Paper vs Digital

by David Batten-Hill
3rd December 2011

Hi,

I've a finished MS (thriller/horror) which the firm that published my non-fiction book has rejected. Six agents have rejected, there are four to go in my current list.

A good friend, who's wealthy-ish, is pressing me to go straight to the e-book route, which I understand Amazon/Kindle will offer.

My gut feeling is that I don't want to 'shoot my bolt' until I can paper the wall with rejections. Any thoughts, or even experiences, concerning this approach?

Thanks, David

Replies

*Would a digital version be considered a 'poor relation' to a 'real book'?

Books are books. You just need to trust on your history potential, not in the way you show it.

Profile picture for user thi1900@_21370
T. O.
Bührer
330 points
Developing your craft
Fiction
T. O. Bührer
20/01/2012

I went ahead, so you'll find my novel is available for Kindle at...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/This-Son-Of-York-ebook/dp/B006KIB078/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1

Sales so far? Two!

Profile picture for user davhill@_20385
David
Batten-Hill
270 points
Practical publishing
Fiction
Speculative Fiction
Adventure
Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Comic
Autobiography, Biography and Memoir
Popular science, Social science, Medical Science
Practical and Self-Help
David Batten-Hill
15/12/2011

Thank you for your replies and good wishes!

I'm researching the Amazon/Kindle route but am also considering these factors...

* Would a digital version be considered a 'poor relation' to a 'real book'?

* Will the digital version cause a bit of a flurry then fizzle out? (Unanswerable, I think).

* What percentage of the target market owns a Kindle or equivalent?

* Moussa says, 'You can go eBook and that does not preclude a paper publication down the road.' Is this really so, or is it the case that agents would reject on principle because the book is already out there, albeit virtually.

As you can see, it's a tricky one. My MS represents 21 months' work and I don't want to undermine it through impatience. I'm looking for commercial, more than literary success but not at any cost.

In addition, I know the wheels of publishing grind slow. Happily, the book won't date for a while.

I'll keep you posted on any developments.

Profile picture for user davhill@_20385
David
Batten-Hill
270 points
Practical publishing
Fiction
Speculative Fiction
Adventure
Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Comic
Autobiography, Biography and Memoir
Popular science, Social science, Medical Science
Practical and Self-Help
David Batten-Hill
04/12/2011