Comments on: how to get published in france

By: cecil

cecil — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 19:47:58 +0000

Great as usual, Hugh !
In France the reason for so many people to publish a book is not to have a book published, oddly enough. It is to be seen as an “Auteur” as Hugh brilliantly spotted, i.e an Artist. Blogging is vulgar, anyone can do. In such an elitist society as ours this is just a no go.
You have to understand the french psyché for that. We beheaded our king and killed God with our “république laïque”. There is no guide left and I’m not the only one to say that our pandemic and chronical despair is somehow related.
Anyway : after the revolution we diddn’t have any guide left to turn to but the great philosophers from back then (“les Lumieres”). And in our culture they replaced both god and the King. Hence this very strange and sacralized relationship to the written object.
Last but not least, this type of litterature (sex & introspection — french official name is “Autof®iction” — the ® is mine) could turn out to be quite embarassing for a regular blogger. It won’t for someone protected by the divine halo of the “Auteur” position.
For any french reader in the assistance I would strongly recomend “la litterrature sans estomac” by Pierre Jourde which is an hilarious (yet very thoroughly argued from a literary perpective) book on the parisian literary purists : the “Germanoprantins” aka people from St Germain des Près.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 04:23:44 +0000

The real question here is, sure you can put your stuff online. (Assuming publishers don’t have an issue with publishing stuff that’s already been online for free, which is still an issue with some people.) But how do you somehow get the audience and eyeballs enough to get that much publicity? That’s where I’m stumped, as to how one stands out from the kajillion other blogs.
Feel like posting about that, Hugh? I’d be interested, at least.

By: Badger Gravling

Badger Gravling — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 23:48:55 +0000

“Copyright is an automatic right and arises whenever an individual or company creates a work. To qualify, a work should be regarded as original, and exhibits a degree of labour, skill or judgement”
As far as I’m aware, anything, including blogging, is automatically protected by copyright…
The big issue online is enforcing it…

By: Eamon

Eamon — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 19:16:55 +0000

Blogging your way to getting published is an interesting idea. Was wondering how a writer blogging their work online is protected by copyright law?

By: Badger Gravling

Badger Gravling — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 17:49:50 +0000

Unless I missed it, I'm surprised noone else mentioned probably the most obvious Sex and Introspection blog, which was then turned into a book, and a major TV series? http://belledejour-uk.blogspot.com/ Which became the Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl in print, and The Secret Diary of a Call Girl on ITV2, with major publicity etc. And eventually, no matter how highbrow, the success of those using the most effective mediums to reach their audience will eventually have an effect, and highbrow discussions won't be able to ignore blogs, or websites. Just as highbrow discussions eventually came round to almost every facet of popular culture.

By: Simon

Simon — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 14:48:14 +0000

If your friend Chantal would be OK to sleep with me I’d be delighted to publish her book on my blog.

By: Brooks Moses

Brooks Moses — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 06:15:22 +0000

Kimber Chen: You are correct. Some publishers will not purchase books which have been previously published online, period full stop. Others don’t mind. It’s a gamble.
Alda: Talk to Cory Doctorow — who’s been posting free versions of most of his books on his website, as a marketing tool. He’s been finding that it helps sales of the physical books, by acting as advertising, rather than hurting them.

By: vicequeenmaria

vicequeenmaria — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 04:00:55 +0000

You don’t have to put your entire book online. Excerpts, short stories, other writing. The point is to get the energy circulating and develop a readership. If you’re actively writing, this isn’t hard to do. In fact, you can even start blogging as part of your writer’s craft. One hit wonders written in obscurity don’t go too far.
A novel or non-fiction work can also start out as a blog. But it doesn’t necessarilly translate into a book so transparently and seamlessly. You still need an editor and a process of revision.
A book is a fetishized object that’s nice to hold in your hands. Reading a book simply doesn’t compare to losing your eyeballs to a computer screen. I’d still buy something in book form if I really loved it.

By: Alda

Alda — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 01:34:45 +0000

Yes, but if everyone has already read it online, why would anyone want to buy it??
Just playing the devil’s advocate. I’m actually a firm believer in blog magic.

By: Kimber Chin

Kimber Chin — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 21:41:28 +0000

A caution though that putting a novel online DOES have an effect on rights available for sale. (At least that is my understanding, could be wrong on that)
Still better some rights sold than none.

By: vicequeenmaria

vicequeenmaria — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 21:36:46 +0000

But wait, did she even work with an “editor” editor? I mean did she just write the book and expect to be read and published without the process or revision? I would never send a ms. to an agent without having had my stuff read a million times by different eyes, which is of course the great point of putting it out there on a blog, you get free input from potential readers.
If the answer is “no,” boy that really says something about the idea of ‘auteur’ …
A writer’s writer will keep writing. Put the first book down and keep writing. First book may suck, anyway, the publlishing of which you may regret. You always have to practice your craft, regardless.
Here in the states it’s just as much about ass-kissing and who you know, in any case.

By: Clive Birnie

Clive Birnie — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 17:43:56 +0000

There is also this. Something I have had my eye on for some time. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/20/world/asia/20japan.html?_r=1&em&ex=1200978000&en=9275f067f59eb69c&ei=5087%0A&oref=slogin

By: hugh macleod

hugh macleod — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 08:38:37 +0000

Bertil, I daresay there’s enough material in that comment of yours to form the basis of a novel

By: Bertil

Bertil — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 08:30:07 +0000

Half a dozen of my close friends published books in France, two on average; none had any previous connexions with anyone inside the literature scene before. Those who got ‘in’ were introduced because they wrote, and after they proved their skills, not prior to—which sounds logical to me. The number of people publishing their first novel has almost been doubling every two year for the past decade: it's not like it's an elite club that's so closed you have to be born published to get a shot. I also know several very hot models who wrote “novels” (three hundred pages worth of sex & introspection, strictly impossible to read; my first comment on those actually was: “There are a few words I‘m going to throw at you: just tell me if they ring a bell: ‘grammar? sentences? plot?’”); they slept all they could to get published (including with more then one person at once, and I am sparing you the details) — in the end, one slept with a guy high-up enough that she got. . . let's say printed. That was her worst idea because now, she's out for a reason — and back to modelling (which she doesn't like so much) for good . I've asked many publisher friends of mine, both in fiction and non-fiction: write a decent draft is all you need to get an answer. Every draft send gets one shot, and the reader goes as far as (s)he possibly can; if it's good, it's talked about—and if you need a better name for the author, be it famous or just a classy-sounding pen-name, that's the easiest thing to arrange; famous people are always delighted to sign and promote a good book, especially if someone else took the pain to write it—shadow writer is not an insult here: people are open and proud about it, see “Mensonges et trahisons et plus si affinités...”. Starting with “a ray of light was going through the quiet room” of long introspection about how not-so-uncommon is your characters first name, well, that's. . . shooting your self in the foot. Marina, let me ask: if someone is going to offer you sex, but no social capital, would you hang around with him, or her? Even after a season of Californication, that ‘date’ thing is still a little bit obscure to me, so I'm not sure where you are talking from — but a one night stand with the right person to know, or a friend, relative, etc. sounds like the best way to trash all your chances. Think about it: you generally just don't want to see her the morning after, right? Unless she's the one, of course—a completely different case, mind you. You though orgies are some kind of rite of passage in the Lit scene? Really? OK: anyone older then 14 can tell you it's a gross way old & bored couple try to spice up their inexistent sex life. Publishers usually have interesting couples: complicated, educated, contrasted. . . But I can't remember orgies being anything else then a joke—except for those damned Red Neck provincials from outside the Walls. If her book is actually good, let her give it to all her friends: mind you, not those “in the know” —who would hate her for forcing them to read something half-baked— but those who might have fun reading it. She might even hand-out copies in the street or in a café (thank you Lulu.com) with an e-mails for comments. Read the comments. A blog would be useful in the same way, but one post per chapter. . . that sounds a lot to me. A few good books were made this way, with some great success—mostly graphic novels, I'd say. It might feel like only people in the know get a chance: statistically, that's how it looks. Actually, if you compare it with who passes the competitive exams to enter the most prestigious universities, those also tend to be those whose parents are in the know. The only thing is: all exams are anonymous. Really. Knowledgeable parents taught you what you need to know to get a great job; however unfair, that's how life is here in France. Oh, and: if she is living in the XXth district, anyone can tell from the way she sounds on the phone, or dress, or combs her hair, or walks, or what shoes she wears, that she is a leftist. It's not even something you think about. Shelly: “caché” means “hidden”; you meant “cachet”, which means “seal”, and is still the proof of something being genuine, of good quality. However, “n'est pas il ainsi?” is very un-French. Marina, the group you are looking for is called “J'adore déjeuner au Café de Flore“: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6176724589

By: AH

AH — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 08:24:09 +0000

“The enemy of authors isn’t piracy, it’s obscurity.” –Tim O’Reilly