I don't think my novel's getting published :(

Hi everyone,

     It has now been almost 3 months since I optimistically sent my novel, Confessions of an Internet Pornographer to the 8 NY literary agents I met at the WD writer’s Conference in January. 5 out of 8 have sent rejections.

     I have begun to feel a disturbance in The Force; as if the other 3 agents will also be rejecting my book. It’s been called funny, eloquent, and full of heart, but apparently that’s not enough to get published. It has no murder in it, no drug cartels, no infidelity, any elephants or CIA agents. Thus it will never sell.

     Luckkily I started reading the book Publicize Your Book: An Insider's Guide to Getting Your Book the Attention It Deserves, which I mention in my last post. I’m gonna need it now more than ever. I knew I’d be working hard promoting the book even if it got picked up by a publishing house, but now the whole thing falls on me, wich sucks. I’m terrified of screwing it up. I was hoping a publisher would provide Confessions of an Internet Pornographer with professional media people who could open doors. But life has other plans.

    I’ve been pretty bummed out my book lately. Luckily I checked Glimmer Train Press, and my short story Born Again is still under consideration.  

     I’ve decided not to let rejection stop me and so I’ve been learning about self-publishing. I will be sharing what I learn with you in future posts. I found a great FREE Web site creation site named Weebly.com. I’m even making T-shirts for my book FREE, at Cafepress.com. I’ll post more about them later.

     I love my book and I will not stop until I hear from the public. If they hate it, I will be crushed and I'll stop working on Confessions forever. But if they love it I will be vindicated. As I edit my novel for the 22^nd time, I still love the story and the characters. And I think others will love it too. It may not be complex enough like one of the agents wrote, but it rings true to me. It is what would have happened if Fantasiesonline, the Web site my family and I created, had succeeded.

      I’m thinking of expanding some off the chapters and making the book even sexier. Apparently having a book describing the making of a porn movie and an orgy at sea are not enough. Maybe another orgy? The scene was fun to write because it’s difficult to write about sex and not make it sound like cheap drug store porn. I liked the challenge.

Here is my plan for world publishing domination.

1.      Edit book again

2.      Find a book cover photo (working on this already)

3.      Research who to send it to (Book Clubs, Reading groups etc.)

4.      Decide “Who is my audience? 30 to 60 year old men and women?

5.      Prepare a press release and press letter after deciding what media outlets are best for my book.  

6.      Build a Web site

7.      Build Web site store

8.      Prepare my key words and Search Engine material

9.      Publish Web site

10.  Publish Book

11.  Sleep

    

     That’s everything I need to do just to publish this fucking book myself. If anyone can think of anything else please let me know. But that’s just to publish the book. After publication the work begins on advertising, marketing everything. And that’s without book tours, which I doubt I’ll get a chance to do.

     Self-publishing is my only option. I really don’t see any other way. I just can’t give up on my novel. I need to try everything to put it in people’s hands, only then will I be at peace and move on, even if it fails miserably.

     Who would have though having a book entitled, Confessions of an Internet pornographer would be so hard to sell. As I write into the wind, I ask it, and all of you to wish me luck.  

Love

Lucho