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Previous entries in this thread include, in order:
Sorting Through Book Manuscripts. Part 1
Sorting Through (Unsolicited) Book Manuscripts. (Part 2 of 5)
Sorting Through (Unsolicited) Book Manuscripts (Part 2a of 5)
Speaking of (Potential) Authors (Part 2b of 5)
Getting Published (Manuscripts): Part 3 of 5
Refer back to the first post, and you will see I described the third way we obtain manuscripts as FOLLOW-UP. To me, that means we publish an author's work, enjoy working with him (or them), discuss a related or "follow-up" topic, and help quickly develop it (usually with more hands-on input than normal) to publication. (This is the cousin of Developed," discussed in Part 3 of 5.)
Two recent "follow-up" examples come readily to mind.
(1)
We have been fortunate enough to work with J. David Petruzzi twice, the first time (with co-author Eric Wittenberg) on Plenty of Blame to Go Around: Jeb Stuart's Controversial Ride to Gettysburg (Savas Beatie, 2006), and the second time in 2007 (with Wittenberg and Michael Nugent) on One Continuous Fight: The Retreat from Gettysburg and the Pursuit of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, July 4-14, 1863. Both books were well done, and the process (except for one hiccup during the final weeks of development on the second title) was enjoyable. Unlike some authors, J.D. is always a pleasure to work with at any level, and regarding any subject.
At his suggestion, we decided to contract a related follow-up project called The Complete Gettysburg Guide: Walking and Driving Tours of the Battlefield, Town, Cemeteries, Field Hospital Sites, and other Topics of Historical Interest (May 2009). For this mammoth full-color project J.D. enlisted the help of Steven Stanley, one of the best cartographers with the added bonus of being an outstanding photographer to boot. Steve has the added advantage of living and working in Gettysburg. J.D. married his deep knowledge of the campaign/battle with Steve's brilliant maps (70 of them), original photos, and gorgeous design abilities. I know that Gettysburg enthusiasts, Civil War readers, and even history readers at large are going to be really impressed with this 320-page full-color achievement that, at less than $40.00, is well worth the price.
(2)
Nicholas "Gunny Pop" Popaditch penned (with Mike Steere) our recent bestselling Once a Marine: An Iraq War Tank Commander's Inspirational Memoir of Combat, Courage, and Recovery (2008). Since the signing of our contract one year ago, I have been fortunate to have spent a significant amount of time with Gunny. Over and over, the answers to many basic questions about his story--whether asked on the radio, on TV, or over a face-to-face dinner and a beer--boiled down to training. "We shape Marines on the outside and the inside, teaching character and how to approach moral dilemmas and solve them," Gunny explained. The more we talked the more I saw a book that was a natural extension of Gunny's first effort. And he knows of what he speaks: several years of his nearly 16-year career were spent as a Drill Instructor; and he wore all three hats.
I did something I have never done before: invited an author to fly in, stay with me personally (so we could work around the clock), and flesh out a detailed outline of The Ultimate Recruit-Training Guide (sign up and step on the yellow footprints, and you are a "recruit" until you have earned the right to be called a Marine). Gunny lived with me for four days. We worked from after breakfast at the office, over lunch, all afternoon, through dinner, and late into each evening. The book is slated for a Fall 2009 release as part of Sgt. Michael Volkin's monster-bestselling Ultimate Basic Training Guidebook series.
(And as the publisher, I also "developed"--see Part 3 of 5 of this posting series--another title for this series on the Air Force, which is being contracted now.)
How does this help you, the author? When you find a good house to work with--one you believe understands your work, how you work, and obviously works hard for you--propose a follow-up project that is a natural fit with your last book. Not something three years down the road, but something fast and hard that can be developed quickly and used to help promote the first book. Be advised, however, this follow-up must be have real value for the end user--our customer. That is priority one here at Savas Beatie.
If you pitch it correctly (and have kept your manners and grace about you during dealings with your publisher and with the book-buying world at large--believe me, publishers keep a closer eye on their authors' public persona than you may realize--chances are you can follow-up your first success with a quick-fire second.
Everyone benefits: the author, the publisher, and especially the readers.
--tps
6 comments:
Good things here, tps, especially the concept of follow-up once an author establishes a market base, whether it be fiction or non-fiction.
But..(Yeah, there's always a 'but' in this biz.)
Publishing is like baseball--you can't steal first base. Too often writers, editors, and publishers do NOT get that first book right because they're looking ahead rather on the pages in front of them.
A manuscript is not unlike a weapons system - an expensive investment in a mission. Imagine a weapon with a 90% effeciency rating and costing $10B. To get to 95% cost $30B and 98% $50B.
Those high end performance improvements are the hardest to get to. The result is that too many 90% manuscripts go to the printer because of a less than effecient company process, in small and big publishers alike.
K
Ted,
I'm honored that you used me as an example... believe me, the pleasure and blessing is all mine. I could have never imagined that such hard work, long hours, and lack of sleep could be so much fun :)
Thank you, partner - and I mean that.
J.D.
(BTW, can't wait to see Gunny's new one - that should be a fabulous read.)
Mr. Savas
As a published author of a handful of fairly successful (history-related) titles and a semi-retired businessman, I would like to write something I have been meaning to write for some time now: I find your blogs posts to be routinely enlightening, funny, insightful, and easy-to-understand. They have a a certain down-to-earth, every-day man feel to them. (This is true even with those posts that deal more with the angst of trying to be prosperous in a society decaying before our eyes.)
Unlike so many authors or publishers with blogs, you don't try to tell your readers how wonderful you are, how erudite you are, stress how many books you have personally written, or how God-like you are in your chosen field.
Instead, you relay solid information designed to help others. You tell it like it is, in a straightforward fashion that smacks of credibility. "This man knows of what he speaks" rings clear.
I have met a few of your authors, and they routinely have nothing but kind words to say about you and the business you run. I know this because I ask and I listen. And of course, I learn.
I will keep reading as long as you keep publishing (and blogging).
(BTW, I will be at Book Expo in New York this year. I understand that Savas Beatie is a steady presence there; I shall stop by and introduce myself.)
Yours,
AG
AG (and JD)
Thank you for taking the time and trouble to stop by and comment. I appreciate hearing your observations. And please stop by at Book Expo. We will be with our distributor, Casemate Publishing.
tps
It takes a partnership to publish a quality book. When researching my new book on George Stoneman's 1865 raid, I met an individual who claimed to have some letters about the raid. He promised to provide copies to me. Despite repeated inquiries, I never got hem. Fortunately I found another way to get the information - and fortunately this was a rare experience. Many other people and institutions stepped up and provided sources, advice, and more, all of which made my book better.
I want the same partnership when it comes to publishing. The publisher is critical. I've worked with Ted on a small project before and also with other publishers, and after all of those experiences there is clearly a difference in the end result when you have a publisher who is actively engaged. None of this is done in a vacuum. And that partnership starts with me.
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