I am feeling quite emotionally drained at the moment. I have just completed writing what is my 48th book.
I have self-published 24. I have two books that were published by Oxford University Press (on Biology), a number that need typing up from type-writer manuscripts and some that I won’t bother with.
My books sell at a steady rate of between 15 and 30 a month. That brings me in an income of around £5 a week which does not cover costs incurred.
I greatly enjoy writing but am frustrated at not having an audience.
I am looking to improve my writing, improve my books and become professionally published.
I am shortly going to change the emphasis from writing new books to gaining a Literary Agent and/or Publisher. I believe I have the skills, background, number of books and potential to be a commercial proposition.
I have three books completed and waiting to be published.
I have seven projects that I am currently working on.
I just need a lucky break.
These are the books I have written so far:
Books so far
| Sci-Fi |
| 1. Pornographic Syndromes
2. Destination self 3. Hallucination 4. Nosedive 5. Green 6. Intergalactic Rockstar – Star turn 7. Ebola in Eden 8. Zero to infinity 9. Reality dreams 10. October 14th is too far 11. Trapdoor 12. Journey into time |
| Fiction |
| 13. City Angels
14. Goofin’ with the cosmic freaks 15. 53 & imploding 16. Reflections from a ditch 17. Farther from the sun 18. The universe – a users guide 19. The apartment 20. Torture
|
| Antitheist |
| 21. Antitheists Bible
22. Book of Ginny 23. Antitheists dictionary |
| Non-fiction |
| 24. Diary of a 60s freak
25. Poetry Vol 1 – Prose & Cons 26. Poetry Vol 2 – Vice and Versa 27. Poetry Vol 3 – Rhyme & Reason 28. My Art & Outpourings |
| Rock Music |
| 29. Rock Strata Vol 1
30. Rock Strata Vol 2 31. Rock Strata Vol 3 32. Rock Strata Vol 4 33. Rock Streams 34. Rockin my life away 35. Roy Harper Vol 1 36. Roy Harper Vol 2 37. Roy Harper Vol 3 38. Roy Harper Vol 4 39. Roy Harper Biog 40. Under the covers 41. In Search of Captain Beefheart 42. 537 Essential Rock Albums pt 1 43. Ruminating on Roy Harper 44. Nick Harper the Wilderness Years 45. Tribute to Rock Geniuses Vol 1 46. The Blues Muse |
| Education |
| 47. Coordinated science multiskill practicals
48. Coordinated science practicals 49. Headship – a passion for education |
Anyone any advice? Wise words?
Anybody know a Literary Agent or Publisher?
Wow, your list of books is impressive. Good luck on finding an agent/publisher!
Thanks. I couldn’t spend the time when I was working. Now I’m retired I can work on them and look to publishing. It’ll work out eventually.
Well I’d say writing is its own reward but you’d probably virtually slap me! 😀 I think finding an agent is the best next step because in all likelihood they can help you broaden your audience. And that’s what you feel you’re lacking. Can’t help you with that, but if you go to SueBE’s blog One Writer’s Journey (https://suebe.wordpress.com/) and drop her a note, she may be able to advise you on how to look for an agent. Or even Ryan Lanz’s blog A Writer’s Path (http://ryanlanz.com/). He, too, is very much in the know about that sort of thing. Good luck in your quest, my friend.
Thank you Cheryl – great advice. I shall devote some time to doing that. It’s hard because writing is fun. Marketing is work. But writing without an audience seems pointless.
I think you have a great range of books and agree maybe you now need more publisher input. I love the covers. Anthropocene was very personal and I enjoyed that. As its raining here non stop I will go back and read your Ebola in the Garden of Eden. There are also a lot of blogs. My friend’s husband was professor of creative writing but getting really published and a wide readership seems to be an uphill struggle for him too. Lucky breaks…so much rubbish gets published. I’ve found with kids authors that once a book is published,and the first may be great, but the others are not. Good luck and sorry not to rally be able to help.
Thanks for your support Georgina. I really appreciate it. I’m glad that Anthropocene Apocalypse didn’t disappoint. Ebola is a different kettle of fish. You might find a theme in many of my books though. I wait to hear what you thought. All the best – Opher
Have read it on one rainy Sunday afternoon. It worked well. I liked the three parts and how these merged. I think a must read for scientists but maybe not for some sensitive souls like the Merkl kids. Again a good read for youngsters in school. Will do those reviews and at least you earn a bit of money from your writing! I think that really means you can say you are a professional writer!
Cheers Georgina. Great to hear some positive responses.
Yes I am selling some books. There’s a steady trickle and I’m getting a lot of positive feedback and so far not one single bad response. I think I’ve now published twenty four and I’m selling between 15 and 30 books a month with 80p profit a book. So that’s under £5 a week. It’s not a huge return. Indeed I am running at a loss.
But it’s not about the money. It is about the ideas and having an audience, feeling that I am making a difference, that I’m not just writing pointlessly into a void. The money is incidental. I think I am driven by that same desire to communicate and make things better that drove me into teaching.
Georgina – you cheer me up.