Writers and Artists looking for outlet. . .

Cafe Society
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Before anyone goes nuts, I’ve cleared this with Dex.
I may have lost my mind, but I’ve decided to start up a new webzine. It is called Creative Singularity (def.) - A point in a creative process when creativity progresses and accelerates into infinity or beyond prediction.

The website is currently under construction and I hope to launch early March.

Focus: Adventure, Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Horror/suspense

The deal: For the first year, I’m going to give a link back to the author’s blog/web page or whatever you like, actually. So, If you want the link to go to your favorite charity, cool. wait, there’s more. After the first year I’ll put together a best of book through Lulu and promote it not only on the site, but any other way I can (yes this means advance copies to Bookstores, etc.). In addition to this, after the initial printing and press costs (about $300) everyone will get a cut of the book that agrees to be in it.

Artists: The deal is pretty much the same, except no end of year book. I’ll look at strips or serials as well (comic book pages serialized in PDF or some other process. I have tools for that. ) I already have an artist for this years book (through Craig’s list) but I’ll pick the second year from those who contribute in the first year. In the second year, I hope to have art done specifically for stories included (ie you would be given a story to do an image for and be paid for it).

If it flies after the first year or looks like it could fly, I will begin paying for submissions and still do the book thing in the second year.

If by some miracle I make enough to start paying people before the end of the first year I will.

I really want to make this a corporate effort and for everyone to make out on it. I will be making money (I hope) from affiliate and adsense ads on the site, which will be my bucks. But in terms of final books and such, all I take is a 10% after the initial $300 or so.

Here are the blurbs I posted on Craig’s List:

Creative Singularity is currently seeking artwork for inclusion in a new Webzine dedicated to Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror and Adventure. Focus should be on fantastic and other worldly visions. We are also seeking potential panel based strips in these same genres. You do not need to live in Louisville in order to submit.

Creative Singularity, a new webzine focusing on Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror and Adventure is looking for original stories in any of these genres. We are not interested in erotic or shocking material, but instead will focus on intelligent stories based on human nature. We want engaging fiction. We will consider serializing longer submissions. Be aware that this is a start up and while we hope to provide financial compensation after the first year, it is currently not possible. Check out compensation statement for what we offer. Please contact us for further details. You do not need to live in Louisville to submit.

If anyone is interested, you can e-mail me at ddgryphon@gmail.com.

Thank you, and please return to your regular discussions.

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You might also post under the Unpaid Jobs section on the Absolute Write forums. They’ll also let you know if there’s something in your idea that would raise anyone’s “scam flag.” (I’m not saying you’re scamming; only whether your idea has something in it that might make someone worry.)

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I hope you’re aware that no chain bookstore (B&N, Border’s etc.) will carry such books nationally* because they cannot be made available on a completely returnable basis.

The average total sale of a book through Lulu.com is approximately 100 copies.

I don’t want to dash any dreams, but it’s important that you go into such a project with full awareness of the likely outcome.

  • I make the qualification because a local store may decide to include the book as part of a local authors section.
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Thank you. I wondered how well things went with Lulu, but hoped that it being available through Ingram via the Lulu POD, a book would bel listed on their web site. I know they won’t keep them on the shelves at the Brick and Mortars, and know of no way to get an independent book on the shelves of a national chain except through the “Local author” hook. Also, I’m hoping to sell them through the Webzine site, so that may bump it a bit. Do you have a specific cite for the above figure, I’d love to see any statistics on lulu sales of books.

Also, what makes Lulu appealing is the low cost and no minimum print run to make it generally available.

And really, I’m not out to scam anyone (not that anyone knows me from Adam, but I’m just not like that)–I earnestly think I can make something of this and am putting the money up front to make it happen. No one else pays in. No money will EVER be asked of anyone involved in this. It will all be on me.

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Thanks DA, can I get a link for this – the site I found worried me right out with something saying “would you like a six figure writing career?” “Can you write a simple letter?” Click here to start living the writers life.

THAT sent off warning bells like crazy and I hope that isn’t the site.

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http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums. The owner is a multiple-published author, and many of the people on the forums are published authors of one degree or another. Their “Bewares and Background Checks” forum is invaluable for figuring out whether an agent or publisher is legit.

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I’m assuming that RealityChuck will be coming in at some point to tell the Story of Atlanta Nights. This book has achieved legendary status within the SF world, is being promoted around the country by numbers of its 40 or so authors, has all of its proceeds go to charity, and has sold fewer than 200 copies, although it is in Lulu’s top 50 sellers.

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Ahhh. . .okay, thank you, that’s VERY good to know. I’ll look into that title too.

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My only bump, but here it is. I’m really looking to fill this mag out with good stuff – So, once again, review the offer. It is all on me. Please consider sending something in for it. Please.
Do I sound desperate yet? I actually have some folks lined up for issue one, but would like a couple more stories. SF and Horror are weak right now.

Thanks for at least looking at the not yet ready for prime time site:

http://www.creativesingularity.com

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I think it’s up to around 500 copies by now (I don’t recall the exact figure Yog gave).

The book was >extremely< well publicized for a Lulu book, since the story behind it made a big splash in the blogosphere, and in mainstream newspapers like the LA Times.

You can see some of the details at Travis Tea’s Website (say the name out loud).

Other details are in my sig.

The successful Lulu titles, like nearly all successful self-published books, are nonfiction aimed at a identifyable audience. There are only three works of fiction in their top 50 (including Atlanta Night), and it’s quite possible the other two made the list because the author bought a lot of copies himself.

The average number of sales for self-published works seems to be pretty constant: about 75-100 copies.

So if you want to do this for self-expression, that’s fine, but don’t expect any money out of it.

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Thank you, I understand that and will make it clear to anyone who joins in the project–we don’t expect the book will sell terribly well maxing out at about 100 copies.