Boneman
Well-Known Member
I hope this is the right place to ask this question, please move it, if it doesn't belong here...
About ten years ago, I wrote a novel, supposed to be part of a trilogy. It wasn't very good, but my writing group helped and critiques helped, but it never got anywhere. I moved on to another story, and then another, (probably) getting better as a writer, certainly getting closer to the Holy Grail...
Anyway, at my son's wedding last year I sat next to a good friend of his who told me how much she'd loved "that Egyptian book you wrote". I had to think hard which one it was, but realised it was indeed that novel. I didn't know my son had let her read it (I'd printed it off for him to Beta for me) and what surprised me was how much detail she remembered - more than me, actually, I'd forgotten swathes of it!
To cut a long story short, I decided to finish the trilogy, and I've been doing exactly that. With no intention of trying for publishing or self-publishing. And that is amazingly liberating!! I can write "Jack was saddened by her reaction" and leave it there, rather than thinking 'should I be using 'was', is there a better way, like "Her reaction saddened Jack".
What I'd like to do, when the trilogy is finished is print it off, purely for friends and family - mainly my son, who, after I'd completed the first book in three trilogies said: "Dad, if you'd stuck with the first, you have completed it by now!" He's got a birthday later this year and I'd like to present him with three books! I'm at a point where I don't have the desire to self-publish it, it would take to much out of me to even get it to that level.
So: anyone know or recommend a print service? I know lulu do it, but they do aim at self-publishers a lot. I did consider putting all three books in one mammoth hardback, and that would save three covers. Book one is 121,000 words, Book 2 is shaping up much the same, so if I stay in that vein, I'd have 360,000 words, which is the size of Patrick Rothfuss's second book, and I've got hardback copies of that.
It's a vanity thing on my part, and I don't want to get ripped off by vanity publishers, so if any of you have any recommendations, I'd love to hear them.
Many thanks in advance for any comments/help/suggestions.
About ten years ago, I wrote a novel, supposed to be part of a trilogy. It wasn't very good, but my writing group helped and critiques helped, but it never got anywhere. I moved on to another story, and then another, (probably) getting better as a writer, certainly getting closer to the Holy Grail...
Anyway, at my son's wedding last year I sat next to a good friend of his who told me how much she'd loved "that Egyptian book you wrote". I had to think hard which one it was, but realised it was indeed that novel. I didn't know my son had let her read it (I'd printed it off for him to Beta for me) and what surprised me was how much detail she remembered - more than me, actually, I'd forgotten swathes of it!
To cut a long story short, I decided to finish the trilogy, and I've been doing exactly that. With no intention of trying for publishing or self-publishing. And that is amazingly liberating!! I can write "Jack was saddened by her reaction" and leave it there, rather than thinking 'should I be using 'was', is there a better way, like "Her reaction saddened Jack".
What I'd like to do, when the trilogy is finished is print it off, purely for friends and family - mainly my son, who, after I'd completed the first book in three trilogies said: "Dad, if you'd stuck with the first, you have completed it by now!" He's got a birthday later this year and I'd like to present him with three books! I'm at a point where I don't have the desire to self-publish it, it would take to much out of me to even get it to that level.
So: anyone know or recommend a print service? I know lulu do it, but they do aim at self-publishers a lot. I did consider putting all three books in one mammoth hardback, and that would save three covers. Book one is 121,000 words, Book 2 is shaping up much the same, so if I stay in that vein, I'd have 360,000 words, which is the size of Patrick Rothfuss's second book, and I've got hardback copies of that.
It's a vanity thing on my part, and I don't want to get ripped off by vanity publishers, so if any of you have any recommendations, I'd love to hear them.
Many thanks in advance for any comments/help/suggestions.
