Let's Join Forces.
Who am I? I'm confused. I'm a...
Commissioned Author. A year ago, my first book was published. "Pacific Tsunami Galu Afi" was written on commission - which means that I was paid a weekly salary plus all expenses to research and write a book that would then belong to my employer. The Australian Govt Aid Program then paid $120,000 ST (approx $45,000USD) to publish the book.
Self-Published Author. A few weeks ago, I self-published my first fiction novel "Telesa:The Covenant-Keeper" as an e-book and a print book. I have spent the last eight months writing, editing, proofing and formatting my own manuscript. At the same time, I also put five short fiction pieces on Amazon and Smashwords. I wrote in and around moving to NZ, settling into a new life, being a full-time mother to the Fab5 and managing a home. I worked with copy editors, proof readers, photographers, super-awesome cover models like Ezra Taylor and more, cover artists and graphic designers, to prepare the book for print. Me and the Hot Man invested a sizeable chunk of money (that we didnt have) into getting books printed. In 2 weeks I will go to Samoa for a book launch. AUT University will host an Auckland launch at the end of November. I am now racing to finish the second book in the series and get it published while keeping up with ongoing promotion of the Telesa series. It's exhausting but exhilarating work. I'm loving it.
Contracted Published Author. Last month, a collection of my short fiction (submitted back in January) won the USP Press Fiction Award. The prize money also came with an offer to publish the collection. Once the news was announced, I was contacted by an award winning (Super Rockstar) NZ publishing company about the collection. They have since offered me a publishing contract as well. I've sold children's stories in the past to Learning Media Publ, but this will be my first time working with editors on an entire fiction book. I'm sure that I will learn a great deal. I'm excited but nervous.
It occurred to me that I can now reflect with some small measure of (sweat and curse-laden) experience on three completely different paths to being a published writer. And that maybe, there's some other writers busily writing away in a corner that might like to know a bit more about this stuff - so they don't make the same STEWPID mistakes I did. And maybe, in particular, there's some Pacific writers out there who have a hankering for getting their work published the non-traditional way and might want to chat some more about this. SO....every Wednesday I will do a Writer post about something writer-ish. Hopefully we can get enough Pacific writing chat going that I can put together a regular newsletter (with writing stuff from all of us) that gets emailed out to anyone and everyone who's interested in subscribing. The name of this splendiferous newsletter is: TUSITALA FIAPOTO. (Yaaay!)
(Oh, and in spite of its name, this writer group thing is serious, I'm not kidding.) To get it started, I would love to hear from you. Pacific writers of all kinds ( even if all you write right now are shopping lists...but you've got stories dying to get out, yes, even you) - What writing topics do you want to discuss? What are your questions about getting your writing published? Even if I cant answer your question, I bet somebody else on here can share their writing experience and shed some light on it. If you're an anonymous blog stalker and you would like to get the Tusitala Fiapoko newsletter, be brave and speak up now. Or stay in the shadows and email me directly at LaniWendtYoung@hotmail.com. Looking forward to your thoughts on this people...
Thank you for helping my blog host a record 18,000 visits last month. My YA urban fantasy romance Telesa:The Covenant Keeper is now avail. from Amazon for US and intl readers. Check out the reviews and see if this is a fire you would like to read more of...
EBook - $2.99 Print Book - $14.95 USD
NZ and Aust readers can order from these links: $24.95 NZD and $22.95 AUD