Benefits of Self Publishing: The Crossover Effect

This Wednesday, my third semester of teaching Pub_Inc will begin at the Art Academy of Cincinnati.

Got to say, it feels good, which brings me to this blog post.

On this blog, I've written hundreds of words touting the advantages of self-publishing over traditional publishing. Keeping your rights, higher ebook royalties, and having control over pricing, presentation, and content are the three biggest reasons.

Here come a few more.

Crossovers. I really enjoy it when intellectual properties visit each other's universes. Back when Who Framed Roger Rabbit? came out, I was giddy with joy during the Donald Duck/Daffy Duck piano duel. Sonic and Mario in the same game? Sign me up. Mulder and Scully from The X-Files on The Simpsons? Not to mention Super Friends camping out at the Hall of Justice.

Unfortunately, traditional publishers aren't big on crossovers. Rights are tricky. While some crossovers do exist, publishers looking to build an author's brand seem to want to focus on that author and that brand, rather than split time and profits with another author or publisher. The non-compete and first option clauses that are still boilerplate in legacy contracts also make a crossovers difficult or impossible.

If you want to share universes, going indie is the easier way to do it.

Novellas. In a paper world, books have to be a certain length. In a digital world, they don't. So a twenty-thousand word story that is too long for magazines and too short for a print book has no barrier to entry.

So naturally I've been a huge proponent of crossovers in my own fictional worlds. My next novel due out later this year, "A Coven's Lament", will combine characters from my collection of three short stories, "Chronicles of a Boy Misunderstood".

I had a ball doing this, and I hope it shows in the writing. Being able to release three connected stories, and another book combining characters and expanding story lines in such a short period of time, is something that would have been more difficult with traditional publishers. Plus I keep my rights, make better royalties, and have final say over cover art, price, and design.

What We Do On Thanksgiving Day

Thursday brings another celebration of what we Americans call Thanksgiving. But for many of us, there is so much activity and that real meaning behind the day has become lost. So, in order to try and bring some old traditions back, I want to encourage my readers to let this be a real day of gratitude.

I will start by conjuring up the images that come to my mind when I think of Thanksgiving…my late Aunt Sara’s house, sweet potato pie, turkey, football and family. When you think of Thanksgiving, what images come to mind?

 

I grew up watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in television, taking little interest in the balloons, but more in the performances that seemed to happen every few minutes and trying to figure out if there were lip-syncing or not.  Santa was never big on my radar, but it seemed to pacify my younger brothers.  

 

Presently, Thanksgiving weekend is the busiest travel weekend of the year. Around tens of millions of people each year travel more than 50 miles in order to share Thanksgiving dinner with their families…talk about a yearning for home!

 

If you think about it, however, the actual events of Thanksgiving Day aren’t that exciting. Outside of watching the Macy’s Parade, tens of millions of people watch football, while tens of millions of people cook mass quantities of food. Then they all get together to eat more than they should, only to top off their gluttony with sweet potato pie and ice cream.

 

Thanksgiving should be about more than a parade, pigskin play, and fantastical deserts. Thanksgiving is still meant to be a time for gratitude. This has been the point of Thanksgiving Day throughout history.

 

I’m not asking we give up any of our prized Thanksgiving traditions. Go ahead and watch the parade and the games, if that makes your day special. Drive several hours to Uncle Joe and Aunt Mary’s house. Eat way too much dessert…these can be delightful traditions.

 

But I am going to ask you not to forget the heart of Thanksgiving. In fact, I’m going to encourage you to let Thanksgiving be more than just a day!

 

 

 

A New Study About EBooks For Kids Raises Eyebrows

School Library Journal and Follett School Solutions recently released the Sixth Annual Survey of Ebook Usage in the U.S. School (K-12) Libraries (September 2015) which the end result to take a look at the advantages (or disadvantages) there are to kids using ebooks.

 

Originally, because of many things like low cost and easy access, optimism about ebook adoption in schools has run high, but turns out to be unfounded from what the study says. It doesn't matter if you are #TeameBook or not, the details are shifting.

Detailed Pub_Inc Program Overview

For most of 9-week program, students meet in hour long workshops. Workshops are led by instructor K.A. Simpson, and other writing professionals who also provides written feedback and offers prepared lectures on various elements of the craft of writing. These classes also include analysis of published memoirs and impromptu discussions about the writing process. 

Because workshop participation is crucial, the full schedule will be available to students at the time students are notified of acceptance into the program. This should allow plenty of time to (re-)schedule any trips or other commitments over the course of the Incubator.

3 hours of individual consultations with the instructor

After each workshop meeting, students whose manuscripts were workshopped will meet with the instructor individually on a mutually agreed-upon date and time. The goal of these meetings is to allow the writer to synthesize the multiple perspectives students have heard at the workshop meetings, as well as strategize more specific plans for their work. Each writer will receive a minimum of 3 hours of individual consultation: 1 hour (broken up across 3 meetings, as the writer prefers).

In addition to these hours, the instructor will be available for weekly "office hours" sessions, at which students may drop in and discuss their projects as needed.

Weekly Check-Ins

To ensure that the manuscript develops, students will turn in a rough draft or revision of material every week the Incubator is in session. These will not be workshopped, but everyone will be required to complete them. The more you write, the easier it is to write!

Salon Series

At various times throughout the year, writers will visit with the class at a local pub, to discuss elements of the writing life.

Tuition

The entire cost of the program is $500. Tuition is payable in two installments. We have partnered with the Lillian Wright Simpson Foundation to allow tuition to be assessed on a sliding scale based on an individual's income level.

Free Open House & Info Session

Thinking of applying? Pub_Inc offers informal Q&A sessions via phone, including the workload, the application process, what the program does and doesn’t entail, the schedule, the philosophy behind our approach, and anything else on your mind.

Visit us at www.bkmkpublishing.wix.com/pub-inc for contact information.

Chronicles of a Boy Misunderstood - Special Edition

Chronicles is an eye-opening look into the life of three Black gay men. The stories of each speaks freely about what it was like growing up as a Black gay man and how those experiences dictate how hard and long we love. The three stories boldly address controversial issues under specific topics including slavery, love, class, social status, racism and the LGBT community.

In a way, I used the book to reveal the pain and struggles I endured over the past 20 years and how I was able to grow from those experiences instead of allowing them to destroy me.

This thought provoking work will cause you to take an inventory of your own prejudices and judgments of others. It also offers guidance and advice to anyone struggling with loving themselves regardless of their race, gender or sexual orientation.

A few weeks ago, I released a special edition of the book. What makes it special is that it includes a non-fiction piece that dissecs some of the reasons that prejudice, hatred, and fear still persists in society. I wrote the piece but it includes excerpts from an expert in African American Studies at the University of Cincinnati and a former Ret. US Army Sergeant.

Get your copy today. Only 100 copies will be printed. http://www.lulu.com/shop/k-a-simpson/chronicles-of-a-boy-misunderstood-special-edition/hardcover/product-21999164.html

Pub_Inc Takes Another Try

We enlisted the help of Woodie The Owl to help our crowdfunding campaign.  Come on now, how can you say no to an owl rockin headphones? 
https://vine.co/v/OHU3bgaA95w

Cager: The Boy Who Farted

Our friends at Bookmark Publishing just released their latest title!

"Cager: The Boy Who Farted", written by local Cincinnati author Jim Luken, is a great young adult story about a boy that, well, you know, farts. Despite the title, it's a great story that dives into race relations and coming of age issues.

Copies can be ordered at www.bkmkpublishing.com