Caveat Emptor

I've just finished up with an interesting assignment: reading through a published novel and offering the author a critique.

The author is a local chap---who shall remain nameless, because I don't want to hurt him or his prospects in any way, shape or form---a gentleman the husband knows, and, somehow, the offer of a free copy turned into a project of reading, rereading, scouring the book for mistakes and then producing a brief critique. He has been wondering why it isn't selling. I am sad to say that, after reading it, it's obvious as to why it hasn't become a bestseller. I didn't have too many nice things to say about the book, but fortunately, the author seemed grateful for my honesty---so much so that he would like me to publish my review on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. I'll admit, I was a bit surprised at that. If someone had handed me a review like I handed him, I would have been dismissive, crabby and wounded, before grudgingly agreeing, a few days later, that they may have a point. He was grace personified in his acceptance.

I had a few problems with the book, but my main problem was that it could have been tighter. Much tighter. An international thriller should not meander. It should be sharp and to the point, while keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. This book didn't, for the most part, manage that. In my estimation, there's probably a hundred pages and a subplot or two that could be lost, and it would help the book tremendously---and would make it an international best seller. I'm absolutely sure of it. It may have its problems, but it's better than some of the current bestsellers out there. Trust me on this one. A decent editor would have solved this problem the first time around to make it sell. They would have seen that the diamond needed some polishing, and would have cut what didn't need to be there. Unfortunately, he didn't have a decent editor. He didn't have an editor at all. He simply has a publisher, who does nothing for him, other than printing his book. He published through a local company which charges him a small fortune to put copies on bookstore shelves (and even on Amazon). He is responsible for promoting his book, and as he's retired from another career that is miles away from publishing, and is somewhat shy, I can understand why he has trouble with this.

This is one of those cases where it obviously does not pay to self-publish. And it would behoove people to realize precisely what they're getting if they choose to take this tack in publishing their book. I've never really wanted to do this, despite encouragement from the husband and others, simply because while I can sell a product, particularly if I have stake in it, but I need a framework to do so. Self-publishing does not provide said framework. Yes, you will retain the rights. Yes, you will make more money if the book takes off, but if you do not have any idea of what is required to get your book onto shelves and how to get them off shelves and into people's eager little hands, it probably won't happen in the first place. There are more self-published successes in recent years, thanks to the glories of the internet, but they're still far and few in between. Of course, if you choose to go the traditional route, this means you're taking a much rougher path to having a published work, but it might just be worth it in the long run. I'd bet a hundred bucks this guy's publisher didn't even instruct him on how to put together a media kit, like some self-publishing companies do, because, after all, the publisher is already making money on each copy. It may not be as much as they could make it they helped to promote the book, but then again, they don't incur those costs, either. Some profit is better than none, or a huge loss if the book fails to sell.

I feel extremely sorry for this gentleman, because the plot, in all actuality, is nothing different than what Robert Ludlum (or the shadow writers publishing under the good graces of the Ludlum Estate. You do know the guy is dead, right? The Cake Eater Mother absolutely refuses to believe me when I tell her this. Yes, Mom, he has been IN THE GROUND for about seven years and everything published since has been written by ghosters. Wikipedia may not be the most accurate source about some things, but they generally get the death dates right.) or Dan Brown might have produced. Seriously. He's got that much right, and the book definitely has potential. He just needs a massive edit to make it successful, and I don't know if, after all he's tried to do to promote this book in its current form and how much money he's invested to get it onto shelves, he'll want to take that path. Fortunately for him, he still owns the rights to the book. He can do with it as he will, so the option of an edit is available to him, if he chooses to partake of it. He could easily do this, call it a second edition, and shop it around to other, full-service publishers. Ironically, the fact that he's published, even if it is of the self-service variety, will help him find an agent and a publisher more quickly than if he hadn't self-published. I can only hope he realizes that this is his best option.

So, I offer this up as a cautionary tale: if you are a burgeoning writer and think self-publishing is the way to go, be aware of the pitfalls. If you have some grounding in the book business, have a load of cash to get your books on the shelves, and know how to promote your book to recoup the cash outlay, go for it. But if you're simply tired of sending out queries and sample chapters to agents and publishers and the rejection letters they send out in return, and want to bypass all the bluster, just be aware of what you're getting yourself into. Patience can and does pay off, and it probably pays off more handsomely.