I published a short story, A Letter from Sissy, on my web site last night as part of an experiment in publishing that I am beginning this weekend.
As Citizen Poet, I have been writing daily epigrams, PunDitties, and poetic aphorisms that a lot of people enjoy. I have a little over 2,000 fans who get my daily email blasts that forecast whatever poetic burrs or barbs or humor that I plan to publish that day. I get emails and IMs and screen messages from fans and foes alike. My social network fans, including those on Twitter and Facebook, are very loyal and I suspect, highly intelligent. I am, of course, no Martial, but I like his style and a little emulation can never hurt.
As a writer, I make my living from books. My latest novel, Master Spies Die Laughing, is an incredibly funny satire that is almost universally acclaimed by everyone who reads it. Hell, I even laugh at my own self when I read it. My short satirical look at one of the major sports icons of this century, Tiger Woods: Ten Ways to Play the Lie, sells for one reason and one reason only—it’s funny (and cheap). Buy the way, if you haven’t read either one of these books, spring for the change and treat yourself. They’re worth every dime.
I will, of course, be writing other books. In fact, three are pretty far along and I’ll be making announcements about those in the near future. One is a political satire that combines poetry and art, one a book of epigrams, and one a new novel. These represent (if they sell) future income.
With the advent of the internet, a host of new marketing opportunities have appeared. Of course, the most obvious is to use the medium as a way to promote traditional publishing and in a way, that’s how CitizenPoet came about. I wanted to showcase my poetry as a means for attracting readers and enticing them to buy my books. And to some extent, it works. Some of those who visit my website actually buy a book.
Which brings me to my experiment. I love writing books, articles, short stories, and poetry. The problem is not the writing, but the publishing. Finding a home for what I write is easily triple the time it takes me to write it in the first place. When I write a poem, whether an epigram or an epic, I formerly had to send it off to some existing publication, a literary journal, poetry contest, or specialty publisher. With my site, CitizenPoet.com, I can publish the work instantly, get rapid feedback, and attract potential marketing and/or sales.
For example, my daily epigrams attracted the attention of a publicist for a major resort chain in America that caters to corporate clients who conduct sales and marketing meetings who contacted me for a syndication contract. As a result, I have a small but steady income from clients who publish newsletters for resorts, special occasions and sales and marketing events and who use my epigrams as daily inspirational blurbs to entertain their members.
And, of course, there are the T-shirts and coffee cups and occasional greeting cards.
But none of these are either reliable or substantial, and while there is probably little in any writer’s life that can be relied upon as steady income, there is always the potential of something new, some approach that satisfies both the writer’s ego and purse, or at least, provides enough largesse to allow the writing process to continue for another cycle of writing and sales.
So here is my plan. I am going to create an online publishing empire. Oh, yeah. Scoff. But I’ve got poetry, satire, novels, books, and short stories.
Let’s start with short stories. Instead of marketing my short stories through the usual channels of magazines, literary journals, contests and mimeographed flyers, I will publish them as a new feature on my web site where they can be read by all at no charge, and where those who like the work and who are willing to contribute to the arts—or at least, my art—can make a small contribution or donation by way of approval.
I plan to publish a new short story about every week or so, depending on the revenue, so we’ll see how that goes. As of the moment, the first short story has only been up for a short time and while I haven’t yet posted the news on Twitter or Facebook, or sent out a blast to my email epigram list, I have already had two donations, one for $1 and one for $2. Statistically, that means one reader considered the story twice as good as some other reader.
I wonder if there’s any change a Saudi oil prince will love the story.
I have three novels in the works. One, Boxes Lie Waiting, won an Amazon Breakthrough Novel citation and will be published as a print book later this year. The second, Something Weird in Massachusetts, I am shopping for a publisher. The third is a science fiction novel, Hydra Song Blue. My plan is to publish Hyrda on line as an interactive subscription offering.
Here’s the plan. I will publish the first three chapters on line for free. The format will be similar to a blog. A chapter will be published which anyone can read, comment, on and offer whatever criticisms or opinions they like. Of course, the readers won’t know where the novel is going, but they will know what’s happening at the moment and are able to offer opinions and comments. After the first three chapters, readers must subscribe to the remaining chapters.
I am considering 52 chapters, one per week. The first three chapters will be free. The charge to continue reading and commenting will be 50 cents per week if subscribed to on a week-to-week basis, or $18 total if the entire book is pre-purchased for the year. Readers will be invited and enticed to predict how the book will end. There will, of course, be a grand finale at the end of the year when all of the various plot twists are resolved. The subscriber who comes closest to guessing the final resolution will win a prize. In the event of a tie, the final winner from amongst the tying contestants will be chosen by lot. And, of course, all subscribers will receive a paperback copy of the final print book.
Let me know what you think of this publishing plan. I may be crazy, but who knows, I may be on to something as well.
Now, go read A Letter from Sissy and make a donation. I’m counting on you.
Citizen Poet 