and paper, and posting something that heavy would probably cost a pretty penny, as well. Also, most of them don't send your manuscript back after they're done evaluating it, so you have to send one to EVERY PUBLISHER you want to court. It's ridiculous.

Edit: I actually am kinda curious to print it out now. Just to see what a stack of 3800 pages would look like... >_>
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Re: Should Contrast write a Furry Novel?

#32

Post by Adagio »

If I could give my two cents. Rather stick with the schedule. People are more receptive to being spoonfed.
If you dump the last chapters at once. They might get lost.
Contrast wrote: Wed Feb 07, 2018 7:51 pm Thanks, Adagio. I still remember the kind words you said about Ander just as I was getting started, and I was at my most fragile. About the rain and the arrow. That really meant a lot to me. :)

(Oh, and thanks to you, too, Rakuen! I totally forgot to say thanks, sorry.) :P
When I tell people about Ander I still tell them about that scene!
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Re: Should Contrast write a Furry Novel?

#33

Post by ArtyLoop »

If you're trying to get published in South Africa, you're quickly going to discover that all the publishing houses are stuck in the stone age. None of them (last time I checked) accept manuscript submissions via email, so you have to send them a PHYSICAL manuscript through the POST OFFICE. Can you imagine what Ander will cost like that? Just printing out 3800 pages would cost a fortune in ink and paper, and posting something that heavy would probably cost a pretty penny, as well. Also, most of them don't send your manuscript back after they're done evaluating it, so you have to send one to EVERY PUBLISHER you want to court. It's ridiculous.
That's how it works in Sunny SA, and they're reticent to change. One of the publishers that's sort of going towards being more modern is Lapa (but they're heavy Afrikaans publishers mostly and also somewhat Christian so I think anything outside of that will be frowned upon).

Even though they advertise as being in business, do avoid Publishing World SA- they're insolvent and their MD is wanted for fraud.
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Re: Should Contrast write a Furry Novel?

#34

Post by Leeward »

I thought Penguin Random House accepted digital submissions?
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Re: Should Contrast write a Furry Novel?

#35

Post by Contrast »

Leeward wrote: Thu Feb 08, 2018 9:31 amI thought Penguin Random House accepted digital submissions?
They're an exception, but they don't accept any Sci-Fi, Fantasy, or Young Adult fiction. Ander is really difficult to categorize by genre (even I don't know what the hell it actually is). I suppose I could submit it under "general fiction", but I don't think that will fly.
ArtyLoop wrote: Thu Feb 08, 2018 9:02 amavoid Publishing World SA- they're insolvent and their MD is wanted for fraud.
Thanks for the info, I'll be sure to make a note of it.
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Re: Should Contrast write a Furry Novel?

#36

Post by ArtyLoop »

The challenge is that traditional print media is coming under threat from the digital revolution. And this is a double-edged sword.
Because why?

a) Demand for printed books, is at an all-time low I believe
b) People are embracing the e-book/epub on the e-reader rather widely.

The biggest problem with e-books are their longevity and ability to be pirated. One person buys a copy of it and then it gets seeded on torrent sites and boom.. everyone gets a copy easily, and you cry because you get no money. Traditional media is just too costly to pirate, I do know that if a book was very expensive in the old days, yes, we photocopied the entire thing because that was cheaper.

Despite these issues, it does mean that one can now self-publish, cutting out the middlemen and all that, but honestly, are you going to pay for a file that you can share? DRM exists but it just annoys people.
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Re: Should Contrast write a Furry Novel?

#37

Post by Leeward »

Printed books can be pirated too: scan the whole thing and dump it into a PDF, optionally run through OCR to reduce file size and boom.
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Re: Should Contrast write a Furry Novel?

#38

Post by Cape_F0X »

What about a signed hard copy? Can't pirate that, unless Contrast has a handwriting which is easy to forge.
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Re: Should Contrast write a Furry Novel?

#39

Post by Contrast »

Cape_F0X wrote: Thu Feb 08, 2018 1:02 pmsigned
Speaking of signatures and whatnot, I'm actually thinking of getting it published under a pseudonym. Ander has some really questionable moments, and I don't like the idea of people I know in real life linking me to it. Maybe I'm just being paranoid? I don't know...

I'm super proud of what I wrote, but at the same time, I really, really don't have the faintest idea of how "normal" people might react to it. So far the only normal person I know of who's read my work is Animew's mom. o.O
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Re: Should Contrast write a Furry Novel?

#40

Post by Adagio »

And my sister! She was reading it too!
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Re: Should Contrast write a Furry Novel?

#41

Post by Contrast »

Adagio wrote: Thu Feb 08, 2018 8:18 pmAnd my sister! She was reading it too!
Is she normal? :P
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Re: Should Contrast write a Furry Novel?

#42

Post by Adagio »

Lol! More normal than I am!
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Re: Should Contrast write a Furry Novel?

#43

Post by Contrast »

Just a heads up. Ander is now completely and fully uploaded to both SoFurry and Deviant Art, so for any of you who were waiting for the story to be available in its entirety, it's all up there now. :)
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Re: Should Contrast write a Furry Novel?

#44

Post by Raven Song »

Congrats Contrast!!!
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Re: Should Contrast write a Furry Novel?

#45

Post by Contrast »

Thanks, Raven. :)
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Re: Should Contrast write a Furry Novel?

#46

Post by Trace »

That is awesome!
I desperately need to read it when I can find the time for it.
Hopefully soon, because it is absolutely brilliant. ^.^
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Re: Should Contrast write a Furry Novel?

#47

Post by Contrast »

Thanks, Trace. I hope you'll enjoy it. ^_^
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Re: Should Contrast write a Furry Novel?

#48

Post by Contrast »

I found a promising publisher, but apparently my manuscript is so massive that their automated system couldn't handle it. :lol:

They asked me to cut off the first part (just the tip, lol) and send it as something that could function as a "Book 1" of what would have to be at least a 10 book series (I know I'm getting ahead of myself, seeing as how they haven't even looked at it yet, but how awesome would that be?). It also needs to be less than 120 000 words. D:

At first I despaired, but then I checked my manuscript and... well whaddaya know? The ideal cut-off point is at 119 149 words. All I had to do was change the last subchapter into an epilogue, and BAM! Ander - Book 1. Done. I don't believe in fate, but DAMN that felt nice. :P

Still need to write a new synopsis, though... :/

Fingers crossed.
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Re: Should Contrast write a Furry Novel?

#49

Post by Rakuen Growlithe »

So.... the new Wheel of Time?
"If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind."
~John Stuart Mill~

“Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties.”
~John Milton~
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Re: Should Contrast write a Furry Novel?

#50

Post by Contrast »

Lol, I wish. That thing sold like a hundred million copies. I'll be happy just to get published at all.
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Re: Should Contrast write a Furry Novel?

#51

Post by Trace »

It needs to be published so I can buy it! X3
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Re: Should Contrast write a Furry Novel?

#52

Post by Contrast »

It'll take 1-2 months before they get back to me, but I'll keep everyone posted. :)
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